Dublin 2019: Michael Gleeson is a well-respected psychiatrist — a quiet man, a good friend, and a useless cook. He also spends part of his professional life secretly counseling former members of the disbanded IRA. Michael always thought this would be enough to satisfy his heritage, but when the highly skilled yet deeply disturbed Turlough O’Sullivan enters his office, he sees an opportunity that the demons of his past won't let him overlook.
Haunted by childhood tales of the gruesome history of the Irish people under British rule, Michael enlists his new patient's help in tracking down the living descendants of the long-dead villains of Irish history, as payback for his country and his lineage.
But Michael's plan for a bloody revenge doesn't run smoothly: not only must he learn the truth about the role models who formed him as a child, but on his trail is a young detective at Scotland Yard, an officer obsessed with stopping the unknown serial killer who is out for an historical revenge that she can't understand.
Riveting. The historical points of The Great Hunger and the recounting of the Lord Lucan mystery were masterful. A story that will stay with you for the book's depiction of the resentment left from British colonization, the rise of the IRA, and the Troubles. Expertly written, captivating, fast-paced but thorough. A well researched account of real events making the fiction that much more viable. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Starving Men is intriguing. It’s also complex, both in how the story is delivered...swinging from present to past and the far past...and in the multitude of characters involved. Those interested in, but unfamiliar with the animosities and atrocities that marked the conflicts between the Protestants and Catholics in Ireland in the early 20th century, will be surprised at what they learn. And those who read this book for the psychological ramifications on the descendants of those who lived through that horrible period, will be spellbound by how deep and everlasting the effects were. A brilliant book you won’t quickly forget.
This story just grabs you from the beginning and does not let go. A great read for any fan of fast-paced action and crime fiction. Though the book begins with graphic violence, that was not really what hooked me; it was the narrative itself and the voice of the doctor that initially kept me reading. I like the way that the rest of the action and the "meanwhiles" and backgrounds of other characters were woven in.
This was an entertaining thriller. What it lacked in character development, it made up for with plot twists and insanely surprising action. If you're not into reading graphic violence, there's some scenes that may be a bit much, but it seemed to fit in well with the overall tone of the story. I also found the Irish history of the story fascinating, but since I lacked a lot of context, I did a bit of Googling here and there. Overall this was a fun read.
Starving Men by Siobhan E. Finkielman is a cross between historical fiction and thriller. Plenty of twists and turns throughout the book will keep you engaged. I did feel like the characters lacked development. If you enjoy books with a bit of Irish history, check this one out.
Thanks to BookSirens for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.
A complex, suspenseful plot with tension so thick that it felt palpable. Rich with historical details relevant to the time period. Wonderful characters with depth and substance. I was immediately drawn in and held captive from beginning to end.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
I received a complementary copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only.
I really enjoyed reading this book, my first one by this author. The premise for the story is interesting. I learned a lot about Irish history too. I liked the main characters in the book, particularly Michael Gleeson, and loved the twist at the end. I wasn’t expecting it. In all, a good read and would recommend it to others.
I received a copy from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review. Whew! I'm not normally an effusive reviewer, and I'm often skeptical of glowing praise, but this one actually deserves it. This was a stressful, intense read and I loved every page. The writing was better than solid, the story was clearly well researched, and boy, the twists! The turns! Sometimes twists can come off as forced, or silly, or out of nowhere, but Finkelman nailed it. The characters were believable and well drawn, with thought-out backstories. I was actively rooting for the villains the whole time. Usually, when I'm rooting for the bad guys, it's because the book stinks, but no, the antagonists were so well thought out, so relatable. (I mean, the baggage I brought in as a reader helped. I doubt a staunch monarchist would have felt the same. But still!) It was a great book with a delightful ending.
What an excellent, interesting and enthralling story! The plot takes the reader to Belfast and its dark, violent history and its life-long consequences for the main character. The compelling, complex plot with psychiatric insights has hooked me from the first page till the last word. Thank you, BookSirens and Siobhan for letting me read this book for free.
4.5 stars. This is a great story that had me engaged the entire time. The story flows well between both first-person and third-person, depending on the characters in the chapter, and I loved the addition of historical journal entries to tell the story of the base events that lead up to this present day story. The chapters are short and easy to digest and filled with dialog, making this a rather quick read.
I am taking off a half star for a couple of minor cons that I had while reading this book. First, in reference to the dialog, the author rarely describes who is saying the sentence. It's not the end of the world, but there were some points in the longer dialog strings where I would have to read back in order to find out who was saying what. Adding an occasional 'Michael said.' or 'Maggie added' could have gone a long way to making the dialog flow more smoothly.
Also, without giving away too much, there is a point where Scotland Yard is trying to find someone, and they literally can't identify which one of those people with the same name is the right one. They had plenty of additional information that pretty much any simple Google search could have given them the answer, so it wasn't very believable that a mega police force couldn't figure this out without the extra leg work (which, in turn, was needed for more things to happen.) I was just shaking my head that this info was so hard for a world-renowed police force to come across in the present day.
