What do you think?
Rate this book
Skintown
Irländsk högspänningsdebut i samma ådra som Irvine Welshs Trainspotting
»Suggestivt och levande. Vi luras in i den vanvettiganatten, och sedan vänder allt på en hårnål « The Irish Times
1990-tal. I den nordirländska staden Enniskillen även kallad Skintown tillbringar tonåringen Vincent Patrick Duffy sina veckodagar med att skära kött och kycklingar på ett gudsförgätet snabbmatställe, helt utan vettiga framtidsutsikter. På helgerna gör Vinny det han gör bäst: rejvar, super skallen av sig och knarkar. Hela tiden drömmer han om en utväg, om ett annat liv. En natt möter han ett gäng killar som ger honom ettmycket märkligt erbjudande. Ett förslag som kan vara just det Vinny söker. Skintown är en pillerknaprande studie i ungdomskultur,våld och upplopp. En spritindränkt resa kryddad med romantik, försoning och acid house. En roman fullav rastlös energi och svart humor, som redan jämförts med Irvine Welshs kultklassiker Trainspotting.
CIARÁN MCMENAMIN [f. 1975] är en nordirländsk författare, född i Enniskillen. Under de senaste två decennierna har han arbetat som skådespelare inom film,TV och teater. Skintown är hans debutroman.
»Ciaran McMenamin skriver fantastiskt. Hans karaktärer är plågsamt levande och rakt igenom trovärdiga. En skrämmande och hysteriskt rolig debutroman.« Liz Nugent
»En högspänningsroman som formligen sprakar avsjälvförtroende och intelligens.« Joseph O Connor
»Suggestivt och levande. Vi luras in i den vanvettiganatten, och sedan vänder allt på en hårnål « The Irish Times
1990-tal. I den nordirländska staden Enniskillen även kallad Skintown tillbringar tonåringen Vincent Patrick Duffy sina veckodagar med att skära kött och kycklingar på ett gudsförgätet snabbmatställe, helt utan vettiga framtidsutsikter. På helgerna gör Vinny det han gör bäst: rejvar, super skallen av sig och knarkar. Hela tiden drömmer han om en utväg, om ett annat liv. En natt möter han ett gäng killar som ger honom ettmycket märkligt erbjudande. Ett förslag som kan vara just det Vinny söker. Skintown är en pillerknaprande studie i ungdomskultur,våld och upplopp. En spritindränkt resa kryddad med romantik, försoning och acid house. En roman fullav rastlös energi och svart humor, som redan jämförts med Irvine Welshs kultklassiker Trainspotting.
CIARÁN MCMENAMIN [f. 1975] är en nordirländsk författare, född i Enniskillen. Under de senaste två decennierna har han arbetat som skådespelare inom film,TV och teater. Skintown är hans debutroman.
»Ciaran McMenamin skriver fantastiskt. Hans karaktärer är plågsamt levande och rakt igenom trovärdiga. En skrämmande och hysteriskt rolig debutroman.« Liz Nugent
»En högspänningsroman som formligen sprakar avsjälvförtroende och intelligens.« Joseph O Connor
288 pages, Hardcover
Published July 18, 2018
14 people are currently reading
368 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 73 reviews
September 3, 2019
Oops going through my review notepad I forgot this one. So putting it up now.
I seriously struggled with this one in parts.
I’m no prude, I also judge people on WHO they are and not WHAT they stand for.
The main character in this book, Vincent really, I just wanted to wash his mouth out with soap!
Yeah maybe I’m getting old, or, already old but there’s swearing and swearing for no impact at all.
So he chops up chicken, chops and ribs all day. It’s a job right!
It’s not meaningless at all. But he wants wider horizons.
(Work in a bigger store then!)
Sorry, my warped sense of humour.
He does a lovely thing, an act of kindness, outside of who he is......
This leads him to his higher horizons that he’s been dreaming of.
Be prepared for:
Drink....excessively
Drugs.......and what this fuels up
Acid house
Love interest
Plus side, I liked the ending.
I seriously struggled with this one in parts.
I’m no prude, I also judge people on WHO they are and not WHAT they stand for.
The main character in this book, Vincent really, I just wanted to wash his mouth out with soap!
Yeah maybe I’m getting old, or, already old but there’s swearing and swearing for no impact at all.
So he chops up chicken, chops and ribs all day. It’s a job right!
It’s not meaningless at all. But he wants wider horizons.
(Work in a bigger store then!)
Sorry, my warped sense of humour.
He does a lovely thing, an act of kindness, outside of who he is......
This leads him to his higher horizons that he’s been dreaming of.
Be prepared for:
Drink....excessively
Drugs.......and what this fuels up
Acid house
Love interest
Plus side, I liked the ending.
February 25, 2017
Firstly In my opinion if you don't laugh at any point in this book your either,
A. have no sense of humour in any shape or form.
B. Have no pulse and in fact are flatlining.
C. you have the personality of a cardboard cutout.
Set in Northern Ireland vinny and his mates have a unimaginable night out a trip,that they will talk about for the rest of there life's.
In a time of unthinkable and unimaginable sectarian murders of innocent people,they share a night in which music,love,laughter,banter,and hilarious witty comments on numerous topics,see one young man trying to make sense of the world at the tender age of 18.
From the opening paragraph until the lads get to NED'S nightclub the story never fells to shock you, delight you,until the unexpected but original end,this novel will stay with me for the rest of my days, highly recommend this to anyone regardless of your personal preferences.EPIC is an understatement this should be a massive bestseller.
A. have no sense of humour in any shape or form.
B. Have no pulse and in fact are flatlining.
C. you have the personality of a cardboard cutout.
Set in Northern Ireland vinny and his mates have a unimaginable night out a trip,that they will talk about for the rest of there life's.
In a time of unthinkable and unimaginable sectarian murders of innocent people,they share a night in which music,love,laughter,banter,and hilarious witty comments on numerous topics,see one young man trying to make sense of the world at the tender age of 18.
