Play Book Tag discussion

Mahony, Himself the hero of Jess Kidd newly released novel, can be described in differing ways. He is either:

So Father Quinn would readily swap places with Mahony, whoever the hell he is, just to have a face like that. A face that women can love on sight and men will smile upon. Mahony has the right tone in his voice and the right words to go with it. Mahony has a hand that people want to shake and a back they want to pat.

or:
Tadhg gives Mahony a good hard stare across the square as he walks over to the bar. With looks like that, thinks Tadhg, the fella is either a poet or a gobshite, with the long hair and the leather jacket and the walk on it, like his doesn’t smell. “All right so?” “I’m grand,” says Mahony, putting his rucksack down and smiling up through his hair, an unwashed variety that’s grown past his ears and then some. Tadhg decides that this fella is most definitely a gobshite.

But whichever way he is described, I loved him. He is a Dubliner who has been engaged in various and sundry the other side of legitimate businesses when he learns that the mother who he thought deserted him and left him in an orphanage, was murdered, her name was Orla Sweeney and she was from Mulderrig. Mahony decides to go to Mulderrig to find out what happened to her. Mahony has a gift , he sees ghosts, like Commissario Ricciardi in Maurizio de Giovanni's series. But unlike the morose Ricciardi, Mahony embraces his gift and is a lover of life's gifts and draws people to him.

Mahony finds that the town of Mulderrig has attractions as does the reader. This is a wonderful fun book which I couldn't put down. It is filled with characters which I grew to love.

I also loved Jess Kidd's voice it made reading the book a joy. Here are a few examples:

Words are capable of flying. They dart through windows, over fences, between bar stools, and across courtyards. They travel rapidly from mouth to ear, from ear to mouth. And as they go, they pick up speed and weight and substance and gravity. Until they land with a scud, take seed, and grow as fast as the unruliest of beanstalks.

It is raining in Mulderrig. The heat wave has stretched, exhaled, and picked itself up off the town all in one afternoon. And the rain has returned. At first it fell lightly, uncertainly, as if it were testing itself, on the curious noses of cats and cows turned upwards to see if this news of rain was really true. But the trees knew, and so did the bees, for they know all things. Soon the rain grew confident, pattering on cobbles, bouncing along the tractor tracks carved in the hard-baked ground. Then, heavy and certain in its benediction

I encourage anyone who can get their hands on this book to read it. It is a true delight. So fun to find a new voice which I can look forward to reading, thank you Jess Kidd.

I had hope to review this more quickly and efficiently, because I loved reading it so much, but I didn't get around to it. I encourage all PBT'ers who find the review interesting to read it despite it being a new month and a new tag.

I'm bringing this back to the top as it was a really fun read and I'd like people to get to know about it.

It would be a great book for when you need a more light-hearted read.

I put it on the list. You haven't let me down, yet.

Jgrace wrote: "I put it on the list. You haven't let me down, yet."

I think you will enjoy it. If there is a good reader, I imagine that it would be a hoot on audio.

Added to my list!

Susie wrote: "Added to my list!"

Glad to hear that. I think you will like it.