This fever dream of a book is unbelievably brilliant (and how that formatting choice emphasizes this, is just wow). And prescient. Read it, folks. So good. Easily the best book I read this year, besting even James by Percival Everett if you can believe it.
Glad u finally found one you really liked. I’ve got 5 to go but nearly finished two so think I can get them all done b4 the shortlist comes out. It would be interesting to see the judges notes to see what they went for and were drawn too
Your reviews are marvelous. I hang on your every sentence. You have an empathetic rhythm -- toward the writer AND the characters -- that's deeply infectious. You always WANT a book to be terrific, even if it ends up falling a bit short of its potential. That's the sign of a genuine critic, not just a carper or a non-introspective "lover" of books. My only wish -- and I know you won't do this -- is that you'd ditch the star ratings. You have broad sympathies. I wish you'd let that vital character trait stand and shine on its own. You make the viewer WANT to experience books, not necessarily form opinions about them the way you do. That sort of respect for readers is immensely valuable. Star ratings will never capture that quality that's deep within you. Continued good luck. I find you a treasure to watch and listen to.
Hey! Firstly, what a fantastic comment to receive. Thank you so much for taking the time to be kind and encouraging... and for pointing out things I hadn't really thought about. I've been lucky enough to have had many kind comments about my reviews on this channel, but never one that seems to have found something in them like you have. The act of making these reviews brings me a lot of joy, but... and this will sound cheesy, (because it is) it's comments like these that genuinely make doing this so much more worth it! So thanks for making my day. Star Ratings - I completely see where you're coming from. The idea of sticking a number on something (especially something as subjective as art) and having that number sum up the vast nuances of said art seems absurd. I think the reason I stick to it is because I teach in higher education. Vast amounts of my time is spent grading art (theatre & Acting) the process of formulating something made-up of multifaceted elements and sliding it into a box with a number gives me focus. The act of trying to figure-out where something sits on a scale is actually something I enjoy. But, your comment has made me think. And I don't disagree with anything you have mentioned. i'm gonna take some time and think about what you've said and see if the value I get from doing it can be a personal thing... and doesn't necessarily need to be include in the review. I may just stick to words like excellent, fantastic, very good, good etc without putting a number next to it. This might not happen straight away...but I'll give it some thought. Again, thank you. I hope you're well and enjoying whatever you may be reading.
@@rororeads What a gracious response. I didn't mean to go overboard. Your star ratings certainly don't diminish the value of your words or the work you put into your reviews, not at all. And I think from a PR standpoint abandoning them at this juncture might puzzle your regular listeners unduly. So, if you'll let me now talk out of the other side of my mouth, don't. Maybe get some feedback from viewers? If they like them, you'd better leave them. I just regret the trend, which as you know is ubiquitous. I think it may have started with Siskel and Ebert with their thumbs up and down about movies. Quick quantification of judgment seemed to really take off from there. But I implore you, please don't let this matter of stars bedevil you in the least. You have too many other fine qualities that you can rely on and continue to build on. My reading? Thanks for asking. I'll try to stay off a soapbox and say that my time as I grow older is more precious, so not many contemporary novels appeal to me, from the reviews I read and see. Not that there's not a lot of research and quality thinking that goes into the best of them. But overall -- and this is an absurd oversimplification -- there's too much "Oh how I've suffered, and you can't imagine how much my mother, father, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and friends have suffered, too." The undercurrent of wider societal suffering has gone missing. Dickens, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy never forgot this. Take them and Henry James and George Eliot -- and you've really got the novel. I don't think novelists have advanced as much beyond them as is often supposed. So, I mostly revere writers who are fading fast from recognition. C.P. Snow, Doris Lessing, Iris Murdoch, even, varyingly, Martin Amis. And I suspect you aren't, but I'm totally crazy for Knausgaard. They tried -- and K tries -- in multiple ways to value citizenship and participating in the struggle for world order. That cause goes a glimmering for most contemporary novelists. They're drowning in egotism, or so it seems to me. I love the way you end with "I hope you're well." So, that's how I'll end here.