From the opening paragraph until the lads get to NED'S nightclub the story never fells to shock you, delight you,until the unexpected but original end,this novel will stay with me for the rest of my days, highly recommend this to anyone regardless of your personal preferences.EPIC is an understatement this should be a massive bestseller.
April 17, 2017
Vinny is unsatisfied with his life. At 18 he has been chucked out of school and spends his days working at the local Chinese restaurant whilst getting stoned with his best mate Jonty. His evenings involve lots of drinking at the local pub and a few fights with police or Orange party members. He wants more but he isn't sure how to get it. A chance encounter with two members of the other side might just prove to be his ticket out of here but only if he can pull it off. Set just before the 1994 IRA ceasefire, this is Vinny's drink and drug fueled journey.
Firstly I love Vinny, the main character of the book. He is what I would describe as a lovable screw up who can't seem to keep himself out if trouble. He is very funny, his banter and astute observations often had me laughing out loud. His ability to select music to accompany events happening in his life also helped add some humor and introduced me to some fab new music! There is something very endearing about Vinny, he knows he wants more from life but isn't quite sure how to get it and keeps getting himself into trouble. You feel for him as a character and you want things to get better for him or at least for him to get through things unhurt.
There is a real sense of atmosphere throughout the book. The author had been very skilled in capturing what it must have been like living in 1994 Ireland and dealing with all the hatred and violence. You can almost taste the fear and uncertainty coming from the page. This is the first novel I have read from the Catholic point of view and it was interesting to read about what things must have been like from their side.
There are some quite detailed and often brutal descriptions of violence throughout the book which at times were a little hard to read, especially when I felt they were unjustly dealt out. It was, of course, a very violent period in Ireland's history so some violent scenes are expected but if might not be everyone's cup of tea. This book has been compared with the film Trainspotting which is true at times as there are a few scenes portraying drug use and what it's like to be high. I found this quite interesting and it did help contribute to some of the funniest scenes in the book.
I really liked the fly on the wall style throughout the book. The author just had a way of perfectly describing scenes and creating great characters that I cared about and felt connected to. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
This is the authors debut novel and I look forward to reading more from him. I hope that he writes another book featuring Vinny as I would like to read more about him.
Thank you to Hannah Bright and Transworld Publishing for my copy of this book.
Firstly I love Vinny, the main character of the book. He is what I would describe as a lovable screw up who can't seem to keep himself out if trouble. He is very funny, his banter and astute observations often had me laughing out loud. His ability to select music to accompany events happening in his life also helped add some humor and introduced me to some fab new music! There is something very endearing about Vinny, he knows he wants more from life but isn't quite sure how to get it and keeps getting himself into trouble. You feel for him as a character and you want things to get better for him or at least for him to get through things unhurt.
There is a real sense of atmosphere throughout the book. The author had been very skilled in capturing what it must have been like living in 1994 Ireland and dealing with all the hatred and violence. You can almost taste the fear and uncertainty coming from the page. This is the first novel I have read from the Catholic point of view and it was interesting to read about what things must have been like from their side.
There are some quite detailed and often brutal descriptions of violence throughout the book which at times were a little hard to read, especially when I felt they were unjustly dealt out. It was, of course, a very violent period in Ireland's history so some violent scenes are expected but if might not be everyone's cup of tea. This book has been compared with the film Trainspotting which is true at times as there are a few scenes portraying drug use and what it's like to be high. I found this quite interesting and it did help contribute to some of the funniest scenes in the book.
I really liked the fly on the wall style throughout the book. The author just had a way of perfectly describing scenes and creating great characters that I cared about and felt connected to. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
This is the authors debut novel and I look forward to reading more from him. I hope that he writes another book featuring Vinny as I would like to read more about him.
Thank you to Hannah Bright and Transworld Publishing for my copy of this book.
February 27, 2018
This book was amazing and I never wanted it to end.
Ciaran McMenamin did a great job with these characters and his descriptions of the early 90s rave culture transported me back in time. Anyone who was about 16-25 in those days should be able to relate to these characters or had to have known someone like these guys.
Vinny and Jonty's relationship is the stuff of dreams. That one friend you'd do anything for and who you know would do anything for you as well. As an adult it's really hard to make new friends so of course we all think back fondly on the times we cultivated these types of relationships. Throughout this book I suffered pangs of nostalgia for those old relationships.
As someone who did not grow up in Ireland, let alone Northern Ireland, I found the narrative surrounding the movements of the time sadly fascinating and enthralling. Of course we all know the history here but to read about it delivered in this form it just slayed me.
Honestly I couldn't put this book down and I sincerely hope Ciaran McMenamin continues to write more fiction. His storytelling was magnificent. The dialogue alone is worth the read here.
Someone should grab the rights to this and make it into a miniseries or a full fledged tv series, the story is way too complex for a simple feature film. Maybe McMenamin has that in is sights as he is also a talented actor.
Ciaran McMenamin did a great job with these characters and his descriptions of the early 90s rave culture transported me back in time. Anyone who was about 16-25 in those days should be able to relate to these characters or had to have known someone like these guys.
Vinny and Jonty's relationship is the stuff of dreams. That one friend you'd do anything for and who you know would do anything for you as well. As an adult it's really hard to make new friends so of course we all think back fondly on the times we cultivated these types of relationships. Throughout this book I suffered pangs of nostalgia for those old relationships.
As someone who did not grow up in Ireland, let alone Northern Ireland, I found the narrative surrounding the movements of the time sadly fascinating and enthralling. Of course we all know the history here but to read about it delivered in this form it just slayed me.
Honestly I couldn't put this book down and I sincerely hope Ciaran McMenamin continues to write more fiction. His storytelling was magnificent. The dialogue alone is worth the read here.
Someone should grab the rights to this and make it into a miniseries or a full fledged tv series, the story is way too complex for a simple feature film. Maybe McMenamin has that in is sights as he is also a talented actor.
May 8, 2017
Skintown is a high octane trip through Northern Ireland in the 90s and a story about luck, divisions, and drugs. The novel is written from the point of view of Vinny, hurtling through a chance encounter that leads to a money-making opportunity and the new experiences that it brings. His first person narration makes for an Irvine Welsh style immersion in the world of drinking, drugs, and sectarian violence, particularly in the vivid description of his first ever rave.
