Never read any Roddy Doyle before, but listened to bits of this on Radio 4 and enjoyed it. Good, but quite hard work. Shades of both Joyce and Beckett, limited plot about 2 old men on a Dublin pub crawl reminiscing on their lives and loves, really only 3 or 4 women between them but also some rivalry.
Essentially a very long dramatic monologue from Dave (who now lives in England but is visiting his ailing father in Dublin) as Joe’s words all come from Dave as reminiscence, Dave’s father dies at the end. Unclear quite who the object of love is – Dave’s father, Dave and Joe, or possibly the women who are all a bit peripheral. But I did enjoy it and would re-read. Need something with a simple linear plot next for a change.
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