The Divine Ryans
by Wayne Johnston | Literature & Fiction | This book has not been rated.
ISBN: 0676971849 Global Overview for this book
ISBN: 0676971849 Global Overview for this book
2 journalers for this copy...
From a Little Free Library in Cobourg, Ontario. Wayne Johnstone is a great novelist from Newfoundland, now living in Toronto. From the back cover: "Johnston is an authentic comic genius....his timing and pacing are impeccable. He knows how to...create laughter out of a wonderful mixture of emotions " - Montreal Gazette. " The Divine Ryans has heart, soul and brains.....an absolute stunner....achingly funny, needle sharp and packing an unexpected wallop. " - Time Out (UK). High praise indeed!
I love Wayne Johnston and look forward to diving into this one. Thanks!
I love Johnston as a writer. He is a masterful storyteller. I have only read one other by him, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams and loved it. It was, in fact, the very first audiobook I ever listened to, on my very first solo road trip, to Ottawa, several years ago. And I have 4 other titles by him, waiting to be read, on my shelf. But I digress..
This story is told by a 9-year old boy who is trying to figure out how his father died. He, his mother and 12-year old sister are now living with his father's family. I loved the layers being peeled back as the story is unveiled and some of the scenarios were laugh-out-loud hilarious. But I am a person who has never been comfortable with the constraints of devout religion (any religion) and this is a very Catholic family, with very strict adherence to the church and other *rules* etc. I was not at all comfortable or happy about the things that poor kid had to endure, in the name of the religion. The story takes place in the mid-1960s and maybe things are different these days (I honestly wouldn't know) but I more than once felt I wanted to go kidnap that kid and take him away from them, just to protect him! Nothing criminal but still... Anyhow, overall, the story was a good one, if a bit zany.
Bookgirrl, read it! I will save it for you
This story is told by a 9-year old boy who is trying to figure out how his father died. He, his mother and 12-year old sister are now living with his father's family. I loved the layers being peeled back as the story is unveiled and some of the scenarios were laugh-out-loud hilarious. But I am a person who has never been comfortable with the constraints of devout religion (any religion) and this is a very Catholic family, with very strict adherence to the church and other *rules* etc. I was not at all comfortable or happy about the things that poor kid had to endure, in the name of the religion. The story takes place in the mid-1960s and maybe things are different these days (I honestly wouldn't know) but I more than once felt I wanted to go kidnap that kid and take him away from them, just to protect him! Nothing criminal but still... Anyhow, overall, the story was a good one, if a bit zany.
Bookgirrl, read it! I will save it for you
Bringing to the meetup tomorrow
Well, this was a quirky read for sure. Time Out (UK): "The Divine Ryans (has) heart, soul and brains....an absolute stunner - achinginly funny, needle sharp and packing an unexpected wallop". Taking this book to Oakville today, and will leave it in a Little Free Library. Dear Finder of this Book: You have found a free, "travelling" book that has been registered on Bookcrossing.com. Bookcrossing is like geo-caching for books. It is also free, anonymous and aims to foster a love of reading by leaving free books in public places. Please take a moment to make a Journal Entry (see label inside the cover) so we know it's been found. When you are done with the book, "set it free" and help its journey continue.