Though it is a dark comedy, the novel does not shy away from the Troubles, depicting both the violence and problems of the divide and moments at which it is overcome for the common cause of having a good time. Skintown is a fast, enjoyable read that would make a fantastic film adaptation.
Though it is a dark comedy, the novel does not shy away from the Troubles, depicting both the violence and problems of the divide and moments at which it is overcome for the common cause of having a good time. Skintown is a fast, enjoyable read that would make a fantastic film adaptation.
September 11, 2018
It's the 1990s in sectarian Northern Ireland. Smart-mouth Vinny has been kicked out of school and is spending his days working in a Chinese takeaway and getting stoned with his friend Jonty. Vinny is both our high-octane, thrill seeking protagonist and the voice for disaffected youth in this novel, the debut by actor-turned-author, Ciarán McMenamin. Energised by a new business opportunity, resulting from a random act of kindness, Vinny sets off on a crazy journey involving fights, riots, romance and random adventure.
I'm not going to say much more about this book other than that it will only appeal to a certain audience. For readers who are observant of trigger warnings, there is a lot of bad language and descriptions of alcohol drug use in this story. But that's not what put me off. Overall, it didn't engage me. Although the chapters are short, scenes just seemed to blur together and switch perspective, leaving me a bit lost. And, while humor is employed here as a means of relating to the chaos of this book, I didn't find it funny enough to keep wanting to read it. The end felt a little far-fetched for me, too, with what seemed like a very weak connection to the actual narrative.
I did enjoy all the music references and McMenamin can be praised for the dynamic aspect of his writing and his attention to detail (the rave scene is particularly well orchestrated), but in terms of the overall package, Skintown just wasn't for me.
I'm not going to say much more about this book other than that it will only appeal to a certain audience. For readers who are observant of trigger warnings, there is a lot of bad language and descriptions of alcohol drug use in this story. But that's not what put me off. Overall, it didn't engage me. Although the chapters are short, scenes just seemed to blur together and switch perspective, leaving me a bit lost. And, while humor is employed here as a means of relating to the chaos of this book, I didn't find it funny enough to keep wanting to read it. The end felt a little far-fetched for me, too, with what seemed like a very weak connection to the actual narrative.
I did enjoy all the music references and McMenamin can be praised for the dynamic aspect of his writing and his attention to detail (the rave scene is particularly well orchestrated), but in terms of the overall package, Skintown just wasn't for me.
April 26, 2025
Ding ding ding!! Nieuwe niche gevonden deze lente: De rave scene van Noord-Ierland!! Het gaat over een stel snotneuzen in een land van constante ruzie. Permanent onder invloed zijn ze aan aanklooien en vinden (en maken) ze problemen met alle Prod’s en Britten die ze tegenkomen. Mega domme comedy en dan zo ineens bam traumatische aanslag. Entertaining.
Kneecap (ierse rapgroep die rapt in het Iers Gaelic!!!! Dat is een soort zeldzame crack voor een taalnerd) staat bij mij ongekend op repeat. Ze hebben een beetje dezelfde aesthetic met hits als ‘Get your brits out’ er zijn duidelijke thema’s lmao.
Die domme Ierse humor ga ik echt goed op, wel een beetje veel drank en drugs naar mijn smaak. Moest huilen aan het einde. Het sublieme Noord-Ierse accent in het luisterboek zorgt voor een extra ster, I don’t make the rules.
Sláinte en tiocfaidh ár lá enz!!
Kneecap (ierse rapgroep die rapt in het Iers Gaelic!!!! Dat is een soort zeldzame crack voor een taalnerd) staat bij mij ongekend op repeat. Ze hebben een beetje dezelfde aesthetic met hits als ‘Get your brits out’ er zijn duidelijke thema’s lmao.
Die domme Ierse humor ga ik echt goed op, wel een beetje veel drank en drugs naar mijn smaak. Moest huilen aan het einde. Het sublieme Noord-Ierse accent in het luisterboek zorgt voor een extra ster, I don’t make the rules.
Sláinte en tiocfaidh ár lá enz!!
February 18, 2018
Brilliant. Vivid storytelling with incredible observations - you might almost think you were there. Listened to the audiobook, read by the author himself which was a real treat. My only regret is not having read this sooner.
Other thoughts would only lead to spoilers.
Other thoughts would only lead to spoilers.
April 6, 2017
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
I don’t even really know to start with this one, I can’t even properly classify it’s genre I’m so lost! I felt like reading this was hearing the thoughts of someone on one long ass acid trip, it was so bizarre! Despite that description it wasn’t as unenjoyable as you would think. It had it’s strong points and great moments, but unfortunately it just really wasn’t my style.
Vinny is the narrator and he was a truly great character. He’s an eighteen year old kid living in Ireland in the nineties and he doesn’t have a pot to piss in. The premise is all about how he has a chance meeting with two drug dealers who cut him in on a deal where he can make enough money to get out of his crappy town and start over in Belfast. It was engaging enough for me from the synopsis but I really wasn’t a fan of listening to the philosophical conversations (the kind that only two seriously messed up people have) that happened again, and again between him and his friend Jonty. It was too much of a trip for me.
It was one long, drug fueled adventure peppered with black humor and odd situations. The writing was vivid and strong, but again the plot left something to be desired to me. Had I not connected so well to Vinny and Jonty and had the writing not been so great, this would’ve been rated lower. If you like wacky reads, raves, explicit language and sexual situations, this may be your cup of tea.
I don’t even really know to start with this one, I can’t even properly classify it’s genre I’m so lost! I felt like reading this was hearing the thoughts of someone on one long ass acid trip, it was so bizarre! Despite that description it wasn’t as unenjoyable as you would think. It had it’s strong points and great moments, but unfortunately it just really wasn’t my style.
