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Editorial Review:
Oh, Play That Thing is a fast-moving picaresque sequel to Roddy Doyle's novel about the Irish War of Independence and Civil War, A Star Called Henry. On the run from his former commanders, IRA assassin Henry ends up in the USA and copes indifferently with the gang-dominated New York of the early 1920s, and the worlds of Chicago jazz and the migrant workers of the Depression. Henry is a charming chancer, and a survivor, but this does not mean that he has an especially nice time for more than moments--his own ruthless past continually returns to haunt him.
Doyle does a nice line in memorable unpleasant images--a bunch of homing pigeons swollen and dying from bathtub gin; a wooden leg smouldering unnoticed from closeness to a campfire. There's also a strong sense of the changing language of immigrants trying to belong; this is, among other things, the story of how his Irish hero learns to think and speak in the American vein. The vignettes of real people--notably Henry's friend the young Louis Armstrong--are more than just decoration. In the Depression chapters, Doyle writes powerfully about the way folklore grows up. In places, this is a jerkily structured book, but it is always a highly intelligent one. --Roz Kaveney
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0
Very Disappointing Couldn't wait to read this as A Star Called Henry was soooooooooo brilliant and, indeed it starts well. Henry is escaping from Ireland and eventually arrives in NY and history comes alive...this is NY as it must have been. However, from that point on the story gets lost. The plot becomes unbelievable. I suppose, in the end, if you enjoyed the first book it's worth reading just for the first few chapters....disappointing
Somewhat disappointing The first book of the series, A Star Called Henry, was a brilliant book. The pace was fast, the story was gripping and, most importantly, it all fitted together. From cover to cover, the story flowed perfectly, taking you on a fascinating journey, on which you learn much about history as you develop along with the character. Unfortunately, this book didn't rise to that level. Having read the first of the series, you expect a continuation of that interesting journey. And although you get a journey of... more info
Dissapointing I have to admit, I didnt get any where near the end of this book, and so you may think I am not the best to give a review! The reasno for not finishing is that, although I found the story intriguing, and the characters likewise, I found the style hard to get on with. It was not what I expected from Doyle, either, and was not similar in style to his previous novels...
All that Jazz It's easy to criticise ambitious literature because it extends itself, asks you to take a leap, to commit more than other books to the journey. If you are willing to leave yourself at the front cover and dive right in then this book is for you. A book like this, writing like this, has no flaws, Doyle creates a way of storytelling all of his own, animating history with such enthusiasm that it leaps off the page and slaps you across the face. Just enjoy the ride.
