The Snapper: A Novel (The Barrytown Trilogy)

This novel is presented primarily as dialogue of an Irish family dealing with the unplanned pregnancy of the oldest child. My biggest complaint is that the "f" word is used abundantly throughout. I have heard the "f" word before, and I am not a prude, but I found it tedious and unpleasant to hear it thrown about so casually by all involved. The dialogue is often humorous and clever, but overall not worth it for me.

I am reviewing "The Snapper," not its companion novel in the Barrytown Trilogy , "The Van." If you've not seen the (wonderful) film version of "The Snapper,” it's the story of a working class family whose oldest daughter Sharon quite unexpectedly finds herself pregnant after a blind-drunken parking lot encounter with a local middle-aged loser who happens to be the father of one of her girlfriends. She wants the baby, but she doesn't want anyone to know who the child's father is. However, rumors fly, and Sharon's father suspects he knows who fathered the baby. The story deals with love, family and human frailty, and it's hilarious. Doyle's style of writing makes the dialog more vivid, and having loved the film, I could “hear” the voices of the characters more clearly.If you are widely enough read to go with the dialog, this book is a joy to read!

Because of its exploration of the life inside one working class family, I thought my women's book group would like it. I found the relationship between the dad and his unmarried, pregnant teenage daughter fascinating. The Snapper did create a lively discussion as some had no patience with the raunchy language and all the drinking. Some loved it. Months after I read it the first time, the ways in which family members expressed caring for each other stuck with me, and my husband and I still love calling out the way Dad says this curse word with the stress on first syllable.

The snapper is a good book, but it's theme and content are different than "The Commitments". It's not as funny. It has some humor in it. A young women is raped and then goes through a pregnancy, in a country does not allow abortions and usually takes newborns away from the mother. It is about a brave family facing a huge negative stimulus in a country where a religious organization controlled the social mores of it's people. I guess that upset me.

This book is funny and down to Earth, just like the movie it inspired. I recommend reading this and others by the author, Roddy Doyle. He talks of Barrytown and his country in a way that makes you feel you know the place and his characters stand the test of time also.

The language and dialogue are exceptional bUT I'm unhappy about the fact the way the subject matter unfolded especially as there was sexual violence involved that was basically just glossed over in a way I couldn't overlook.

Well developed characters and very amusing and touching at times.

if you love the movie, you'll enjoy the book but the writing style is a bit odd

Classic Doyle - his way of writing dialogue is unmatched. I actually thought this one started a little slowly but once it got going it's so engrossing. Superb novel from one of my favourite authors.

Buy this - it will lighten any gloom.

One of the best books I have read in years. My first Roddy Doyle and to be honest the best (I have now read almost all the rest). Laugh out loud in places and incredibly tender and endearing in others. Loved it.

Brilliant book and hilarious story.A Genius writer.Bryan Phelan.

My favourite book by this author