Vinny is the narrator and he was a truly great character. He’s an eighteen year old kid living in Ireland in the nineties and he doesn’t have a pot to piss in. The premise is all about how he has a chance meeting with two drug dealers who cut him in on a deal where he can make enough money to get out of his crappy town and start over in Belfast. It was engaging enough for me from the synopsis but I really wasn’t a fan of listening to the philosophical conversations (the kind that only two seriously messed up people have) that happened again, and again between him and his friend Jonty. It was too much of a trip for me.
It was one long, drug fueled adventure peppered with black humor and odd situations. The writing was vivid and strong, but again the plot left something to be desired to me. Had I not connected so well to Vinny and Jonty and had the writing not been so great, this would’ve been rated lower. If you like wacky reads, raves, explicit language and sexual situations, this may be your cup of tea.
February 6, 2024
great sense of time and place - 1990s north of Ireland, music scene and drugs. Coming of age with little opportunity against backdrop of sectarianism, violence and some hope
action and dialogue both fast paced and exciting
action and dialogue both fast paced and exciting
February 24, 2018
Violent, sweary, debauched, hilarious and utterly heartbreaking.
July 14, 2025
This was an enjoyable read - a sort of cross between an Irvine Welch novel or Ben Myers’ ‘ Pig Iron.’ I would have appreciated it even more had I been forty years younger. The main character Vinny is a product of his sectarian environment. He and his mate Jonty have more brains than we originally give them credit for and they endeavour by foul means or fair to escape their destiny. Like his second novel ‘ The Sunken Road’ the ending catches your breath and is very probably not what the reader expects. I look forward to reading the author’s third novel, should he write one.
May 7, 2017
Explosive, in every sense of the word. I've never laughed so hard at a book. 5/5 every time.
January 29, 2020
What a ride!
I adored this book (admittedly I listened to it).
A crude, rude, rough, raw, brutal exploration of youth in Northern Ireland at the onset of the ceasefires.
That said, it is lyrical, beautiful, eloquent, and immensely deep.
The characters are lovable rogues.
And the love scene after Neds is really lovely - expressed with passion, youth, joy, and youthful exuberance.
Definitely worth a listen, it is narrated by the author - he's quite the talent.
I adored this book (admittedly I listened to it).
A crude, rude, rough, raw, brutal exploration of youth in Northern Ireland at the onset of the ceasefires.
That said, it is lyrical, beautiful, eloquent, and immensely deep.
The characters are lovable rogues.
And the love scene after Neds is really lovely - expressed with passion, youth, joy, and youthful exuberance.
Definitely worth a listen, it is narrated by the author - he's quite the talent.
December 7, 2016
Absolutely the one to watch for 2017
April 29, 2017
this was not for me recognised lot of the places. I just found it boring and too much drug talk and swearing sorry not my cup of tea
May 16, 2017
Wow. Loved it. I don't have anything at all in common with these characters but found myself laughing out loud and looking up Stone Roses songs while admiring the cracking writing. Highly recommend.
December 28, 2017
Vinny Duffy and his best friend Jonty are two Catholic lads in a dead end town in Northern Ireland. It’s the early 90’s and they’re drop outs, earning their money washing up for the local Chinese takeaway, just looking for their next joint and pint. Being Northern Ireland however, Sectarianism is never far away, and alongside the usual trials and tribulations faced by feckless youth everywhere, Vinny and Jonty also have to avoid a beating or worse from Loyalist gangs, especially during the marching season. When Vinny gets in a car with two Loyalist thugs, he fears the worst, until that is they crash into a field. Miraculously, they escape unscathed, and a bond of sorts is built between them. When the two Loyalists steal a batch of Ecstasy from Loyalist paramilitaries - another unique feature of the province we learn, while the drug trade everywhere is controlled by gangsters, in Northern Ireland it’s controlled by the terrorist gunmen - who better than Vinny and Jonty to sell it for them?
Skintown is basically a coming of age novel. We follow Vinny as he travels from Indy kid supping pints and sneering at Acid House, to fully fledged raver. Along the way he finds true love, takes copious amounts of drugs, makes new friends across the sectarian divide and deals with the local bully who has it in for him. As someone who grew up in the 90’s and who experienced the rave scene, in many ways this was a nostalgic read for me. There were many situations that Vinny found himself in to which I could relate. But you don’t have to have been submerged in Acid House to enjoy this book, the themes it touches upon are much wider than that.
One of the great aspects of this novel is how the author brings to life what it was like to grow up in Northern Ireland in the 90’s. To those who grew up in the mainland, the depiction of the province is both familiar and alien: They listen to the same music, drink the same beer, have the same hobbies; but sectarian prejudice is around every corner, riots occur regularly and the British Army back up the police when things get out of hand. Horrific and life changing violence can occur at a moments notice, most frighteningly on the occasions when one group or another sets off a massive bomb. While IRA bombings occurred on the mainland, they were oh so much more common in Northern Ireland.
This novel is set just before the IRA ceasefire of 1994 and once again, while this news was greeted with relief throughout the UK, in Northern Ireland it meant so much more. The author depicts this well; Vinny, Jonty and the other characters are warily pleased by the news but distrustful that the long conflict that has blighted their lives can really be at an end. Vinny in particular dreams of escaping the rural backwater he’s in, has set his sights on the bright lights of Belfast, where perhaps he can find his future. The characters in Skintown are all well drawn, but none more so than Vinny, an intelligent but rootless young man who dropped out of school and has no qualifications, but who wants more from life than just claiming the dole.
This is a laugh out loud read, there are parts which are sidesplittingly funny. For those who grew up at the time and were involved in the rave scene it will certainly bring back emotional memories. But it’s also poignant and touching. This is a bitter sweet book that also has moments of real melancholy. Ciaran McMenamin is a writer of real talent and if Skintown is anything to go by he has a bright future as a novelist.
Skintown is basically a coming of age novel. We follow Vinny as he travels from Indy kid supping pints and sneering at Acid House, to fully fledged raver. Along the way he finds true love, takes copious amounts of drugs, makes new friends across the sectarian divide and deals with the local bully who has it in for him. As someone who grew up in the 90’s and who experienced the rave scene, in many ways this was a nostalgic read for me. There were many situations that Vinny found himself in to which I could relate. But you don’t have to have been submerged in Acid House to enjoy this book, the themes it touches upon are much wider than that.
