What do you think?
Rate this book
Broken Irish
“Epic in its scope but relentlessly compelling in its storytelling—not a common combination—Broken Irish is a splendidly readable and richly textured novel. Edward J. Delaney is an enormously gifted writer.” —ROBERT OLEN BUTLER
"In Edward J. Delaney's South Boston little is lost, nothing forgotten. Old sins, old wounds haunt his characters, young and old, and reverberate throughout his wonderfully complicated plot. Broken Irish is an enthralling, satisfying novel." —MARGOT LIVESEY
"An entire community is on the brink. Hope is the only hope. And faith cannot scrub the grime off its hands. With Broken Irish, Edward J. Delaney delivers a gripping epic." —ADAM BRAVER
As the millennium approaches, “Southie” is still a place where little distinguishes mob bosses from pillars of industry, the bullied from the bullies, and the pious from the pitiful. In this tough Boston neighborhood, six lives are about to converge... Jimmy, an alcoholic writer, whose life is unalterably changed after witnessing an accident; Jeanmarie, a teenage runaway, whose quest for independence leads down a dark path; Christopher, a young Catholic school dropout with a gnawing secret; Colleen, a war widow whose grief has blinded her to the needs of her son; Father John, a priest on the eve of forced retirement; and Rafferty, a wealthy businessman who hires a ghostwriter to tell his story.
In Broken Irish, Delaney trains his journalist’s ear, his filmmaker’s eye, and his writer’s heart on each of their stories—creating a driven and deeply human narrative that pierces the heart of the American experience. He also gives us a captivating portrait of late-1990s South Boston at the crossroads—a time when “Whitey Bulger has evaporated into the ether but his boys still kick around on the street corners... waiting for Whitey’s Second Coming.”
"In Edward J. Delaney's South Boston little is lost, nothing forgotten. Old sins, old wounds haunt his characters, young and old, and reverberate throughout his wonderfully complicated plot. Broken Irish is an enthralling, satisfying novel." —MARGOT LIVESEY
"An entire community is on the brink. Hope is the only hope. And faith cannot scrub the grime off its hands. With Broken Irish, Edward J. Delaney delivers a gripping epic." —ADAM BRAVER
As the millennium approaches, “Southie” is still a place where little distinguishes mob bosses from pillars of industry, the bullied from the bullies, and the pious from the pitiful. In this tough Boston neighborhood, six lives are about to converge... Jimmy, an alcoholic writer, whose life is unalterably changed after witnessing an accident; Jeanmarie, a teenage runaway, whose quest for independence leads down a dark path; Christopher, a young Catholic school dropout with a gnawing secret; Colleen, a war widow whose grief has blinded her to the needs of her son; Father John, a priest on the eve of forced retirement; and Rafferty, a wealthy businessman who hires a ghostwriter to tell his story.
In Broken Irish, Delaney trains his journalist’s ear, his filmmaker’s eye, and his writer’s heart on each of their stories—creating a driven and deeply human narrative that pierces the heart of the American experience. He also gives us a captivating portrait of late-1990s South Boston at the crossroads—a time when “Whitey Bulger has evaporated into the ether but his boys still kick around on the street corners... waiting for Whitey’s Second Coming.”
379 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
7 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
February 26, 2017
An absolutely compelling read by Delaney.
The characters are authentic and relatable in a way you don't find in many books. From the frustration of Colleen to the anger of Chuck to the pressure felt by Christopher, it is riveting read their progression through the course of the novel.
Delaney masterfully ends the novel in a way that hints to one solid conclusion but allows for a great amount of wiggle room in what could be the truth of the matter. Did Rafferty arrange the murder of Jeanmarie or was it Marty getting back at her? Was Marty working for Rafferty? Was Jimmy really Colleen's brother? It's brilliant and mind bending and is a perfect cap to a novel that focuses on the cyclical nature of corruption and redemption and how little is lost and nothing forgotten in the lives of these people but instead reverberates through the years and generations. It really leaves you wondering and I think that's why it works so well.
He captures the very essence of the Southie spirit and attitude. He manages to blend the ways of tradition with the ways of modern times that accurately portrays the struggles seen by those watching.
Despite the enthralling nature of the entire novel, I gave it a 4 based on the slightly overused trope of what forced Jimmy into temporary sobriety. On the one hand, it was a realistic take on what drives people to put down the drink but on the other, does so in a way that has been seen time and time again. Jimmy's storyline for this reason was a bit less compelling for me.
