Play Book Tag discussion

See our Man Booker Shadow Panel reviews here https://thereadersroom.org/2017/08/14...

I’m super conflicted here. The writing was so stellar I want to contribute more points to writing quality to make up for some of the other lower scores. It was impossible not to think about Brokeback Mountain while reading this book, and so from that perspective, for me, originality suffered.

I liked so much about this book and was pulled in right from the beginning. There were lines which were such perfection I had to stop and listen to them again (speaking of listening, the narrator of the audio was fantastic. I haven’t figured out bookmarks in Audible, but there was something about cornbread which may have been the best line in the book.)

I think the book was trying a bit too hard to be too many things. Some decisions made on some “close calls” which just weren’t realistic for the time period, and ultimately we only really ever got to know one character with any depth. For me, those are the areas it suffered and kept it from being GREAT. Thematically and the writing certainly made it a contender for the Man Booker short list, the flaws, however, should preclude that.

I agree the audio was fantastic. I also had a print copy which I have since returned to the library, or I'd have do go looking for that cornbread quote.

I just read all of the reviews on Jen's blog and I'm feeling a need to defend this book that I seemed to like more that the rest of you.

One thing that I thought was important, was that somewhere in the very beginning Thomas McNulty essentially identifies himself as an unreliable narrator. Irish blarney; he's full of sh*t. He's telling the story the way he wants it to be told. It isn't meant to be realistic history.
For me the book was forever pointing out surreal dichotomies; this man who wore trousers to commit atrocities and wore a dress to make a human family. The obvious parallel between the causes of the Irish famine and the distruction of the Native tribes by 'American' troopers who are made up of Irish immigrants.
Could two men have lived openly this way during this time period? What history tells us makes it seem unlikely, but then people who needed to keep very low profile to survive don't end up in mainstream history.
Overall, I ending up liking this book because, as you said, the writing was stellar.

Jgrace wrote: "I agree the audio was fantastic. I also had a print copy which I have since returned to the library, or I'd have do go looking for that cornbread quote.

I just read all of the reviews on Jen's bl..."

I responded to you on the blog too but I don't think you need to defend it. We all liked it but we try to be as critical as possible for our reviews. I also gave it 4 stars and I'm pretty sure the other two contributors did too. My guess is that this one will make our top half but we'll see.

The parts I didn't like were more about my own personal tastes than criticism of the book. I just simply wasn't interested in the war pieces.

You do make a good point about the unreliable narrator. The historical inaccuracies didn't necessarily bother me, what bothered me most was the way they formed their family unit without any kind of social consequences. I liked their relationship but found elements unbelievable and wasn't clear how using the notion of an unreliable narrator made this piece any better (say it wasn't true and they did have consequences or they didn't in dress up as women. What benefits come with treating this piece in this manner?).

I did like the contrasts. I thought it was pretty clever how he wove in tremendous violence with calm domestic living. It was clever but I still didn't enjoy the war pieces and I loved the relationship pieces. And, yes, the writing was amazing.

After reading the notes here and on the blog, I'm torn about whether to move this up on my priority list or not! The fact that Nicole liked it so much is a big influence in the positive direction as I often am intrigued by books she really likes.

JGrace, you are making it sound both more original than I thought (a good thing), but also more fantastical (not my thing).

And Jen's blog has high ratings with definitely tougher written assessments . . ."boring" being my biggest concern, lol!

Anita wrote: "After reading the notes here and on the blog, I'm torn about whether to move this up on my priority list or not! The fact that Nicole liked it so much is a big influence in the positive direction a..."

I think you should read it. I think you will like it

Agree. It's not really "fantastical" - I didn't find it boring in the least! it's under 250 pages, I think ...

I also love reading other people's insights. as much as I tend to "read into things" just ask my ex, I seem to take novels at face value.

Sounds like it stays on the The TBR lol!