One of the great aspects of this novel is how the author brings to life what it was like to grow up in Northern Ireland in the 90’s. To those who grew up in the mainland, the depiction of the province is both familiar and alien: They listen to the same music, drink the same beer, have the same hobbies; but sectarian prejudice is around every corner, riots occur regularly and the British Army back up the police when things get out of hand. Horrific and life changing violence can occur at a moments notice, most frighteningly on the occasions when one group or another sets off a massive bomb. While IRA bombings occurred on the mainland, they were oh so much more common in Northern Ireland.
This novel is set just before the IRA ceasefire of 1994 and once again, while this news was greeted with relief throughout the UK, in Northern Ireland it meant so much more. The author depicts this well; Vinny, Jonty and the other characters are warily pleased by the news but distrustful that the long conflict that has blighted their lives can really be at an end. Vinny in particular dreams of escaping the rural backwater he’s in, has set his sights on the bright lights of Belfast, where perhaps he can find his future. The characters in Skintown are all well drawn, but none more so than Vinny, an intelligent but rootless young man who dropped out of school and has no qualifications, but who wants more from life than just claiming the dole.
This is a laugh out loud read, there are parts which are sidesplittingly funny. For those who grew up at the time and were involved in the rave scene it will certainly bring back emotional memories. But it’s also poignant and touching. This is a bitter sweet book that also has moments of real melancholy. Ciaran McMenamin is a writer of real talent and if Skintown is anything to go by he has a bright future as a novelist.
November 27, 2018
Ciaran McMenamin is a Northern Irish actor, probably best known for chasing dinosaurs in the TV series Primeval. He's also only a year younger than me, so I thought a novel loosely based on his teen experiences would probably have a lot in common with my own, and when I heard critics calling this a NI version of Trainspotting, well I had to give it a read.
The plot - what there is of one - is slow to get going. Much like the novel of Trainspotting, which has no plot at all and is just a collection of drug anecdotes, Skintown starts off with a few tales of mad nights out and being stuck in crappy jobs in a town our main character Vinny wants to escape. It's quite a while before we get to the meat of the story, which is Vinny and his mate being tasked to sell a huge bag of stolen Es at NI's most famous nightclub in Portrush, Ned's (because of what they're going there to sell, they've changed the name of this club - in reality it's called Kelly's - Ned Kelly, get it?).
The writing is confident for a first-time author. It's a shade purple for my taste to the point where sometimes I wasn't sure if the thing being described was a simile or was really happening. There's also some nice banter and much talk on the merits, of lack thereof, of certain music and musicians, again like Trainspotting. So I was enjoying this drug-fuelled trip around my past, and my home country, mentioning various landmarks and locations I know well and then he goes and spoils it all with the ending.
I always try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, but anyone who reads them regularly knows what I hate about NI novels more than anything is when the worst part of our history gets dragged up yet again just because the author thinks this will give their story poignancy. I avoid writing about The Troubles in all my own novels because I feel it is a cheap, unoriginal cop-out and I roll my eyes when someone else does it. But let me be clear, I'm not against books about the Troubles. If that's what you want to read, then buy one of the horrible histories or novels about it and knock yourself out, but it's when they get sneaked into comedies, horrors, love stories and every other genre that it gets on my nerves.
I hear the film rights to Skintown have already been sold. Well, if the producers are listening, here's my advice, stick to the main story and lose the ending. If Trainspotting (the film) ended on this kind of downer it would never have been so successful. This book reminds me of a little-known film called Mickybo & Me. It was made in NI in the 90s (I think) and basically retells the Butch & Sundance story with two boys and their imagination. It's a lovely little film, and then the last ten minutes completely ruins it by shoe-horning in a depressing Troubles life-lesson for everyone, and that's the reason very few people outside NI have ever seen it. It's a question of tone. Mickybo & Me was a funny story about two boys finding common ground in a shared love of cowboys, and then the tone shifts from light comedy to bleak drama for the last ten minutes.
That doesn't work, in books or in films, so for god's sake stop doing it!
The plot - what there is of one - is slow to get going. Much like the novel of Trainspotting, which has no plot at all and is just a collection of drug anecdotes, Skintown starts off with a few tales of mad nights out and being stuck in crappy jobs in a town our main character Vinny wants to escape. It's quite a while before we get to the meat of the story, which is Vinny and his mate being tasked to sell a huge bag of stolen Es at NI's most famous nightclub in Portrush, Ned's (because of what they're going there to sell, they've changed the name of this club - in reality it's called Kelly's - Ned Kelly, get it?).
The writing is confident for a first-time author. It's a shade purple for my taste to the point where sometimes I wasn't sure if the thing being described was a simile or was really happening. There's also some nice banter and much talk on the merits, of lack thereof, of certain music and musicians, again like Trainspotting. So I was enjoying this drug-fuelled trip around my past, and my home country, mentioning various landmarks and locations I know well and then he goes and spoils it all with the ending.
I always try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, but anyone who reads them regularly knows what I hate about NI novels more than anything is when the worst part of our history gets dragged up yet again just because the author thinks this will give their story poignancy. I avoid writing about The Troubles in all my own novels because I feel it is a cheap, unoriginal cop-out and I roll my eyes when someone else does it. But let me be clear, I'm not against books about the Troubles. If that's what you want to read, then buy one of the horrible histories or novels about it and knock yourself out, but it's when they get sneaked into comedies, horrors, love stories and every other genre that it gets on my nerves.
I hear the film rights to Skintown have already been sold. Well, if the producers are listening, here's my advice, stick to the main story and lose the ending. If Trainspotting (the film) ended on this kind of downer it would never have been so successful. This book reminds me of a little-known film called Mickybo & Me. It was made in NI in the 90s (I think) and basically retells the Butch & Sundance story with two boys and their imagination. It's a lovely little film, and then the last ten minutes completely ruins it by shoe-horning in a depressing Troubles life-lesson for everyone, and that's the reason very few people outside NI have ever seen it. It's a question of tone. Mickybo & Me was a funny story about two boys finding common ground in a shared love of cowboys, and then the tone shifts from light comedy to bleak drama for the last ten minutes.