I am starting chapter 2 and had to look online for ..what the heck am I reading, am I even getting it!? I found your review (at the top of Google, I may add) and realize I am mentally where I should be in this story. The format is a bit difficult, but I have not had any problems with who is saying what, and that for me shows what a brilliant writer Paul Lynch is. Thank you for your wonderful review, and hello from 🇨🇦
I read it in one sitting, very compelling. It's my 3rd fav on the list so far. Gave me Black Butterflies by Prescilla Morris (2022) and The Mother's Fault by Kate Mildenhall (2020) (Australian writer) vibes
brilliant book, but I did want it to do something fresh or innovative and it lost points for me on that basis. the idea of civil war in Ireland is such a real one especially in the wake of the Troubles, and that was the overall message I took away from it in the end, I think. very much hoping it makes the shortlist :)
I really wanted to like this book, but I really didn’t. I didn’t connect with Eilish, at all. It also felt like some of it was going right over my head - I didn’t understand all the references to mouths and shoes/feet (maybe Biblical references?) or the use of what felt like made-up verbs (which just felt pretentious). The last few pages of the book did touch me as the author talked about the universality of the “prophet song” and reminded me of the endless stories of refugees dying in small boats & container trucks. But this was too little, too late. Luckily for me, I loved the first book I read (The House of Doors), which carried me through the ups & downs of the list.
I’m here from the future to lyk this book won . Also, I’m a dork & a sucker for 📖 prizes- I’d only read Bee Sting prior to the winner announcement, yet after it ordered this and Study For Obedience 📖🪱💚
I commend your journey through this list! I'm glad you finally found one worth recommending. Sounds like an interesting novel.
We love an Drakulić shoutout ❤
I want to read this, I need this to be in the shortlist so that I can pick this up
So glad you mentioned Children of Men. The comparison is so accurate!!
7:35 - giggles with glee
This fever dream of a book is unbelievably brilliant (and how that formatting choice emphasizes this, is just wow). And prescient. Read it, folks. So good. Easily the best book I read this year, besting even James by Percival Everett if you can believe it.
0:08 - DAYM SON
Glad u finally found one you really liked. I’ve got 5 to go but nearly finished two so think I can get them all done b4 the shortlist comes out. It would be interesting to see the judges notes to see what they went for and were drawn too
Your reviews are marvelous. I hang on your every sentence. You have an empathetic rhythm -- toward the writer AND the characters -- that's deeply infectious. You always WANT a book to be terrific, even if it ends up falling a bit short of its potential. That's the sign of a genuine critic, not just a carper or a non-introspective "lover" of books. My only wish -- and I know you won't do this -- is that you'd ditch the star ratings. You have broad sympathies. I wish you'd let that vital character trait stand and shine on its own. You make the viewer WANT to experience books, not necessarily form opinions about them the way you do. That sort of respect for readers is immensely valuable. Star ratings will never capture that quality that's deep within you. Continued good luck. I find you a treasure to watch and listen to.
Hey! Firstly, what a fantastic comment to receive. Thank you so much for taking the time to be kind and encouraging... and for pointing out things I hadn't really thought about. I've been lucky enough to have had many kind comments about my reviews on this channel, but never one that seems to have found something in them like you have. The act of making these reviews brings me a lot of joy, but... and this will sound cheesy, (because it is) it's comments like these that genuinely make doing this so much more worth it! So thanks for making my day.
Star Ratings - I completely see where you're coming from. The idea of sticking a number on something (especially something as subjective as art) and having that number sum up the vast nuances of said art seems absurd. I think the reason I stick to it is because I teach in higher education. Vast amounts of my time is spent grading art (theatre & Acting) the process of formulating something made-up of multifaceted elements and sliding it into a box with a number gives me focus. The act of trying to figure-out where something sits on a scale is actually something I enjoy. But, your comment has made me think. And I don't disagree with anything you have mentioned. i'm gonna take some time and think about what you've said and see if the value I get from doing it can be a personal thing... and doesn't necessarily need to be include in the review. I may just stick to words like excellent, fantastic, very good, good etc without putting a number next to it. This might not happen straight away...but I'll give it some thought.
