When I first saw the name at the bookshop, it made me cringe, but I decided to pick it up and read it. Sometimes you find yourself drawn to certain characters and that's my experience with the Gogarty family. I can't say I loved them, nor do I hate them, but I instantly felt invested enough to want to see what was going on in their lives. Perhaps I just needed to be reminded that each family has good, bad, ugly, and crazy moments and well, we are all just trying to get by, aren't we?
Kevin Gogarty is dealing with a few problems. He's unemployed, his 80 something year old mother, Millie, has been caught shoplifting again and will need supervision, and his teenage daughter, Aideen, is struggling and might need to transfer to a boarding school. The story is basically a snapshot of their lives at the moment and will bounce back and forth between Kevin, Millie, and Aideen's perspectives.
So right off the bat I will say Kevin is not exactly a likeable character and I was more interested in Millie and Aideen. After some thought though, I do think his role as husband, father, and son centered the story. You don't have to share much in common with a character to find them realistic.
If you are looking for a story with a little bit of heart mixed with some shenanigans, this book is a decent pick.
Kevin Gogarty is dealing with a few problems. He's unemployed, his 80 something year old mother, Millie, has been caught shoplifting again and will need supervision, and his teenage daughter, Aideen, is struggling and might need to transfer to a boarding school. The story is basically a snapshot of their lives at the moment and will bounce back and forth between Kevin, Millie, and Aideen's perspectives.
So right off the bat I will say Kevin is not exactly a likeable character and I was more interested in Millie and Aideen. After some thought though, I do think his role as husband, father, and son centered the story. You don't have to share much in common with a character to find them realistic.
If you are looking for a story with a little bit of heart mixed with some shenanigans, this book is a decent pick.