That doesn't work, in books or in films, so for god's sake stop doing it!
March 20, 2017
Firstly, I have to admit that what originally drew me to this book was the author. I am always intrigued when people from an acting background turn their hand to writing. Although not knowing much about this guy, I'm not certain which came first... but this is his debut novel. Then, when I read the blurb, I knew I had to read the book. Turns out, I made the right decision.
Set in Northern Ireland in the 90s, it's a story about survival and getting by. With the troubles still going on, we follow Vinny and Jonty as they avoid work and play hard. They are best mates, they work together in a rather horrid menial job which they both regard as a means to and end. The end in question being drink and drugs and having a good time. Well, there's nothing really else to do in the small town they live in. Vinny however dreams of escaping... if he could just get the funds to fuel his endeavour. Then, circumstances collide which give him a chance. A chance to make a quick buck. Setting religion apart, him and Jonty set to work for the opposition with a scheme that will springboard them into the world of illicit raves.
Yes, there are parallels with Trainspotting. That's obvious both to the nature of the delivery and cast and their attitudes and antics but there, the similarity ends. This is not Trainspotting does NI, it is something quite different. The author has created a world with characters that I really loved despite their shortcomings. The descriptions of what was going on in NI at that time is very sensitively handled and included in context rather than for any agenda, although at times quite hard hitting. The religious divide is also handled well and shows that things weren't always as black and white (or orange and green if you like) as the characters blur the lines in the face of other more pressing matters.
It's also very funny in parts. The humour, mostly black, adds balance to the more darker aspects of the story. There were also quite a few memory links for those who can remember the 90s so connections were made there too. The action plays out quite visually too. No surprise given the acting background of the author and, like other author-actor's books I have read, seems to come across as something that could easily be adapted as a screenplay with not too much hassle. There is also a good balance between the high-octane action scenes and the quieter, more reflective ones, with a few tender ones thrown in for good measure.
By the end of the book I was actually quite sad to say goodbye to the characters and the world in which they lived. I wouldn't mind having a catch-up in the future.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Set in Northern Ireland in the 90s, it's a story about survival and getting by. With the troubles still going on, we follow Vinny and Jonty as they avoid work and play hard. They are best mates, they work together in a rather horrid menial job which they both regard as a means to and end. The end in question being drink and drugs and having a good time. Well, there's nothing really else to do in the small town they live in. Vinny however dreams of escaping... if he could just get the funds to fuel his endeavour. Then, circumstances collide which give him a chance. A chance to make a quick buck. Setting religion apart, him and Jonty set to work for the opposition with a scheme that will springboard them into the world of illicit raves.
Yes, there are parallels with Trainspotting. That's obvious both to the nature of the delivery and cast and their attitudes and antics but there, the similarity ends. This is not Trainspotting does NI, it is something quite different. The author has created a world with characters that I really loved despite their shortcomings. The descriptions of what was going on in NI at that time is very sensitively handled and included in context rather than for any agenda, although at times quite hard hitting. The religious divide is also handled well and shows that things weren't always as black and white (or orange and green if you like) as the characters blur the lines in the face of other more pressing matters.
It's also very funny in parts. The humour, mostly black, adds balance to the more darker aspects of the story. There were also quite a few memory links for those who can remember the 90s so connections were made there too. The action plays out quite visually too. No surprise given the acting background of the author and, like other author-actor's books I have read, seems to come across as something that could easily be adapted as a screenplay with not too much hassle. There is also a good balance between the high-octane action scenes and the quieter, more reflective ones, with a few tender ones thrown in for good measure.
By the end of the book I was actually quite sad to say goodbye to the characters and the world in which they lived. I wouldn't mind having a catch-up in the future.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
June 1, 2017
Examining the most fragile days of an early 90s IRA ceasefire and its intensely sectarian surrounds through the drug-addled eyes of a rural Northern Irish teenager, 'Skintown' is almost two parallel stories: the blurred reality of the historical environment and the even blurrier reality of main character Vinny and his friends.
A large section of Skintown deals in one euphoric night on the north-coast rave scene, while another segment delves heavily into the vicious squabbles of the post-teenage life of Enniskillen - the author's birthplace - at the time. How accurate they are I'm not in a position to judge, but they make for a toxic backdrop.
That in its own right makes the book worth reading, and much of the plot is truly arresting and had me making time to fit reading this into the day.
The only complaint I'd have is one I'm going to try and make without giving away the ending: Skintown takes a turn that seems a touch too coincidental at a certain point, and in a book with lots of accurate historical references (at a cursory glance, at least), it kind of spoils the suspension of disbelief when a key moment relies heavily on that coincidence.
The plot struggles to stick together from then on, and it makes the end feel weak and far-fetched rather than a natural extension of the rest of the book. I felt a bit let down, but I enjoyed a plot that absolutely barrels along regardless, and I'd still recommend it.
Full marks for the variety of musical reference points, too.
A large section of Skintown deals in one euphoric night on the north-coast rave scene, while another segment delves heavily into the vicious squabbles of the post-teenage life of Enniskillen - the author's birthplace - at the time. How accurate they are I'm not in a position to judge, but they make for a toxic backdrop.
That in its own right makes the book worth reading, and much of the plot is truly arresting and had me making time to fit reading this into the day.
The only complaint I'd have is one I'm going to try and make without giving away the ending: Skintown takes a turn that seems a touch too coincidental at a certain point, and in a book with lots of accurate historical references (at a cursory glance, at least), it kind of spoils the suspension of disbelief when a key moment relies heavily on that coincidence.
The plot struggles to stick together from then on, and it makes the end feel weak and far-fetched rather than a natural extension of the rest of the book. I felt a bit let down, but I enjoyed a plot that absolutely barrels along regardless, and I'd still recommend it.