Again, thank you. I hope you're well and enjoying whatever you may be reading.
@@rororeads What a gracious response. I didn't mean to go overboard. Your star ratings certainly don't diminish the value of your words or the work you put into your reviews, not at all. And I think from a PR standpoint abandoning them at this juncture might puzzle your regular listeners unduly. So, if you'll let me now talk out of the other side of my mouth, don't. Maybe get some feedback from viewers? If they like them, you'd better leave them. I just regret the trend, which as you know is ubiquitous. I think it may have started with Siskel and Ebert with their thumbs up and down about movies. Quick quantification of judgment seemed to really take off from there. But I implore you, please don't let this matter of stars bedevil you in the least. You have too many other fine qualities that you can rely on and continue to build on.
My reading? Thanks for asking. I'll try to stay off a soapbox and say that my time as I grow older is more precious, so not many contemporary novels appeal to me, from the reviews I read and see. Not that there's not a lot of research and quality thinking that goes into the best of them. But overall -- and this is an absurd oversimplification -- there's too much "Oh how I've suffered, and you can't imagine how much my mother, father, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and friends have suffered, too." The undercurrent of wider societal suffering has gone missing. Dickens, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy never forgot this. Take them and Henry James and George Eliot -- and you've really got the novel. I don't think novelists have advanced as much beyond them as is often supposed. So, I mostly revere writers who are fading fast from recognition. C.P. Snow, Doris Lessing, Iris Murdoch, even, varyingly, Martin Amis. And I suspect you aren't, but I'm totally crazy for Knausgaard. They tried -- and K tries -- in multiple ways to value citizenship and participating in the struggle for world order. That cause goes a glimmering for most contemporary novelists. They're drowning in egotism, or so it seems to me.
I love the way you end with "I hope you're well." So, that's how I'll end here.
I am starting chapter 2 and had to look online for ..what the heck am I reading, am I even getting it!?
I found your review (at the top of Google, I may add) and realize I am mentally where I should be in this story.
The format is a bit difficult, but I have not had any problems with who is saying what, and that for me shows what a brilliant writer Paul Lynch is.
Thank you for your wonderful review, and hello from 🇨🇦
The copy I ordered is finally supposed to arrive today. I can't wait to read it.
Yes i agree, its a gripping story but its not anything new & i would say its the best of this years booker i have read so far
Agree - I prefer dystopians that are more like realistic near future vibes 💚
I read it in one sitting, very compelling. It's my 3rd fav on the list so far. Gave me Black Butterflies by Prescilla Morris (2022) and The Mother's Fault by Kate Mildenhall (2020) (Australian writer) vibes
What is the main theme of this novel? Please tell me
brilliant book, but I did want it to do something fresh or innovative and it lost points for me on that basis. the idea of civil war in Ireland is such a real one especially in the wake of the Troubles, and that was the overall message I took away from it in the end, I think. very much hoping it makes the shortlist :)
winning booker prize....🎉🎉
I really wanted to like this book, but I really didn’t. I didn’t connect with Eilish, at all. It also felt like some of it was going right over my head - I didn’t understand all the references to mouths and shoes/feet (maybe Biblical references?) or the use of what felt like made-up verbs (which just felt pretentious). The last few pages of the book did touch me as the author talked about the universality of the “prophet song” and reminded me of the endless stories of refugees dying in small boats & container trucks. But this was too little, too late. Luckily for me, I loved the first book I read (The House of Doors), which carried me through the ups & downs of the list.
I’m here from the future to lyk this book won . Also, I’m a dork & a sucker for 📖 prizes- I’d only read Bee Sting prior to the winner announcement, yet after it ordered this and Study For Obedience 📖🪱💚