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Liked It “Funny funny funny!” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “It will be interesting to see what the other reviews say as I didn't get on with this book. Maybe it was the style of writing, though I didn't finish it.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Funny funny funny!”
Barry Wright wrote this review Monday, March 26, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This ironic comedy of working class residents of Dublin has its charms, but it wears a little thin to me halfway through. Jimmy Rabbitte is laid off, and it’s a bit of a stretch to cover rounds of pints with his friends. When the same fate befalls his friend Bimbo, they together hatch a plan to refurbish an old van to make a mobile fish-and-chips business in time for the world soccer cup playoffs. The story renders the most pleasure as they struggle toward success against all odds and the low expectations of their community. The main focus is on the vibrant joys and challenges of everyday family life amid the wasteland of popular culture and consumerism. You can predict that the capitalist venture with the van is no lasting solution to life’s challenges. The same was true for the venture of Jimmy’s son to create an Irish soul band in Doyle’s earlier novel “The Commitments”. Am I biased in enjoying the latter more because it involves youth trying to make a mark instead of a middle aged man learning he doesn’t need to make a mark? I will have to see how this one sets after awhile. Are there parallels and inversions of Updike’s beguiling Rabbit series, suggested by the character’s unusual name?”
Michael E wrote this review Sunday, August 21, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Lisa B said: 3 stars
Author, Author Shelf wrote this review Friday, May 20, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This is the last book in the trilogy about the Rabbitte family. I struggled with this one. I wanted to give it 4 stars because I liked the other ones so much, but I just couldn't. This book takes place 2-3 years after The Snapper. Things have changed in the family, Jimmy Jr has moved out, Les is somewhere in England, the twins are bratty teenage girls, Veronica has gone back to school, and Jimmy Sr. has been laid off from his job. The book centers on Jimmy Sr. Going into it I thought that would be great because I liked his character so much in The Snapper, but Jimmy Sr is not the same man in this book. He is struggling to accept that he doesn't have a job and can't provide for his family. Initially, this is an interesting look into how a man copes with feeling of uselessness, but I felt the plot didn't go anywhere for a long time. Then Jimmy Sr's best friend, Bimbo loses his job and things finally get interesting. Bimbo buys a "chipper van" and the two go into business together to sell Burgers and Chips to people out of their van after the pubs close. However, Bimbo had the money to buy the van, so Jimmy Sr. starts to feel like he is just an employee instead of a partner. I found Jimmy Sr. to be kinda whiny and a big bully towards Bimbo when he started to feel out of control and as they are starting to lose their friendship the book just ends, nothing is really resolved. I think the book needed a little bit more balance from another characters perspective. I would have liked Doyle to write from Veronica's perspective of going back to school and having an out of work husband. I think that would have complimented it nicely. The book still had it's humor and the parts where Jimmy Sr and Bimbo start their business and are trying to figure it all out together was really great. I just wished it hadn't ended on such a low note.”
“This is the last book in the trilogy about the Rabbitte family. I struggled with this one. I wanted to give it 4 stars because I liked the other ones so much, but I just couldn't. This book takes place 2-3 years after The Snapper. Things have changed in the family, Jimmy Jr has moved out, Les is somewhere in England, the twins are bratty teenage girls, Veronica has gone back to school, and Jimmy Sr. has been laid off from his job. The book centers on Jimmy Sr. Going into it I thought that would be great because I liked his character so much in The Snapper, but Jimmy Sr is not the same man in this book. He is struggling to accept that he doesn't have a job and can't provide for his family. Initially, this is an interesting look into how a man copes with feeling of uselessness, but I felt the plot didn't go anywhere for a long time. Then Jimmy Sr's best friend, Bimbo loses his job and things finally get interesting. Bimbo buys a "chipper van" and the two go into business together to sell Burgers and Chips to people out of their van after the pubs close. However, Bimbo had the money to buy the van, so Jimmy Sr. starts to feel like he is just an employee instead of a partner. I found Jimmy Sr. to be kinda whiny and a big bully towards Bimbo when he started to feel out of control and as they are starting to lose their friendship the book just ends, nothing is really resolved. I think the book needed a little bit more balance from another characters perspective. I would have liked Doyle to write from Veronica's perspective of going back to school and having an out of work husband. I think that would have complimented it nicely. The book still had it's humor and the parts where Jimmy Sr and Bimbo start their business and are trying to figure it all out together was really great. I just wished it hadn't ended on such a low note.”
Lisa B wrote this review Sunday, March 27, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“It will be interesting to see what the other reviews say as I didn't get on with this book. Maybe it was the style of writing, though I didn't finish it.”
Leanne M wrote this review Tuesday, December 14, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Hilarious deep fried nappy in batter! Reda on holiday in Tenerife in 1992 whilst watching Denmark win the European championship.”
Kevin D wrote this review Friday, June 4, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A beaten-up van dispensing fish and chips, not some clearing in the deep woods, is the setting for Doyle's warm, humorous, and cleareyed look at male friendship--in this his third book featuring the irrepressible Rabbitte family of Dublin (The Commitments, 1989; The Snapper, see above). When Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr., loses his job, he tries to make the best of it, but what he misses most are his evenings in the local pub with his friends (``it wasn't the pints Jimmy, Sr., loved...it was the lads here, the laughing. This was what he loved''). He joins the library, develops a taste for Dickens, and takes care of granddaughter Gina; but when his best friend Bimbo is ``made redundant,'' he's delighted because now, ``only with the two of them, they could do plenty of things.'' And when Bimbo decides to buy a rusting old chipper van, Jimmy accepts his offer to join him in the venture. After much effort, the van is cleaned up, recipes are tested, and the two men are set to sell fish, chips, and burgers to football crowds and pub-goers. Despite any certification from the Health Department, they are a great success, but then the football season ends, business falters, and Jimmy, Sr., misses the fun of the old days--``He'd been starting to think that Bimbo had lost his sense of humor from hanging over the deep-fat fryer too long.'' Meanwhile, Bimbo, egged on by entrepreneurial wife Maggie, becomes bossy and assertive. An encounter with officialdom provokes a crisis in their already fraying friendship, and Bimbo drives the van into the sea; but Jimmy, not so sure the friendship can be restored, returns wet and exhausted to wife Veronica: ``Give us a hug, Veronica, will yeh...I need a hug.'' As usual, Doyle has got it all just right--this is what friendships and families are really like: stubborn, contrary, loving, and, aware of life's absurdities, always ready to be cheered by a good laugh. Vintage Doyle.”
St Alban's College Library wrote this review Wednesday, May 21, 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I LOVED this book until about 35 pages to the end. Prior to those 35 pages, The Van is HILARIOUS and if you've read the two previous novels about the Rabbitte Family, you'll feel as if you're visiting old friends. Then you get to those pages and realize that The Van doesn't have much of a plot. Doyle must have realized this too, because he lays the complications on thick and leaves the Rabbitte Family and their admirers unsatisfied.”
SharonTheGreat wrote this review Friday, March 14, 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“WARNING! If you do not like to laugh then do not read this book!
libookperson wrote this review Thursday, January 31, 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Once you get used to the language you will be rolling in the aisles reading the story friends running their own chip van. ”
