Blurb from the back cover says...

"Mr Laurence Gilhooley emerged from The Bailey restaurant in Duke Street, Dublin. He was slightly drunk, having eated a heavy dinner and finished two bottles of red wine. He stood in front of the door, swaying gently. His eyes were half closed. His head was thrust backwards. He looked from side to side, wondering whither he was going to turn for his night's amusement." So starts the book.

Synopsis - "Forty-nine-year-old Mr Gilhooley is living two lives: the one drinking in the pubs of Dublin, the other desperate and lonely, longing for love. A chance encounter with the innocent and yet destructive Nelly starts a chain of compelling, dark and menacing events. This is the underworld of 1920s Dublin. Death, violence, sex, religion and love entwine and weave paths in this visually rich and passionate tragi-comedy."

I really enjoyed this read - I had never heard of O'Flaherty although further investigation into his bio left me with no doubt that he was certainly an interesting character and a prolific writer. I recommend this book - the writing is alive, characters realistic, and be prepared for an ending slightly different from what you think the ending is leading up to.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Taken to the Saturday lunch meet up today to start its travels.

Picked this up at a London meet. Rather strange to begin with and very Irish.

A decidedly odd book! I found it difficult to identify with the main character, the eponymous Gilhooley, as I couldn't really understand what was going on in his head, nor follow his rapidly changing emotional state. As such I found it impossible to care what happened to him. On the more positive side, the book paints an interesting picture of 1920s Dublin and of the lives of the drinking men of Ireland.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Taking this to tonight's Meet-Up

Picked up at London meetup. Two very different reviews so far. Not sure yet whether to read/add to TBR pile or take along to Walthamstow meetup.

Well ... 2 and a bit years after my last journal entry I still haven't read it so will be taking to London meet tomorrow.

At the meetup upstairs from 6pm