Disappointing - Rated 
Having read the other books by her, I was keen to read this one, plus my friend thought it was amazing. I got through it quickly, partly because I wanted it to end or get better. It ended. But it didn't get better.
I feel the key problem to the story was that none of the characters were particularly likable. Shell annoyed me with her ignorance and stupidity- why didn't she get a job? run away with her siblings? And what was the appeal in that Declan Ronan?!! So the fatal issues were no likeable characters, never being able to agree with the main characters decisions and some parts were just weird... Like when she delivered the baby-What was that about?!!!
A lovely book - Rated 
I read this book last year as part of the Carnegie Award with two of my friends. We each had to choose a book randomly out of a carrier bag and I ended up with this one. I'm so glad that I did! The cover is beautiful and the story itself is lovely. After the award finished I went to my local library to find the book so that I could read it again I loved it that much! I would recommend the book to anyone, young or old.
Best book I've read this year so far! - Rated
This book is amazing. From the opening page, the author is able to transfix and captivate the reader. The tale is told by a heart moving heroine, shell, who has a troubled life. The way Dowd is able to draw sympathy from the reader for the heroine adn her brother and sister is magnificent.
The tale is a beautiful one, with a moving portrait captured of life in a small Irish catholic village, and the problems associated by the insular life this entails.
This book actually moved me to tears.
Marvellous.
A fantastic read for bright children - Rated
I really enjoyed reading this book and found Dowd's lyrical style to be addictive. It is set in Ireland and the imagery magically paints a picture of the scenery, clothes and fashions of the day (1980s). There are so many acute socio-political issues taken on board here and the author must have spent a lot of time in Ireland.
The writing is direct and the sheer efficiency of the language used to describe so many events: humourous, sad, happy, heart-warming, heart-breaking, tear jerking, and joyous. Dowd's sense of what joy it is to be alive is strongly displayed in this fantastic read. I would say that it is really aimed at bright teenagers. I think adults would find it appealing too. My mum has read it twice!
Well written with a good twist - Rated 
Although this storyline has been endlessly covered before - Irish Catholic family living in poverty, father a Bible-bashing alcoholic, priests, a main character who is a naive young thing who gets into 'trouble' etc Dowd's lightness of touch engaged me sufficiently to finish it. The twist towards the end raised it from a three to a four star but I was still a little unsure of when the book was actually meant to be set and I read the first half with such a sense of foreboding it prevented me from fully enjoying it. Definitely worth a read, though.
|