Otherwise, a great book and I look forward to the author's next book!
This is an engrossing tale - and I was drawn to it due to this being a part of my own family history. It did, however, start out a little patchy in places, but I put this down to the storyline - and the characters - finding its feet, so to speak.
The story is related through various mediums - we have the first person narrative of Michael Gleeson - who is both likeable and detestable - in the present as well as taking us back to his childhood; we have the historical narrative in the form of letters from Honoria O'Gliasain, reliving her experiences in Mayo at the time of the Famine; we have the narrative of police officer Maggie Foster, seconded to Scotland Yard, who finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together; and we have the instrument of death. There are various smaller contributing narratives, each added another layer and perspective, and linking in the various themes in order to bring the overall narrative together.
I like the historical attachment of the story, but I find there's element in the story I find is not necessary in the story (characters, events). I didn't expect the ending to be like that, overall the story is good.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A brilliant character driven story built upon historical atrocities in Northern Ireland, Starving Men combines mystery and psychology to deliver thrill and distress when revenge is delivered in the name of justice.
Who is the narrator in Starving Men? That’s an easy question if you answer it when you first start reading (ignoring the Prologue, of course). The narrator is Dr. Michael Gleeson, and he is beginning his first person account of the story. By the time you finish the novel, however, the answer is not as clear. The narrator could, in fact, be Maggie O’Malley, for whom you are given a third person account. Also, there are the insertions of the O’Gliasains, giving you accounts from the grave. And then, there are accounts from Turlough and his victims, Suzanne, Dr. Gleeson’s erstwhile friend, Grady, from the Irish parliament, Cathal McConnell, of the former IRA. and officer Quinn in Dublin. These multiple narrations, each giving a separate point of view, break all the rules of fiction writing. But Finkielman is a master of wielding them to create a depth for her characters that couldn’t be done with a single first person account by Dr. Gleeson, or a traditional third person telling by an omniscient narrator. The juxtapositions of their points of view gives grit to the story and brilliantly pushes the mystery to its thrilling conclusion. The reader invests in the story in the first chapters, enjoys and is simultaneously appalled by acts and justifications woven from history and fiction, and reaps the rewards of a startling finish, which questions the veracity of everything that came before. And there’s a bonus on the last page, a last comment that turns the whole story on its head.
Author Siobhan Finkielman tells the story of Michael Gleeson, a psychiatrist who secretly helps members of the former IRA organization. Everything seems to be going well for him, that is, until Turlough O’Sullivan stops by for a visit. Gleeson finds that there’s a unique opportunity available for him with O’Sullivan. He tries to convince O’Sullivan to help him destroy the living descendants of Ireland’s most notorious characters. Gleeson believes this is a duty for him as it will serve as proper revenge for his people. While Gleeson thinks he will get away with it, problems start to arise and he discovers a detective is hot on his trail.
This thrilling novel is perfect if you’re looking for a suspenseful read. It’s packed with menacing characters and shocking plot twists. Finkielman also writes with a captivating style that will keep you guessing as to what happens next. While a little long, the pages will fly by as you try to figure out how this fascinating case ends.
Starving Men is a really interesting read especially if you like something different and something Irish with a lot of history thrown in as well as the IRA. I happen to like all of that and have a degree in Irish Studies plus I have lived in Dublin and Belfast and London so I can connect quite easily with the subject matter and the places. I gave this four stars and I would have given it 4.5 stars but there is no way to do this. I enjoyed the book and the writing plus the Irish settings and history and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller and who is interested in Ireland - this is a well researched book and a book with a twist but to find out the twist you need to read the book. Don't be put off by the mention of the IRA as it's not a book of guns and bombs it is a book about a psychologist whose life has been determined by his own personal history and the history of his family and his country.
“Starving Men” is a gripping and thought-provoking book written by Siobhan Finkielman. This novel has everything I love: action, revenge and psychology. A mixture like this one is exactly what gets me excited about reading. It must have been for that reason that I finished it in three nights.
This story is about an Irish psychiatrist called Michael Gleeson who apparently has a ‘normal’ life but apart from his work as a mental doctor he tries to pay tribute to his heritage by helping former members of the disbanded organization. But one day Turlough O’Sullivan goes to his office and Michael’s demons come to light.
It would make a really good film, because it is such an exciting story that I would be glad to sit in the front row watching it. All the parts are full of twists and turns that shock you.
I would gladly recommend this novel to anyone, but especially to those who enjoy psychological thrillers. Don’t miss it. It will completely surprise you.
