Book Review
Aug. 24th, 2014 09:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariThe Guts
by Roddy Doyle
Several years ago, I had read Doyle's The Van and greatly enjoyed it, and this novel brought me an equal amount of pleasure. I always had a really good time whenever I sat down to read this one. This funny, endearing, and poignant novel follows Jimmy Rabitte, a happily-married 47 year old Dubliner with four kids who runs a business resurrecting old bands and their material for fans both old and new. A cancer diagnosis throws everything off kilter but also provides impetus for learning the trumpet and reconnecting with people from his past. It sounds like it could be totally smarmy and schmaltzy, but Doyle's ear for dialogue and great sense of humor keep all the treacle away and replace with with a wonderful warmth and liveliness. Jimmy is such a great character, too. Even when I didn't like what he was doing, I always liked him immensely and continuously rooted for him.
by Roddy Doyle
Several years ago, I had read Doyle's The Van and greatly enjoyed it, and this novel brought me an equal amount of pleasure. I always had a really good time whenever I sat down to read this one. This funny, endearing, and poignant novel follows Jimmy Rabitte, a happily-married 47 year old Dubliner with four kids who runs a business resurrecting old bands and their material for fans both old and new. A cancer diagnosis throws everything off kilter but also provides impetus for learning the trumpet and reconnecting with people from his past. It sounds like it could be totally smarmy and schmaltzy, but Doyle's ear for dialogue and great sense of humor keep all the treacle away and replace with with a wonderful warmth and liveliness. Jimmy is such a great character, too. Even when I didn't like what he was doing, I always liked him immensely and continuously rooted for him.
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no subject
Date: 2014-08-25 01:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-25 01:56 am (UTC)You should also read The Snapper and The Van, which are both follow-ons to The Commitements, too.
(I have not read The Commitments yet myself, but I have read The Van.)