Full marks for the variety of musical reference points, too.
January 24, 2018
THERE'S no shortage of writing talent in Ireland of late, from Lisa McInerney, whose follow-up to the award-winning The Glorious Heresies is out this month, to the alarmingly talented Eimear McBride. Now comes a debut from Enniskillen-born actor Ciarán McMenamin, set in a Northern Ireland town in the days leading up to the IRA's 1994 ceasefire.
Narrator Vincent Duffy, who works aimlessly in a takeaway, has a vague dream of swapping his town's limited horizons for Belfast. First, though, there is a drug deal to dispense with, with the help of his best mate Jonty.
A TNT-powered head-rush of a novel soaked in the smell of burning tyres and set to the MDMA beat of 1990s rave culture, Skintown has been lazily compared to Trainspotting, probably because it's pretty good at depicting the visceral thrill of getting out of your box on booze and drugs in a dead-end town.
If Welsh's heroin addicts were a direct product of Scotland's economic collapse however, McMenamin is always careful to show the soul warping, self-sabotaging impact of sectarian violence on his mouthy cast of reprobates, for whom riots and beatings are as common as chips and gravy.
Yet although the novel sometimes feels like one long bender, Vinny is a hugely witty companion, with a sharp awareness of the extent to which the Troubles has indelibly marked his generation's DNA.
Or as his drug-addled consciousness articulates in the violence-fuelled days following the IRA ceasefire: 'There is always someone in Ireland who wants a war.'
Narrator Vincent Duffy, who works aimlessly in a takeaway, has a vague dream of swapping his town's limited horizons for Belfast. First, though, there is a drug deal to dispense with, with the help of his best mate Jonty.
A TNT-powered head-rush of a novel soaked in the smell of burning tyres and set to the MDMA beat of 1990s rave culture, Skintown has been lazily compared to Trainspotting, probably because it's pretty good at depicting the visceral thrill of getting out of your box on booze and drugs in a dead-end town.
If Welsh's heroin addicts were a direct product of Scotland's economic collapse however, McMenamin is always careful to show the soul warping, self-sabotaging impact of sectarian violence on his mouthy cast of reprobates, for whom riots and beatings are as common as chips and gravy.
Yet although the novel sometimes feels like one long bender, Vinny is a hugely witty companion, with a sharp awareness of the extent to which the Troubles has indelibly marked his generation's DNA.
Or as his drug-addled consciousness articulates in the violence-fuelled days following the IRA ceasefire: 'There is always someone in Ireland who wants a war.'
October 31, 2019
I know that if I met Vinny in real life, I would not like him at all, as he spends his entire time drunk and/or high, but you only get occasional glimpses of how obnoxious he is in this state through the eyes of others. Mostly the story is told through Vinny's eyes, and thus is funny, exuberant, visceral and very real. A tale of a couple of weeks, lost in drink, drugs, and sectarian and random violence, told with such force that I often felt like I was right there beside him. Sometimes Vinny can give real insight into a situation as he explains that he doesn't get on with his Mum, as he reminds her too much of his Dad, or the fear of walking past a single parked car, in case there is a bomb under it, or why he's always chasing the girl in the dream. But mostly he just gets stoned, and drunk and high and becomes involved in random violence or sexual encounters, and describes it in such vivid, hilarious detail, that I felt like I was high with him, until eventually the book ended and just like Vinny, I was down.
July 31, 2017
"Jonny takes a couple of plastic bags from behind the bar to the toilets and splits the drugs into two smaller prison sentences"
.
Skintown is the funniest novel I've read in years and is also gripping. Imagine Trainspotting set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. The novel surrounds Vincent Duffy, an 18 year old from Enniskillen who has been expelled from school and is rather lost in life. The scenes change quickly from the slow afternoons in a pub discussing Ryan Giggs and Manchester Inited to a life-changing night at a rave. Ciaran McMenamin has captured the 90s like no other writer and his soliloquy on a Hawaiian burger is the funniest paragraph I've ever read.
.
Despite The Trovles casting a dark shadow over the events of the novel, most of the scenes revolve around music, love, sec and drugs. The humour is black, and very Irish. The author also highlights the ironies of sectarian violence very well, with the Catholic rioters wearing scarves of English football teams.
.
Skintown is the funniest novel I've read in years and is also gripping. Imagine Trainspotting set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. The novel surrounds Vincent Duffy, an 18 year old from Enniskillen who has been expelled from school and is rather lost in life. The scenes change quickly from the slow afternoons in a pub discussing Ryan Giggs and Manchester Inited to a life-changing night at a rave. Ciaran McMenamin has captured the 90s like no other writer and his soliloquy on a Hawaiian burger is the funniest paragraph I've ever read.
.
Despite The Trovles casting a dark shadow over the events of the novel, most of the scenes revolve around music, love, sec and drugs. The humour is black, and very Irish. The author also highlights the ironies of sectarian violence very well, with the Catholic rioters wearing scarves of English football teams.
June 13, 2017
Superb!
This is by far the funniest book I've read in years. So many points where I was just in stitches. This book completely captured the attitudes and vibe of Irish teens of a certain ilk and it was certainly reminiscent for me of characters I've known.
Perhaps this was one of the most endearing qualities of the book that the characters were just so relatable and real.
The reality of living in the times of the troubles was so well portrayed and how everyday people went about their lives amongst the fear and madness.
A must read for any Irish 70's-80's child!
I'm not sure how a non-Irish person would find this book - i.e. Would they get that very particular sense of humour?
Anyway, if you're Irish, don't hesitate, read it!
Vinnie is such a fantastic character and his friendship and banter with Jonty is written to perfection.
A modern bromance and coming of age story.
This is by far the funniest book I've read in years. So many points where I was just in stitches. This book completely captured the attitudes and vibe of Irish teens of a certain ilk and it was certainly reminiscent for me of characters I've known.
Perhaps this was one of the most endearing qualities of the book that the characters were just so relatable and real.
The reality of living in the times of the troubles was so well portrayed and how everyday people went about their lives amongst the fear and madness.