But overall, this was a fantastic read, especially for those of us from Boston.
The characters are authentic and relatable in a way you don't find in many books. From the frustration of Colleen to the anger of Chuck to the pressure felt by Christopher, it is riveting read their progression through the course of the novel.
Delaney masterfully ends the novel in a way that hints to one solid conclusion but allows for a great amount of wiggle room in what could be the truth of the matter. Did Rafferty arrange the murder of Jeanmarie or was it Marty getting back at her? Was Marty working for Rafferty? Was Jimmy really Colleen's brother? It's brilliant and mind bending and is a perfect cap to a novel that focuses on the cyclical nature of corruption and redemption and how little is lost and nothing forgotten in the lives of these people but instead reverberates through the years and generations. It really leaves you wondering and I think that's why it works so well.
He captures the very essence of the Southie spirit and attitude. He manages to blend the ways of tradition with the ways of modern times that accurately portrays the struggles seen by those watching.
Despite the enthralling nature of the entire novel, I gave it a 4 based on the slightly overused trope of what forced Jimmy into temporary sobriety. On the one hand, it was a realistic take on what drives people to put down the drink but on the other, does so in a way that has been seen time and time again. Jimmy's storyline for this reason was a bit less compelling for me.
But overall, this was a fantastic read, especially for those of us from Boston.
November 30, 2011
Loved the writing--masterful. Good pace. Appreciated the way the book was broken up into the stories of representative characters from South Boston--priest, young toughs, single mom, et al. Fantastic handling of dialogue, which always sounded authentic despite including a broad range of types and ages.
At the end of the day, however, this story has been told in many other books and movies. From the priest who couldn't keep his hands off little boys to the alcoholic writer, to the tycoon who "escaped" Southie, it all seemed too familiar.
There's nothing wrong with writing a familiar story in your own way, especially one as vivid and meaningful as that taking place in this part of Boston around the turn of the century, with drugs infesting and destroying neighborhoods, the Church losing its authority, and different ethnic groups going to war against each other. I only wish the writer had come up with an angle that freshened this old story somewhat. Still, I'd read anything he wrote because he is a very, very, very good writer.
At the end of the day, however, this story has been told in many other books and movies. From the priest who couldn't keep his hands off little boys to the alcoholic writer, to the tycoon who "escaped" Southie, it all seemed too familiar.
There's nothing wrong with writing a familiar story in your own way, especially one as vivid and meaningful as that taking place in this part of Boston around the turn of the century, with drugs infesting and destroying neighborhoods, the Church losing its authority, and different ethnic groups going to war against each other. I only wish the writer had come up with an angle that freshened this old story somewhat. Still, I'd read anything he wrote because he is a very, very, very good writer.
April 5, 2012
You start reading this book and you think "Whoa, first chapter and some guy already broke his neck. This is going to be a good read." And as you follow the development of all the characters, it really grabs you. Did the priest really abuse that boy? Will someone listen to his mother? Was the body found Jeanmarie? And guess what? You never find out. The author throws the towel in, it seems, way too soon. Like he got bored and decided we wouldn't notice that half the book is missing.
Because of the way he ends it, noone has a happy ending. It's depressing. Ever read "Requiem for a dream"? Like that. The book leaves you with a bad feeling in your stomach and a gritty taste in your mouth. Like you just watched a train wreck and you had to leave before you got to see the people climbing out unscathed and so are left with the images of carnage and the feeling of dread. I like it. I just wish he'd remembered to finish it.
Because of the way he ends it, noone has a happy ending. It's depressing. Ever read "Requiem for a dream"? Like that. The book leaves you with a bad feeling in your stomach and a gritty taste in your mouth. Like you just watched a train wreck and you had to leave before you got to see the people climbing out unscathed and so are left with the images of carnage and the feeling of dread. I like it. I just wish he'd remembered to finish it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2012
This novel, as dark as Mystic River and with similar themes, is disturbing because it is so believable. Many of its threads are not neatly tied off, that is frustrating but also part of the realism.
