BookaDuu discussion

Howdy Bookaduu folk,

Who has the book read? Ready to gibber on about it?!

Let I know.

I have to confess, I haven't quite completed the reading assignment, but happy to go with what I've read, if everyone is ready to go. :)

Arrgh not finished, it's a mighty long book. But yes go ahead!

ello?

Lets wait until you have finished!

Due to unforeseen circumstances we missed the discussion segment. Feel free to leave comments here and people can sporadically answer though. I liked the book and at least we all got to read another one which is great.

I'm really sorry the Bookaduu group didn't find an opportunity to discuss this book. In fact there was so much in it, I was afraid we wouldn't be able to do it justice.

If I was recommending it to anyone, however, I'd suggest you choose your moment to read it carefully. Tackling it in January wasn't easy, because sometimes I needed a break from some of the issues and if I'd been able to step into the sunshine for a while it would've been good.

I thought Martin Freeman would make a good Howard... having said that I found this character depressing, summed up by this little quote (forgive me I've taken the book back to the library, so just working with rough notes),
'Now with every day that passes, another door seems to close, you begin to hear the sound as a good thing and start closing some yourself even ones that didn't necessarily need to be closed...'
A brilliant piece of writing, I thought.

The link between the Old Boys and current inmates was well done. Turning the pages, the suffocating feeling of containing 'issues' and the inevitable breaking points this leads to, was like creeping up a spiral staircase towards some hidden horror. The lust for power and control are two hideous human qualities.

I've made a note about the repeated phrase 'swim meet, swim meet...'Skippy had drumming through his head. In Robert Graves poem A Child's Nightmare there's a repeated phrase 'cat! ... cat! ... cat!' and I wondered if Paul Murray used it deliberately... just a thought.

Skippy was a vulnerable boy. His father's focus on his mother's illness, left him isolated with no escape route and that's all the opportunity his abuser needed. Hard to read. Stayed in my head. Well written.

I can't ignore the religious aspect of this book. Coincidentally I watched a program on tv last night 'Secrets Of The Vatican' which explored the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the challenges Pope Francis now has. Although I'm not Catholic, I've worked in three Catholic schools - maybe leave it at that.

I also noted the female characters in the book. Miss McIntyre, Halley, Carl's mother, Lori. Quite a bunch - I wondered what everyone thought of them, as a collective. Lori's condition was well observed and I was struck by the metaphor '...the invaders in her stomach...' and how she felt she should treat them and other evil things in life as if they didn't exist.

Carl. Grim mixed-up character. In my head he was a mixed up good looking lad, who sadly would corrode everything he touched.

Rupert. His character gave us the string theory, the vibrating universe and multiple dimensions. Rupert's efforts to bring order to his chaotic world, wove their way throughout the book. This scientific orderly approach to life was in sharp contrast to his made up imaginative background story and the lives of the other characters in the book. Though most of The Boys might well have happily disappeared into another dimension.

Overall a tough, but thought provoking book. I've really only skimmed over things that stayed with me after I put the book down.

Good analysis!

I was a big fan of the book although it took me about 100 pages to get into it. Something about the Howard character I related to, or saw a past life perhaps.

I thought it was really well written, juggled a lot of threads and kept it tipping away nicely. Good call backs too at just the right time. I must check out the author's other book.

Thought the characters were a good mix, Carl was a big time nutter although the family side made me see why I suppose.

The priests were a grim bunch, darker side to the tale really. The principal was a plonker too. Howard the Coward played his role in going with the flow, thought he was going to stand up to them but alas, nay.

I thought it was funny too throughout, some good jokes and the likes. The author was well able to juggle all the different voices, did well. Dennis had some of the best lines.

I didn't find it a tough read, maybe that's just me. Can't remember too much more in detail, must skim through it again and refresh my memory.