A must read for any Irish 70's-80's child!
I'm not sure how a non-Irish person would find this book - i.e. Would they get that very particular sense of humour?
Anyway, if you're Irish, don't hesitate, read it!
Vinnie is such a fantastic character and his friendship and banter with Jonty is written to perfection.
A modern bromance and coming of age story.
June 4, 2018
This was this first audio book I managed to complete and I really enjoyed it. The author narrated it and he was so easy to listen to. The story was great. It was unpredictable and very well split into three parts. The characters were very well conceived, Turnip, Betty, Gaunty, Vinny, Melissa. I could visualise each one. It gave great insight into the lives of young Catholics and Protestants trying to etch out an existence for themselves during the troubles in Northern Ireland. Every other audio book I've tried couldn't hold my attention. I though about work, what I'd cook for dinner, the weather, whatever. This had me looking forward to switching it on again. I finished it in 3 days.n I’d definitely recommend this.
May 25, 2017
Skintown is a very different book from what I normally read. It was recommended by the Rick O’Shea Book Club.
It tells the story of the two main characters Vinny and Jonty as they journey from their going nowhere town to the mother of all raves as drug dealers to Belfast.
The writing is fast paced and the characters sharp. Most of the content is about drinking, taking drugs, fighting and having sex.
I found it hard to go on about halfway through as it wasn’t really grabbing my interest but I persevered to the end.
I wouldn’t read this again but I will say it gives some insight into life in Northern Ireland during The Troubles.
It tells the story of the two main characters Vinny and Jonty as they journey from their going nowhere town to the mother of all raves as drug dealers to Belfast.
The writing is fast paced and the characters sharp. Most of the content is about drinking, taking drugs, fighting and having sex.
I found it hard to go on about halfway through as it wasn’t really grabbing my interest but I persevered to the end.
I wouldn’t read this again but I will say it gives some insight into life in Northern Ireland during The Troubles.
March 19, 2018
Not my usual genre but read it due to local interest.
The descriptive language used in this perfectly sums up the state of mind of main character Vinny. Who doesn’t seem to be sober at any point of the story.
I fluctuated on this book; sometimes really enjoying it and others mildly irritated at references to the troubles.
Parts were genius however, the trip to the club up North and experience of drug taking, were excellently done. I took longer to read this book than my standard, finding it was a few pages at a time limit, But enjoying them nonetheless.
I would read more from this author. But maybe based a little further from home.
The descriptive language used in this perfectly sums up the state of mind of main character Vinny. Who doesn’t seem to be sober at any point of the story.
I fluctuated on this book; sometimes really enjoying it and others mildly irritated at references to the troubles.
Parts were genius however, the trip to the club up North and experience of drug taking, were excellently done. I took longer to read this book than my standard, finding it was a few pages at a time limit, But enjoying them nonetheless.
I would read more from this author. But maybe based a little further from home.
June 6, 2017
It is somewhat refreshing to read a story about Northern Ireland that isn't about "the troubles", and yet Skintown IS about the troubles in a way, and not just those of Northern Ireland.
The story centres around Vinny, a young man growing up as a Catholic in a small border town in Northern Ireland. He likes fishing, having a few beers and going out with his mates. He works for a local takeaway, and promptly loses his job after smoking a few joints.
We're taken along the ride with Vinny as he gets himself in and out of trouble several times in a series of amusing events and winds up dealing drugs at a rave - all set in the backdrop of the early 90s with the tentative IRA ceasefire and the threat of trouble flaring up at any time. For me, I think that's why this story works so well and resounds with the reader given the current climate we're living in. It shows that people can still go about their lives, have fun, fall in love and do things they'd maybe regret later even with the threat of violence and terrorism hanging over them.
There's no deep, hidden or complicated subplot to get your head around, just likeable characters who could easily be your brother or neighbour; characters you actually root for and laugh with them as well as at them. Then there's the ending, which comes as a massive jolt (even though it really shouldn't come as a shock given the background)
I highly recommend this book if you're looking for something fun but with a bit of grit to it. The author's style is quick and punchy, although perhaps a little too dialogue heavy in places for me, and the story flows along at a good pace that keeps you interesting.
It's also begging for a sequel :)
The story centres around Vinny, a young man growing up as a Catholic in a small border town in Northern Ireland. He likes fishing, having a few beers and going out with his mates. He works for a local takeaway, and promptly loses his job after smoking a few joints.
We're taken along the ride with Vinny as he gets himself in and out of trouble several times in a series of amusing events and winds up dealing drugs at a rave - all set in the backdrop of the early 90s with the tentative IRA ceasefire and the threat of trouble flaring up at any time. For me, I think that's why this story works so well and resounds with the reader given the current climate we're living in. It shows that people can still go about their lives, have fun, fall in love and do things they'd maybe regret later even with the threat of violence and terrorism hanging over them.
There's no deep, hidden or complicated subplot to get your head around, just likeable characters who could easily be your brother or neighbour; characters you actually root for and laugh with them as well as at them. Then there's the ending, which comes as a massive jolt (even though it really shouldn't come as a shock given the background)
I highly recommend this book if you're looking for something fun but with a bit of grit to it. The author's style is quick and punchy, although perhaps a little too dialogue heavy in places for me, and the story flows along at a good pace that keeps you interesting.
It's also begging for a sequel :)
May 20, 2025
Was really unsure about this after the first few chapters, finding the language to be overly descriptive and a bit convoluted. Thankfully as I grew familiar with Vinny’s character, I found these concerns alleviate.
As a young Irish guy, I found the scenes relatable, even when the book was set in a troubled era that I simply can’t comprehend relating to. The dialogue was engaging, the emotions palpable, and the soundtrack incredible.
Ended up bashing out the last 150 pages in one sitting. Would absolutely recommend.
As a young Irish guy, I found the scenes relatable, even when the book was set in a troubled era that I simply can’t comprehend relating to. The dialogue was engaging, the emotions palpable, and the soundtrack incredible.
Ended up bashing out the last 150 pages in one sitting. Would absolutely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews