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What Members Thought

Wow what a weird book. I little too weird for me, though I did like it. It's only 200 pages but took days an days for me to read. Very dense with the strange footnotes on the fictional weird philosopher. Plus the main character is an ass.
My book had no introduction, so I didn't get a spoiler there. (view spoiler) ...more
My book had no introduction, so I didn't get a spoiler there. (view spoiler) ...more

Aug 21, 2015
Kristel
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
1001-books,
audio,
irish-literature,
fantasy,
magical-realism,
world-literature,
1001-challenge
I think this is my first Flan O'Brien. A weird story but surprisingly entertaining. Set in rural Ireland, its a tale of murder, bicycles, other dimensions. Those Irish can sure tell tall tales. The ending is great but giving it away would be a shame.
"Is it about a bicycle?" ...more
"Is it about a bicycle?" ...more

Such a fun and bizarre book. Something happens to our narrator, who is a wronged but not very nice young man, and he finds himself mixed up with three rural policemen who are obsessed with bicycles.
Originally there was a twist, but the book is so well known now that I knew from the beginning and didn't realise it was supposed to be a surprise until I saw the Publisher's Note at the end. It didn't spoil my enjoyment at all.
However I can see this might be a love-it-or-hate-it book, and you have t ...more
Originally there was a twist, but the book is so well known now that I knew from the beginning and didn't realise it was supposed to be a surprise until I saw the Publisher's Note at the end. It didn't spoil my enjoyment at all.
However I can see this might be a love-it-or-hate-it book, and you have t ...more

Feb 15, 2016
George P.
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
author-not-us-canada-or-uk,
1001-books-read
It's easy 1st-person view readability contrasts with a story that alternates between commonplace events, a rougish murder-theft, and the surreal and bizarre. Uncategorizable. But good, (and not very long).
...more

Odd and confusing. Time as a circle? Drunken narrator?


Feb 20, 2009
Andre Mitchell
marked it as to-read

Mar 10, 2010
Ann
marked it as to-read

Mar 23, 2012
Mekki
marked it as to-read

Jul 28, 2013
Diane
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
20th-century,
1001-done,
1001,
guardian-1000,
western-canon,
translated,
fantasy,
humor,
irish,
around-the-world-2016

Jan 18, 2016
CJ Kamm
marked it as to-read

Jul 24, 2016
Kallie
marked it as to-read

May 29, 2017
themis
marked it as to-read-before-you-die
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
1001-to-read-before-you-die

Nov 10, 2017
☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣
marked it as to-read

Dec 28, 2017
Jamie Barringer (Ravenmount)
marked it as 1001-tbr
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
1001-books-challenge