June 11, 2023
I found it hard to rate this, because the consideration of the impacts of the catholic church's sexual abuse on men and the atmosphere of Irish repression was sometimes powerful. But the utter flatness of the few female characters grew more and more annoying... like maybe if the author actually spoke to and considered as fully human some women, his worldview wouldn't be so bleak.
June 29, 2014
Delaney's book tells the dark tale of five Irish Americans who are growing or have grown up in South Boston.
known as "Southie" to most Bostonians. South Boston first came to prominence in the school busing crisis made the news in the mid-Seventies when Judge Garrity ordered busing to achieve racial balance and the Irish residents exploded in anger. Home of Louise Day Hicks and Whitey Bolger, Southie has a well deserved reputation as the last stronghold of the Boston Irish.
Almost a fictional ethnography, Delaney's book explores South Boston's toxic mix of proletarian snobbery, organized criminal culture and the Roman Catholic Church as viewed through the eyes of two runaway teenagers (they don't run far) an alcoholic writer, a troubled priest plus one successful aging businessman.
If you are looking for a smarmy beach read forgetaboutit, but if you prefer a well plotted book with well developed thought provoking and believable characters with lots of twists and turns, I highly recommend this book.
known as "Southie" to most Bostonians. South Boston first came to prominence in the school busing crisis made the news in the mid-Seventies when Judge Garrity ordered busing to achieve racial balance and the Irish residents exploded in anger. Home of Louise Day Hicks and Whitey Bolger, Southie has a well deserved reputation as the last stronghold of the Boston Irish.
Almost a fictional ethnography, Delaney's book explores South Boston's toxic mix of proletarian snobbery, organized criminal culture and the Roman Catholic Church as viewed through the eyes of two runaway teenagers (they don't run far) an alcoholic writer, a troubled priest plus one successful aging businessman.
If you are looking for a smarmy beach read forgetaboutit, but if you prefer a well plotted book with well developed thought provoking and believable characters with lots of twists and turns, I highly recommend this book.
February 26, 2017
Dark and disturbing. When I began this book I thought the characters may grow on me. Even just one. They're all very real people. But as the book progresses, I found myself not liking a single one of them. Not that it's a bad thing. I was pleased with the writing that brought on such strong feelings. This is one of those books that doesn't leave you with a feeling of hope that things can get better. It leaves you feeling raw and sad knowing that this is the reality of life for many people.
March 15, 2012
The title is appropriate. I was drawn to it because of the Irish element and the setting in south Boston. Several times I decided not to finish, but slogged on, hoping for some light at the end of the tunnel. As the story unfolded the tragedies compounded. It was frustrating and terribly sad. Powerful, but I won't be reading anything else by this author.
July 5, 2018
I hated this story. It’s bleak and hopeless. Each of the characters, caught in their own lives which intertwine a bit, is weak and chooses not to make choices which furthers their desolation. I kept waiting for redemption of some kind.
August 10, 2022
Really good book but not for everyone. I wish it had a better ending...it sort of just stopped.
March 19, 2012
I loved this book...right up to end. After a thoughtful and intelligent story, written beautifully, the author left me with too many unanswered questions.
September 27, 2015
Clever and beautiful. Layered and intricate. Thrilling and sad. Astonishing stuff. Like an episode of Law and Order times 100.
May 29, 2012
Delaney is certainly a talented writer. The jacket talks about his short story collections and a few prizes he has won, but I think this is his first novel. I would recommend this novel for someone who is looking for a compelling narrative, but is also unafraid of a book with literary trappings. The novel is set in South Boston, or Southie, as it is affectionately known. It involves a group of approximately a half dozen characters whose stories do occasionally intersect and with one or two of them actually connect with one another.
Tommy is a drunk, one with a dying liver, who at the start of the novel experiences a conversion experience of sorts. He doesn't find God, but after witnessing a man fall from a moving car and break his neck, Tommy decides he needs to stop drinking. He doesn't go to AA meetings or a traditional type of detox, he stops cold turkey. Delaney describes this experience well. There is a logic to why Tommy has stopped drinking and one of the interesting elements of this experience is what Tommy's life is or becomes without the alcohol. Tommy who is likely in his 30s had been drinking non-stop from his teens until the moment of the accident, so there are large parts of his life he simply does not remember or remembers through a drunken haze.
