Customer Reviews

Divorcing Jack

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book proved to be a quick read as the story was engaging, funny and written in face-paced language. Dan Starkey is a regular guy with typical vices. When a drunken night results in some poor choices and even poorer outcomes, he has to muddle through a murder mystery. He's no Hercule Poirot and makes a few mistakes, but his brains and heart make up for what he lacks.
Dan is a likeable character with a realistic and humorous approach to life. Landing himself in the middle of a Northern Ireland political scandal is not in his plan, but the reader can see how this everyman deals with the situation. The Ireland issue is quite pivotal. As an American totally in the dark about this conflict, it was interesting to read about it, even in fiction.
There are several murders in this book, but none are very gorey.Bateman's writing is funny and honest. He has wit, but avoids sounding as if he is throwing it in your face. This book would be great for a long plane ride or as an addition to your summer reading list.

Most of us have had a night or two where, mired in alcohol, bad decisions have been made. I don't for a second think that a complete lack of alcohol would make our protagonist, Dan Starkey, a contender for canonization. But, it would keep me from wanting to box this characters ears as I burst out laughing at his latest installment of a good idea.

This perennially soused journalist has a talent for saying the witty thing at the wrong time. The whirlwind of death, danger, politics and sex that picks him up and plunks him down, well the worse for wear, begins with a kiss wrapped around a shared breath mint. A mint shared with a woman he barely knows as his wife whispers in his ears, "You have twenty-four hours to move out."

This paves the way for bad decision number two and the beginning of a domino effect in Starkeys life. Within the prescribed twenty-four hours, the other woman will be dead and Starkey will be the number one suspect. The one clue that could lead Starkey to the real killer slips through his fingers like a greased eel.

This very funny, very intelligent book could have been a mere candy bar between literary meals. It is, instead, a full meal itself. An insider's view into the raging political scene of Northern Ireland in the mid 90s and the warped marriage of a co-dependent couple are tightly conveyed. The sarcasm and fallibility of a hero doing all the wrong things for all the drunk reasons plays beautifully against the fast paced nature of this thriller.

bateman wonderfully depicted the violent aspects of northern irish culture in divorcing jack. beautifully dark humour is strewn throughout the pages. although content is of a sensitive and horrid nature (the "troubles"), one can not help but laugh out loud frequently. a great first novel for him, and his books to follow are equally as interesting and enjoyable.

This really is a very well written book. The story is fast paced and the humor is wonderfully witty. Most of all though, the book addresses the torments that whistled through Ireland in recent years. Any body who wants to soak up some Irish culture and have a few laughs at the same time should grab this book with both hands and slowly drift away.

This book was passed to me through bookcrossing.com. I had never heard of the author, but I enjoy Irish writers so I gave it a go. I was more than just pleasantly surprised. This novel is great! The sarcastic, self-depricating humor embodied by the protagonist just cracked me up. The story itself was pretty intense, but it didn't feel overwhelming primarily because of the wisecracks. I highly recommend this book, and this author, to anyone who wants a good story and a good laugh.

Divorcing Jack is my first novel by Colin Batemen, and I thought it might be a good example of modern British/Irish fiction. Fortunately my expectations were met.

The story is a rather slap-stick adventure of a Belfast columnist who finds himself inexplicably falling from an unexpected marital indescretion, to murder, and on to political scandal and terrorism. No, it's not realistic. But the biting satiric humour and colourful local language makes this a delightful read.

Bottom line: murder and mayhem with a comic twist. Colin Bateman captures the mood of modern Belfast without taking matters too seriously (or rather, not serious at all). Fans of other popular British/Irish writers (Hornby, Doyle, Welsh, et al) will find much to enjoy with Divorcing Jack.

Colin Bateman's first novel, Divorcing Jack, is a wild ride through strife-torn Belfast complete with marital infidelity, murder, political intrigue, and a of course the IRA. The novel combines murder mystery with a biting wit as narrator Jack, an alcoholic reporter, tries to get to the bottom of it all while doing his best to stay alive.

This is a very impressive first novel. The characters are richly drawn and stay true to form, and the plot takes some wonderful twists and turns which caught me off guard. The setting of the book was memorable too - many reviewers here on Amazon appear to be from Northern Ireland, which contributed to their enjoyment. I am not from the region and thoroughly enjoyed the novel anyway. I understand they are making a movie based upon Divorcing Jack, and I must say I was thinking, after I read it, that it would make a helluva movie.

I loved this book!

However, it's fair to say that (along with his other books) CB is just full of wicked jokes that he just has to get out of his system...

But - they're like that in Belfast, aren't they?

Forget the political tomes, if you want to know what the Belfast Zeitgeist is, read this!

It's not comfortable and may often be offensive to some people - but - there y'are now - that's life!

Not five stars, because you have to keep that for people like Seamus Deane and Seamus Heaney....

Since I saw them filming the movie I thought that I should check out Bateman's book. It is dead funny, but can also be viewed as offensive and doesn't do Belfasters too much justice. Dont read it during lunch, or if you dont see any point in copious useage of 4 letter words beginning with "F". Otherwise an excellent backmail / satire book.

The hilarity and ludicrousness of an obviuosly Irish and extremely unlucky lunatic. A breathtaking journey through places I know (despite the disguises) and people I can relate to . I am not sure whether this makes it funnier or sadder. Either way a worthwhile laugh at another man's dilemma