Starving Men is a fresh book by Finkielman. Set in 2019 in Ireland, this enthralling tale kept me flipping pages non-stop, like an automaton. It is an intriguing narration from minute zero until the end. Narrated in the third person and in a dialogue-based form, the story is centered around the theme of crime, which has been perfectly crafted by the author. Fictional scenes, history and Irish culture are similarly interwoven with those crimes. The characters are portrayed in a realistic way and the fact that readers would get to know them through dialogues, adds up to the feeling of enthusiasm that they would feel right from the first page of the book and which will linger once they get to its last word. The language chosen by the author is simple, what allows the events to flow in a natural manner. This narrative can definitely make a good movie which I would definitely watch! I recommend it to any type of adult reader.
Irish writer Siobhan Finkielman is the author behind this complex thriller called “Starving men: An Irish psychiatrist, a professional killer, and a twisted revenge for history”. This is a long read that has got almost five hundred pages but as the story is so captivating I read it in only three days. The story is set in the year 2019 in Dublin; the author did a great job with magnificent descriptions that make you imagine all the scenes. It is a truly fascinating Irish crime thriller that caught my attention from beginning to end. There are some plot twists that got me reading at the edge of my seat. The writing is complex and mysterious and I found myself wondering what was going to happen next many times. This is the effect I look for in a good thriller novel. All in all, it is a read that I will surely recommend reading, especially to those fans of the genre.
Starving Men: An Irish psychiatrist, a professional killer, and a twisted revenge for history.
This book is a complex and intriguing thriller with history mixed with fiction. It is obvious that the author has done a great deal of research into the history of the Irish people under British rule, the rise of the IRA, and the Troubles. How would that history affect a man who was weaned on stories, some true and some not? This story is well written, dark, violent and compelling, keeping my interest from the first page to the last.
This is an amazing book. I don't know what I expected, but it surprised me with every new chapter. I knew little about Irish history but I came away with knowledge I was amazed at. Every character became alive as the story continued; the suffering, the deaths, the famine having made each one a slice of history. It's NOT a pretty story but served to educate me. I highly recommend it to those who want a taste of the horrible past of Ireland and the British rule.
I cannot remember the last time I gave a book 5 stars. Obviously the Irish history speaks to my N Iron heart, love the setting, characters were beautifully flawed, one part of the story was somewhat predictable but more in a “Yes I knew it” than in a ‘groan ..really way’. All in all I loved it .. more please!!!
Oh, well that was simple enough. Any author that would have you believe that Oliver Cromwell and Charles Edward Trevelyan are celebrated in Britain, rather than divisive and/or largely unknown, either hasn't a clue or is making it up.
The intertwining of the historical and the modern Irish consciousness is unlike anything I’ve read before. There’s a real sense of Irish history as a real, living thing that continues to flow through our veins.
Although a work of fiction, Starving Men, enlightens those of us who know very little about Ireland´s recent past and the events surrounding the Great Famine centuries ago. It also shows how events can shape someone´s life and beliefs for the good and for the bad, bearing in mind that good and bad can also be questionable, depending on which side of the fence you are. It´s a book about shattered dreams, persistence, love to family and humanity. I downloaded a free copy of this book through BookSiren and this is my honest review.
Starving Men is both a lesson in Irish history and a clever psychological thriller. I found the story line engaging, but the characters were, by and large, not well developed and there were a lot of them. The opening scene hooks you in and the twists and turns in the plot keep you hooked. There is some fairly gruesome violence described. I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
This intriguing novel by Siobhan Finkielman takes the reader on an interesting tour through Irish history. The novel starts off being narrated by Michael Gleeson, a psychiatrist who secretly helps members of the former IRA get past their problems. It is a seemingly comfortable existence for Gleeson until he decides to seek retribution for the past by using one of his patients, a former IRA enforcer Turlough O’Sullivan, as an instrument of vengeance. He sets O’Sullivan off to kill some of the more notorious enemies of Ireland and sets in chain a deadly series of events.
Finkielman uses a number of viewpoints to tell her story, including historical letters from the Famine and the second person account of the detective on the trail of Gleeson and O’Sullivan. The book goes down some unexpected paths and despite being a bit long it moves at a good pace. The historical detail is fascinating and there are plenty of twists and surprises. The characters are a little flat, but otherwise this is a quite enjoyable yarn that will appeal to those who are after an unusual thriller.
Starving Men blew me away with it's fascinating and morally bankrupt characters, a twisty plot and a historical background that I'm horrified I didn't know more about. It's complex, it's intriguing and it's educational. I do wonder why the author thinks the English adore Oliver Cromwell, I'll admit. Even back in school he was seen as a puritanical tyrant with an aversion to anything fun. But that's a very minor niggle.
This is absolutely one of those books that grabbed me from the start and refused to let go. I found the setting up of the murders and the historical background behind them fascinating. It's a fascinating glance into the mind of someone warped by past injustices and tragedies to the point that they will seek revenge generations on. And the cat and mouse game played between the killer and the police was very well done, with the reader seeing both sides of the situation.
All in all, this is a stunning debut novel and I'll be interested to read further works by the author in the future. It's complex and gritty, relying on very real historical tragedies to set the scene for one man's murderous campaign. It twists and turns in unexpected ways throughout and the payoff at the end was more than worth the wait.