Colleen is a widow and mother of a son, Christopher, who has become increasingly sullen and detached from his mother and most of the rest of his life. Delaney provides the back story for both Colleen and Christopher. As the father of sons and as a former adolescent boy myself, I thought that Christopher's characterization rang true. In general, I do think that we males do, in adolescence, go through periods of anger, depression, withdrawal, and a host of other emotions as we deal with the raging testosterone in our bodies. However, Christopher's attitude and choices become clearer as we learn that he was abused by a local parish priest who it turns out had a long and documented history of this type of behavior. In a plot twist that is all too familiar these days, this priest, Father John, had been moved throughout his career and in his final posting returns to Southie and the neighborhood he grew up in.
This development does not please his estranged brother Terrence Rafferty who has climbed out of this neighborhood to become one of the richest and most well-respected financiers in Boston. Rafferty decides he needs someone to put his autobiography into some sort of order and he hires Tommy. This is an interesting fictional device, not quite an epistolary device, like in Frankenstein, but it is still not the typical exposition. It does make you wonder if Rafferty is engaged in self-censoring or if he is truly just giving Tommy the raw details of his life that Tommy is then asked and paid to shape into a presentable form.
In the course of Rafferty's narrative, we learn that he has an enemy from back in the neighborhood. This enemy is someone that Rafferty has been competing with for years and years in a variety of forums. This unnamed enemy (we eventually learn that his first and middle name is James Joyce!) still lives in Southie, but is essentially the mob boss of the community. It also turns out that Mr. McX (as Rafferty calls him), has a daughter.
The other main character is a young girl named Jeanmarie. She has decided to run away from home to move into an apartment with her older boyfriend,Bobby. As she is literally leaving the neighborhood, Jeanmarie runs into Christopher who recognizes her. They establish an odd Platonic friendship, though Christopher and Bobby too are weary of Jeanmarie. It turns out that Jeanmarie is the daughter of someone who is rather important and dangerous in Southie. Yes, Jeanamarie is James Joyce McX's daughter. To make money, Jeanmarie and Bobby agree to have sex while a photographer takes pictures of them. Since Jeanmarie is not 18, they cannot do pornographic films, but apparently pictures of explicit sex for the Internet is somehow acceptable. Or at least this is what Jeanmarie agrees to, since the photographer, Marty is able to provide Jeanmarie with cash, an apartment, and hopefully a car when she learns how to drive.
With this cast of characters, Delaney crafts a narrative that explores their lives and their neighborhood while also depicting each of them in various states of "brokenness." I must confess that while Delaney never explicitly states that Father John molested Christopher and countless other boys, there is no doubt this is what happened. This is the first novel I have read that addresses this issue, especially in its contemporary incarnation that allows the reader to provide his/her own context. With all of the lawsuits and prosecutions, I think Delaney feels there is not need to spell things out for his readers. However, Delaney manages to stay away from judging the priest, though he does put the Roman Catholic Church and its hierarchy, especially Cardinal Law, in a bad light. What I do admire, and I must be careful here, is the manner in which Delaney tries to get inside the head and emotions of Father John. He is not a monster, though his actions would certainly be predatory. It is a balancing act to make this priest fully dimensional, but Delaney pulls it off.
The stories continue until they are all essentially entangled by the end of the narrative. Without giving anything away, I do find the resolution of Jeanmarie's story to be unsatisfying. However, this is a story about broken people, so why should their lives and stories be any less fractured.
Tommy is a drunk, one with a dying liver, who at the start of the novel experiences a conversion experience of sorts. He doesn't find God, but after witnessing a man fall from a moving car and break his neck, Tommy decides he needs to stop drinking. He doesn't go to AA meetings or a traditional type of detox, he stops cold turkey. Delaney describes this experience well. There is a logic to why Tommy has stopped drinking and one of the interesting elements of this experience is what Tommy's life is or becomes without the alcohol. Tommy who is likely in his 30s had been drinking non-stop from his teens until the moment of the accident, so there are large parts of his life he simply does not remember or remembers through a drunken haze.
Colleen is a widow and mother of a son, Christopher, who has become increasingly sullen and detached from his mother and most of the rest of his life. Delaney provides the back story for both Colleen and Christopher. As the father of sons and as a former adolescent boy myself, I thought that Christopher's characterization rang true. In general, I do think that we males do, in adolescence, go through periods of anger, depression, withdrawal, and a host of other emotions as we deal with the raging testosterone in our bodies. However, Christopher's attitude and choices become clearer as we learn that he was abused by a local parish priest who it turns out had a long and documented history of this type of behavior. In a plot twist that is all too familiar these days, this priest, Father John, had been moved throughout his career and in his final posting returns to Southie and the neighborhood he grew up in.
This development does not please his estranged brother Terrence Rafferty who has climbed out of this neighborhood to become one of the richest and most well-respected financiers in Boston. Rafferty decides he needs someone to put his autobiography into some sort of order and he hires Tommy. This is an interesting fictional device, not quite an epistolary device, like in Frankenstein, but it is still not the typical exposition. It does make you wonder if Rafferty is engaged in self-censoring or if he is truly just giving Tommy the raw details of his life that Tommy is then asked and paid to shape into a presentable form.
In the course of Rafferty's narrative, we learn that he has an enemy from back in the neighborhood. This enemy is someone that Rafferty has been competing with for years and years in a variety of forums. This unnamed enemy (we eventually learn that his first and middle name is James Joyce!) still lives in Southie, but is essentially the mob boss of the community. It also turns out that Mr. McX (as Rafferty calls him), has a daughter.
The other main character is a young girl named Jeanmarie. She has decided to run away from home to move into an apartment with her older boyfriend,Bobby. As she is literally leaving the neighborhood, Jeanmarie runs into Christopher who recognizes her. They establish an odd Platonic friendship, though Christopher and Bobby too are weary of Jeanmarie. It turns out that Jeanmarie is the daughter of someone who is rather important and dangerous in Southie. Yes, Jeanamarie is James Joyce McX's daughter. To make money, Jeanmarie and Bobby agree to have sex while a photographer takes pictures of them. Since Jeanmarie is not 18, they cannot do pornographic films, but apparently pictures of explicit sex for the Internet is somehow acceptable. Or at least this is what Jeanmarie agrees to, since the photographer, Marty is able to provide Jeanmarie with cash, an apartment, and hopefully a car when she learns how to drive.
With this cast of characters, Delaney crafts a narrative that explores their lives and their neighborhood while also depicting each of them in various states of "brokenness." I must confess that while Delaney never explicitly states that Father John molested Christopher and countless other boys, there is no doubt this is what happened. This is the first novel I have read that addresses this issue, especially in its contemporary incarnation that allows the reader to provide his/her own context. With all of the lawsuits and prosecutions, I think Delaney feels there is not need to spell things out for his readers. However, Delaney manages to stay away from judging the priest, though he does put the Roman Catholic Church and its hierarchy, especially Cardinal Law, in a bad light. What I do admire, and I must be careful here, is the manner in which Delaney tries to get inside the head and emotions of Father John. He is not a monster, though his actions would certainly be predatory. It is a balancing act to make this priest fully dimensional, but Delaney pulls it off.
The stories continue until they are all essentially entangled by the end of the narrative. Without giving anything away, I do find the resolution of Jeanmarie's story to be unsatisfying. However, this is a story about broken people, so why should their lives and stories be any less fractured.
May 30, 2022
Here's one boy's solution to the troubling and devastatingly hurtful behavior going on in the Catholic church! Delaney's characters will live in my heart for a long time. Taking place on one small area of Boston, their lives interweave so much that one character almost seems to be finishing another character's sentences, even while never meeting throughout the story. But all are caught up with surviving in a world that has great trouble recognizing their unique talents, their needs, their aspirations. Don't read this book if you are looking for an uplifing tale; but read if you want to go deep into our motivations for living and surviving as humans in this crazy world.
August 2, 2019
Probably the most depressing book I've ever read.
The only reason I gave it 2 stars was because of the setting in which it took place. Delaney's descriptions of Boston and Southie were like visiting an old friend. I grew up on the South Shore of Boston, and spent a fairly good amount of time in the culture of Southie during my high school days. I felt like I knew the characters personally.
But the dire outcome of each of the characters because of their heritage and upbringing was over the top.
Really, really depressing read.
The only reason I gave it 2 stars was because of the setting in which it took place. Delaney's descriptions of Boston and Southie were like visiting an old friend. I grew up on the South Shore of Boston, and spent a fairly good amount of time in the culture of Southie during my high school days. I felt like I knew the characters personally.
But the dire outcome of each of the characters because of their heritage and upbringing was over the top.
Really, really depressing read.
June 18, 2022
A finely drawn study of characters from "Southie" (South Boston) who's lives intersect to varying degrees. Though none of the characters are particularly likeable and their circumstances are desperate, I couldn't put this book down. Some reviewers were disappointed that the book ends without a sense of conclusion, but I found that very realistic. Life experiences are rarely tied up with a bow. As I finished the last page, I let out a soft "oh" and sat for a while considering the experience that had just ended.
December 1, 2024
We find the unkind, the weak, the morally repugnant all interesting. "Broken Irish" abounds with interesting characters and sad profiles.
Well-written and well-edited.
Hint: A young girl from Southie goes for her driver's test. During a three-point turn, she lightly taps the car behind her. "That is a fail," says her ride-along." She replies it is not, it is the way we do it in Southie.
Recommended.
Well-written and well-edited.
Hint: A young girl from Southie goes for her driver's test. During a three-point turn, she lightly taps the car behind her. "That is a fail," says her ride-along." She replies it is not, it is the way we do it in Southie.
Recommended.
April 7, 2022
i think it covered the topics well but i wasn’t really aware of the topics/triggers in this so it really wasn’t for me.. tw for csa, child sex work, and alcoholism (read for irish-american heritage month
Read
May 4, 2023Terrible ending after 320 pages of fabulous character development and building curiosity over the connections the main characters shared
April 24, 2012
oooh....another book about whitey ! Okay, not about Whitey after all. The book takes place in the late 90's after Whitey went on the lam. He does get a mention here and there but this is basically a post-Whitey Bulger South Boston. Of course, it's the same old Southie, just with different bad guys. Young teens struggling to escape the life they see ahead of them. Parents unable to manage these same kids, wondering where they went wrong.The Catholic church falling apart. Cops and teamsters exerting their power to maintain the status quo. This novel is a disturbing study of a some of these people.
There are a few stories playing out at the same time. Jimmy, a newly recovered alcoholic is getting paid to transcribe the life story of a guy who got out of Southie and made millions. Jeanmarie leaves home at 16 to move in with her boyfriend and start a new and exciting life. Colleen and her son Christopher trying to figure out a way to coexist as Christopher slowly slips away. Their lives are all entangled in ways that become clearer (to us if not to them). This is not a happy story as you could probably guess from the title. It's moving and heartbreaking and real.
Most of the characters were able to move me. While I may not agree with the choices they make, I did understand them. For me the only one I couldn't feel any compassion for was Colleen. Get a backbone, make a choice. She just frustrated me. While I didn't like Butchie, I was happy that he didn't change after his accident. He was an unlikable punk before, and he was an unlikable punk afterwards. Jimmy breaks my heart.
There are a few stories playing out at the same time. Jimmy, a newly recovered alcoholic is getting paid to transcribe the life story of a guy who got out of Southie and made millions. Jeanmarie leaves home at 16 to move in with her boyfriend and start a new and exciting life. Colleen and her son Christopher trying to figure out a way to coexist as Christopher slowly slips away. Their lives are all entangled in ways that become clearer (to us if not to them). This is not a happy story as you could probably guess from the title. It's moving and heartbreaking and real.
Most of the characters were able to move me. While I may not agree with the choices they make, I did understand them. For me the only one I couldn't feel any compassion for was Colleen. Get a backbone, make a choice. She just frustrated me. While I didn't like Butchie, I was happy that he didn't change after his accident. He was an unlikable punk before, and he was an unlikable punk afterwards. Jimmy breaks my heart.
February 4, 2013
*Really 3.5 stars.
“There is the circus of pans and burners, of smoke and sputter” (25).
“…the receptionist watches him with the wariness of someone who still cannot pinpoint the problem she knows is hanging in the air” (37).
“Jimmy expects that Rafferty only has to interact with the climate’s vicissitudes on a country-club fairway or the deck of a yacht, which is hardly the same” (47).
“…a man shaped like a mountain with the fat foothills of his hips and stomach rising up humped shoulders…” (52).
“The Cardinal’s Residence is a truly splendid building, the kind that reminds us of God’s power, or at least of the Church’s” (69).
“Colleen can see in his face a vague satisfaction she cannot muster, of the admittedly Catholic view in which there is a design to all that happens and a mechanism to all fortunes—not only the positive kind but also the occasional plane crash” (126).
