The Divine Ryans
by Wayne Johnston | Literature & Fiction | This book has not been rated.
ISBN: Global Overview for this book
ISBN: Global Overview for this book
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
Purchased from the Millennium Library's used book sale for release in the Canada Day release challenge in celebration of Canadian books and authors.
I have several Wayne Johnston books waiting patiently to be read. In fact The Colony of Unrequited Dreams is waiting very patiently underneath a couple of years' worth of dust bunnies under my bed. I started it and just haven't picked it up again. Don't know why and I do feel a tad guilty about it. But then there's the Custodian of Paradise waiting on the shelf too! So when I picked up this book, I really didn't have any great urge to read it. The cover blurbs were what hooked me including this one from "Time Out (UK)": "The Divine Ryans [has] heart, soul, brains....An absolute stunner - achingly funny, needle sharp and packing an unexpected wallop." Okay, I'll give it a go.
I did and it was.
It was sad and sweet and funny and more than a little shocking. No dust bunnies for this book, I could hardly bear to put it down. Poor poor Draper Doyle. I felt so sorry for him stuck as he was in such a dysfunctional Irish-Catholic family. His Aunt Phil's a nasty piece of work as are all of the aunts and uncles but for Uncle Reginald. Thank goodness for Uncle Reginald. I liked his mother and sister Mary too although I would have liked to have read more about them. And despite the "unexpected wallop", which came right out of left field, I liked his father as well. In fact I loved poor Draper Doyle despite his being a Habs fan. He reminded me of my brother. My brother's a Habs fan too and burdened, like Draper Doyle, by being born a Canadian boy with the obligation to play hockey. The obligation but not the talent. Far too many of my Saturday mornings were spent watching my brother burn his ankles on the blue line. Thank God I didn't have to suffer through him boxing and tap dancing or, God forbid, singing too.
All in all a really enjoyable book. I think I'll ask Draper Doyle to enquire of the great Methuselah as to which Wayne Johnston book I should read next!
I did and it was.
It was sad and sweet and funny and more than a little shocking. No dust bunnies for this book, I could hardly bear to put it down. Poor poor Draper Doyle. I felt so sorry for him stuck as he was in such a dysfunctional Irish-Catholic family. His Aunt Phil's a nasty piece of work as are all of the aunts and uncles but for Uncle Reginald. Thank goodness for Uncle Reginald. I liked his mother and sister Mary too although I would have liked to have read more about them. And despite the "unexpected wallop", which came right out of left field, I liked his father as well. In fact I loved poor Draper Doyle despite his being a Habs fan. He reminded me of my brother. My brother's a Habs fan too and burdened, like Draper Doyle, by being born a Canadian boy with the obligation to play hockey. The obligation but not the talent. Far too many of my Saturday mornings were spent watching my brother burn his ankles on the blue line. Thank God I didn't have to suffer through him boxing and tap dancing or, God forbid, singing too.
All in all a really enjoyable book. I think I'll ask Draper Doyle to enquire of the great Methuselah as to which Wayne Johnston book I should read next!
on the parking meter across the street from the Convention Centre.
Released for week #31 of the 2010 Never Judge a Book by its Cover release challenge. This week's theme: boy(s) in the cover art.
I hope the finder enjoys this wonderful book by a renown Canadian author!
Released for week #31 of the 2010 Never Judge a Book by its Cover release challenge. This week's theme: boy(s) in the cover art.
I hope the finder enjoys this wonderful book by a renown Canadian author!
