Customer Reviews

More Bread or I'll Appear

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Emer Martin has crafted a tale of an Irish family that is as far from Norman Rockwell (or his Irish equivalent) as they come. More Bread or I'll Appear is the story of an Irish family and their quest for a missing sibling. Each family has his or her own demons to deal with. Molly, the mother is stuck in Ireland, too scared to venture out and look for her precious first-born, Aisling; Oscar, her twin brother, is a homosexual, alcoholic priest, living in terror that his secrets will be revealed; Siobhan is anorexic, Orla has never gotten over the baby she gave up for adoption, Patrick has no ambition and drug addict friends. Keelin, the youngest, is perhaps the only sibling with some semblance of a "normal" life. It is she that Molly convinces to embark on a devastating journey to locate her lost sister, who disappeared 15 years earlier, almost without a trace. Keelin, accompanied by various siblings at various points in the narrative, learns some disturbing truths about her sister, and the rest of her family, as she searches.

Martin writes with a sarcastic, twisted humor that keeps this novel from plunging into the depressing underbelly of humanity that Keelin discovers in her search for her sister. Keelin comes to understand that the one thing that ties her family together is also tearing it apart--the obsessive compusive disorder that sent her father to an asylum.

More Bread or I'll Appear is a disturbing novel, a unique novel, a funny novel. I don't think it is for the faint of heart. I enjoyed this novel, and would encourage any daring reader to discover the world of Keelin and her family.

Having read Emer Martins first novel, Breakfast in Babylon, (which is highly recommended), I waited with baited breath for her next book. Follow up books from new authors can often be disappointing at the least, however, I was pleasantly suprised at the consistancy in Ms. Martin's talents as a young author. The story although tragic, is written with warmth and an understanding that is rarely seen in modern literature. There is greatness in this book and something for everybody.

Emer Martin has written one of the most interesting and engaging books I have read in years. The book is funny and intelligent, and the characters are vivid and unique. I would highly recommend it to anyone that wants to get a glimpse of the various corners of the world visited in this book from a very hip point of view.

This is a lovely second book. Not as electric as the first; also, not as electric as the next. A joy to read.

I just got finished the novel and it's tremendous: what a cast of characters moving around the world. Reminded me of the Odyssey and Candide, that kind of book, and it's a kind of answer to Ulysses. Intensely readable and beautifully written. Also, it's a really good book on the Irish family and on the large Irish family especially: some times I thought I was reading about my own, being the oldest of 8 but not the wisest. You have tremendous talent, Emer, and the novel is a great achievement. My glass is raised to you.

it's a wonderful novel. I hope by now it has garnered some good notices, because it deserves lots of 'em. It's a big, human, exploring stretch of a story and I loved it, if in a couple of particular aspects: randomly as follows: pg. 256 'We didn't crawl out of the sea to become us. We clambered to each others waters when we were trapped in dried-up pools. We aren't seeking to evolve, but forces of environment etc. LIFE IS INFINITE WHEN PERCEIVED AS A CONTINUUM, HOLLOW AND BRUTAL WHEN WE TAKE IT IN CHUNKS.' Now, that's my kinda reflection. I also enjoyed the Japanese man's absolute fascination with Keelin, his obsessions re Aisling, and the images of that red hair and that female expansiveness, which stretched in all kinds of sexual expressions and directions. And hardly any 'womanspeak' either. I found the book's movement towards its ending rather utopian, and that's okay, because it's an utopia WITHIN and not one imposed or even imagined (I think) on and for others, if you get my drift. I loved Uncle Oscar (I was on to him from the start), and I loved Gerry. Particularly enjoyed Shawn and his bloody nests. There isn't much hope for us, collectively, is there? Or if so, then possibly only within the most miniature of human networks, tentacle to tentacle as it were, ganglion to ganglion, imagining possibilities in the gaps between nerve ends. It;s a great, energetic run of a novel and I thought it was really skilfully handled, and the dialogue was great. But dialogue is one of her great strengths.

Emer Martin's bleak vision of the human race as a composite of obsessive-compulsive disordered individuals cannot fail to both charm and challenge. Despite its bleakness, this is an arresting, extremely funny, high-octane book.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. The subject matter-- a young woman searching the world for her older sister-- is intriguing. But Emer Martin doesn't do much with it. The novel jumps around too much and doesn't explore in detail anything that's worth exploring. I wanted to know how Keelin truly felt about jetting off. Instead we get snippets of her time in Japan, her time in Hawaii, etc. that could be interesting but just aren't. I felt that this book had a lot of potential, but missed the mark.

More Bread Or I'll Appear is a novel where the Irish Diaspora meets the 21st Century. Emer Martin takes one family and puts them on the world stage. She writes with a lovely Irish humor that can make light of the direst situations, which the book is full of. Illness, Compulsive Disorders, Teen Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Gay Child-Abusing Priests, AIDS, Kidnapping, Robbery, Prostitution, Compulsive Eating Disorders, Cross-Dressing, and Murder are all treated in a matter-of-fact way, but can at times make this a hard novel to get through. Yet the character development and the author's sensitive approach to the human situation make this a wonderful novel.

Emer Martin takes us into the lives of a dysfunctional, but strong and resilient family as each member faces a crisis in their lives and comes to terms with themselves and their situation. Not for the feint of heart, but still heart-warming, this is a novel that looks at the personal within a global setting.

The setting is global with the characters circling the globe in search of a missing sister. Ireland, New York, Japan, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Honduras, Mexico, and Cuba are all there and lend this novel a truly global perspective.

Emer Martin's novel about the ups-and-downs of a dysfunctional Irish family is a new approach from her earlier work "Breakfast at Babylon." Martin examines human issues that brings about the saying: "a family that sticks together [doesn't always stay together]." The story focuses on a mother, Molly and her 5 children, Patrick, Aisling. Keelin, Siobhan and Orla.

Molly's husband becomes mentally ill and is institutionalized. Molly and the children move from west Ireland to Dublin. The eldest daughter Aisling attends college there. Molly follows her. Then one summer Aisling just disappears. It takes Molly 15 years later to presuade her youngest and reliable. Keelin and put her life on hold to search for Aisling. So Keelin sets off to travel the world with the other siblings. Keelin learns that each sibling is cursed with their father's affliction 'the doubting disease.' In some way and another each is ultimately compelled to perform irrational acts. In pursuit of her wild, elusive sister. Whose personality defies any description. Keelin takes on a very chic and decadent Japan, a talk show diverse United States and an incongruous Central America. There are many questionable adventures.. what follows is an uncertain reunion and a surprising betrayal. Keelin questions the family attachments that have driven her to the point of separation.

Martin's work casts a unique ego on vital issues of gender, race and class. Though it's primarily a story about family. It sheds some light on what some family's face within their circle. The domination of genetic and emotional bonds, the struggle for individuality and the difficulty of love. If you like reading about the quirkness and social norms in family relationships I suggest this.

Having read Emer Martins first novel, Breakfast in Babylon, (which is highly recommended), I waited with baited breath for her next book. Follow up books from new authors can often be disappointing at the least, however, I was pleasantly suprised at the consistancy in Ms. Martin's talents as a young author. The story although tragic, is written with warmth and an understanding that is rarely seen in modern literature. There is greatness in this book and something for everybody.