I adore Gabriel Byrne’s acting work, with one of my favorites being In Treatment, this recounting of his life helped me see why he was so great in that role. He is a man who has lived through a lot and has dealt with some of the heavier parts of life. He holds nothing back. As I read, I pictured him as this stark Irish narrator staring at the sea recounting his life to you after one too many pints. He meandered around telling stories that linked to other stories in quite a nonsensical way and yet it all wove together in a beautiful way. I appreciated the way he weaved his religious upbringing throughout, as I strongly identified with how it shaped his view of the world. I think I would have enjoyed this book better as an audiobook as it would have felt like sitting in a pub in Dublin for an afternoon of craic with a wizened old soul.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion. This one goes on sale tomorrow, so get your orders in!
What memoirs are you looking forward to this year?
~ Dana
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