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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Roddy's Finest Hour,
This review is from: A Star Called Henry (Hardcover)
A Star Called Henry is probably far more accurate in its portrayal of Ireland in the last years of British rule than many would realise. The activities of the members of Michael Collins' "Squad" were much like those performed by Henry Smart, who was, in the novel, on the periphery of possibly the most effective counter-intellegence agency in the world. Roddy Doyle's excellent novel captures the period as well as anything I have hitherto read on the subject. He captures the feeling of Dubliners towards the Easter Rising, before and after the executions, and the attitude of those beyond the Pale (English-controlled region around Dublin, where the phrase comes from) to the "jackeens". Henry's delay in leaving Ireland was, I believe, not as surprising as some seem to think. Henry had great loyalty towards Michael Collins, similar to his feelings towards James Connolly, a debt of honour, if you will, that kept him from abandoning him while that was unresolved. After his betrayal and the death of Collins, he was free to leave the country. These attributes are visible in the character of Henry Smart, and are a major influence on his actions. His various loyalties are strong and are probably the driving force of his life.Before A Star Called Henry, I wasn't much a fan of Roddy Doyle the author, preferring the film versions of the Barrytown Trilogy, but I await with anticipation the remaining books in his latest Trilogy.
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Doyle's new book begins the story of an IRA assassin,
By Cityview (Des Moines, Iowa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Star Called Henry (Hardcover)
Roddy Doyle's great new book, "A Star Called Henry," is a stirring rush of a story set at the beginning of the century as the Irish Republic Army is taking shape. The novel, the first in a trilogy planned by Doyle, takes narrator Henry Smart from an infant in his boozy mother's arms to a damaged 20-year-old with a long career as an IRA assassin. Henry's addled mom spends her time looking up the stars, which represent all the children she has lost. His father is a dim-witted bouncer at a Dublin brothel who threatens (and kills) people with his wooden leg. Henry takes to the streets, developing keen survival skills and contempt for the forces that keep he and his family down. He hooks up with men who hate the British. Henry, while a bitter youth, is apolitical and is just looking for adventure and sustenance. Henry also has an odd, Bonnie and Clyde-style romance with Miss O'Shea, an older woman as eager to battle the Brits as any man. Doyle mixes in real historical figures (his depiction of famed rebel Michael Collins is wonderfully entertaining) and events into Henry's adventurous life. But, this is no romanticized tale of Ireland's fight for liberation. The book is filled with flawed leaders, inducing violence and putting Ireland's innocent a risk in the name of profit, as well as freedom. Henry grows up fast and his narration comes at a breakneck pace. In the beginning, Henry is a folk hero. He makes it clear he is a great warrior and lover, and quite possibly a genius. By the end, he has realized the tragic cost of the cause for which he has committed murder - a cause that eventually turns on him.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Astonishing New Step for Roddy Doyle,
This review is from: A Star Called Henry (The Last Roundup, Vol. 1) (Paperback)
One of the great perils for successful authors must be that point when they decide to 'stretch' their creative wings. The horror writers pens an introspective character study (Stephen King - ROADWORK). The English satirist attempts an American crime novel (Martin Amis - NIGHT TRAIN). The crime novelist delves into science fiction (Walter Mosley - BLUE LIGHT). At times like this, the fan base holds its collective breath, hoping for the best, fearing the worst. After all, why mess with a good thing?A STAR CALLED HENRY, thank God, is one of the good ones. Great ones actually. Previously, Irish novelist Roddy Doyle has focused his talents on life in modern-day Ireland. His works have been small character studies, with simple plots that come alive through Doyle's ear for dialogue and eye for intriguing themes. PADDY CLARKE HA HA HA, while considered a departure from his BARRYTOWN TRILOGY novels of blue collar Irish, was nevertheless a similar sort of story. A very small, intimate view of remarkable characters. But A STAR CALLED HENRY takes Doyle into the new realms of historical fiction. In a story that can only be described as 'epic', Doyle traces the formative years of Henry Smart, street urchin turned IRA assassin, living at the beginning of the 20th century, as Ireland began to revolt against its English rulers. Henry's beginnings show that Doyle has not traded his gift of characterization for narrative sweep. Henry's starts his tale before he was conceived, as his well-meaning but young mother falls in love with Henry Senior, a one-legged bouncer and hitman. With terrific economy of style, Doyle manages to convey both the excitement and desperation of Henry's life. After his abandonment by his father (in a heart-wrenching scene of loneliness and betrayal), Henry takes to the streets. But lest the reader believe that Doyle will begin to cultivate Henry as a loveable pickpocket a la OLIVER TWIST, the subject matter ensures that Henry's path will be a dark one. As the years pass, and Henry grows into quite the ladies man (at 14 years old, no less), he becomes embroiled in the quickening Irish rebellion. He becomes a hitman for the cause, and a student of famous IRA leaders, most notably Michael Collins. He also marries Miss O'Shea, his elementary school teacher (for about two days), and together they begin to rewrite Irish history. As I said, Doyle has not lost his knack for characters. Henry is a true original, a vicious killer and confused young boy. His relationship with Miss O'Shea is touching, if slightly bizarre. His continued search for elements of his past through his book-reading Granny is a plot device of startling originality. But Doyle also shows his new-found maturity as a writer in his mixture of fact and fiction. He expertly traces the IRA rebellion, from its admirable roots to its disheartening failures. It is not an exhaustive examination; Henry himself is not one of the top men. But enough information is given to enable the uninformed reader to understand the situation. Doyle might have been tempted to flood the reader with names, dates, and events, but he wisely avoids the trap of simply listing famous events and putting Henry in the middle of them. Every scene has a purpose. While the revolution may be the backdrop, it is first and foremost Henry's story. Doyle has proclaimed that A STAR CALLED HENRY is only the first volume in a planned epic entitled THE LAST ROUNDUP. While I eagerly await the second volume, I am also cautiously afraid. A STAR CALLED HENRY might be best left as a stand-alone novel. Thinking of Larry McMurtry's LONESOME DOVE quartet (a terrific set, really, but arguably shouldn't have continued past STREETS OF LAREDO), I can only hope that Doyle keeps up the same level of quality. Henry Smart is too fine a character to appear in sub-par sequels.
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