Smile

Well, I never saw that coming. That's a twist - well done Roddy Doyle. This is why I enjoy your books - that, and how fecking Irish they are, how Dublin they are, and your dialogue. Nobody does Dublin-esque dialogue like Roddy Doyle.

Victor Forde is fifty-four, and has been asked to leave his house by his wife. He moves back to the neighborhood of his childhood. He starts going to the local pub for a couple of pints in the evening. And there he is cornered by a man, Fitzpatrick, who claims he went to school with him - but Victor can't remember him. But Fitzpatrick seems to know a lot about his school years. Victor certainly doesn't like him, but he is aways around on the periphery of his day to day activities.

So the novel is a slow reveal, it flashes back through Victor's life - the Christian Brothers run school (memories of one particular Brother - who couldn't keep his hands to himself), how he met his beautiful and successful wife (although they never got around to getting married), his career in journalism and writing. And it is cleverly crafted. There are layers of information, and there are gaps - some gaps are filled in due course, others are not. Then, there is the ending.

It has been a while since I have ready a Roddy Doyle novel. Too long, and this one was excellent, although it is sad and dark, (and deals with some sexual abuse, so consider that if that is triggering for you as a reader). As another reviewer put it, you don't realise how clever the writing is until the end.

4.5 stars, rounded down.