Review: A Star Called Henry by Roddy Doyle
This book was a book I got in a big bag from a friend of mine in a book exchange. So I hadn't heard anything at all about it or the author. I was a bit wary of starting this book, because the synopsis sounds a lot like that of Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, which I really didn't like (review here: http://makemesmarternow.blogspot.dk/2015/06/review-angelas-ashes-by-frank-mccourt.html ). It is about a young Irish boy, who grows up in the slums of Dublin. His parents don't take care of him, so he takes care of himself until he falls under the guidance of Connolly, a man in the Irish Citizen Army. Henry joins the army, even though he is only 14, and fights for Ireland's freedom. The first few chapters are very similar to Angela's Ashes, but thankfully it quickly gets much better. Not only is there much better plot development in this book, but the writing is beautiful. Henry's voice is poignant without being bitter or self-pitying, even though some of the...