“Chuckie didn’t have either of these kinds of childhoods—really didn’t have much of one at all—and he considers this no great loss. There’s too much brooding self-regard in it for him” (128).
“…to smooth the rambling and repetition that is the nature of the spoken word” (130).
“There is the circus of pans and burners, of smoke and sputter” (25).
“…the receptionist watches him with the wariness of someone who still cannot pinpoint the problem she knows is hanging in the air” (37).
“Jimmy expects that Rafferty only has to interact with the climate’s vicissitudes on a country-club fairway or the deck of a yacht, which is hardly the same” (47).
“…a man shaped like a mountain with the fat foothills of his hips and stomach rising up humped shoulders…” (52).
“The Cardinal’s Residence is a truly splendid building, the kind that reminds us of God’s power, or at least of the Church’s” (69).
“Colleen can see in his face a vague satisfaction she cannot muster, of the admittedly Catholic view in which there is a design to all that happens and a mechanism to all fortunes—not only the positive kind but also the occasional plane crash” (126).
“Chuckie didn’t have either of these kinds of childhoods—really didn’t have much of one at all—and he considers this no great loss. There’s too much brooding self-regard in it for him” (128).
“…to smooth the rambling and repetition that is the nature of the spoken word” (130).
February 7, 2016
Set in South Boston (Southie) in the late 1990s, this is a haunting story of the effects on generations of Irish Americans of poverty, gun violence, alcoholism and unfettered pedophilia by members of the Catholic clergy. There are six main characters whose stories come together throughout the book and at the end. The characters include a widow with a troubled teenage son, an elderly priest with disturbing secrets, a shrewd businessman with a history that leads from a hardscrabble life to financial success, the alcoholic writer hired to write his biography, and a 16-year old girl locked into a life of prostitution and on-line pornography. It is dark and disturbing, but a very well-written glimpse into the world of the aptly-named Broken Irish.
July 14, 2012
A snapshot into a period of time in the lives of several people from South Boston. There are four alternating story lines which have common threads running throughout. Each character deals with a personal demon which has in some way been amplified by the abuses of the Catholic Church, the Irish gang influence of the area and the struggles of growing up a "Southie". This is not a fun, uplifting story, but a grim portrait of an actual place and a deeply provocative look at the people who live and die there. The author's prose is exquisite.
May 9, 2016
If you like a book that ties up all the loose ends by its conclusion, then this one might not be for you. I was actually OK with the questions remaining because there was resolution to the primary plot line of the story. This tale is compelling because while being presented with seemingly unrelated storylines, you somehow know that they are going to come together in the end. I couldn't stop reading to find out how. If you saw the movie, Spotlight, you just might want to read this novel that is set in Boston in the late 1990s.
August 28, 2012
Set in Boston in the late 1990s; readers of *Mystic River* might enjoy it. Ordinary lives collide; characters run away from home, sobriety, truth, memory.
Quotes:
... secrets do not fully die but, rather, remain embedded more deeply than one can fully comprehend. The inextinguishable flame of memory.
Quotes:
... secrets do not fully die but, rather, remain embedded more deeply than one can fully comprehend. The inextinguishable flame of memory.
December 3, 2012
A good book that weaves several characters together . I liked the way things were always right in front of you but there connection not always clear ,when suddenly you would get the sad "aha" moment of understanding. Not a likable character among them but an excellent snapshot of a time and place . A book that stays with you after you're finished. I may have given it 3 1/2 stars if possible.
February 17, 2013
A lot of dramatic things happen in this story but it never strays from being a literary rather than a sensational outing. We get to know a slice of south boston through its characters' wins and losses, including some tawdry misadventures, but the focus is on the working class people themselves, and you come away feeling elevated.
May 27, 2016
Stories of South Boston told through the intertwined lives of five residents. Lots of angst and anger with some pedophilia and prostitution thrown in. The stories did not segue well. Half way through I had a glimmer of hope that we might get some resolution for travails of some of the characters. I stuck with the book to the end - and was disappointed. Too many threads left undone.
October 22, 2011
This book is about a working class single mom, an alcoholic, a wealthy entrepreneur, a Catholic priest, and a few runaway teens... and how their lives are intertwined in South Boston in the 1950's. It has a page-turning plot, and it is very very well written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews