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Beatlebone

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Beatlebone

By: Kevin Barry
Narrated by: Kevin Barry
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About this listen

WInner of the Goldsmiths Prize

Prize shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards 2015

He will spend three days alone on his island. That is all that he asks...John is so many miles from love now and home. This is the story of his strangest trip.

John owns a tiny island off the west coast of Ireland. Maybe it is there that he can at last outrun the shadows of his past.

The tale of a wild journey into the world and a wild journey within, Beatlebone is a mystery box of a novel. It's a portrait of an artist at a time of creative strife. It is most of all a sad and beautiful comedy from one of the most gifted stylists now at work.

©2015 Canongate Books; 2015 Canongate Books Ltd Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant
This is a daring book. The language is precise, rhythmic, almost poetic, marrying scouse intonation, west of Ireland wit and the lyricism of Flann O'Brien. It's like an experiential biography, one that wrings the facts of a Lennon's life in order to divine his soul. In doing so it captures the universal hollowness of a life without love. The dis and dat of Barry's dialect grate on the ear occasionally, a minor quibble, but the authenticity of voice and development of character through dialogue are nothing short of masterful.

Stunning performance

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Mesmerising. I'm sure this book will stay with me for a long time, perhaps forever, just like Lennon's memories of being 17 years old.

Perfect concept novel on a perfect concept album

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I love the conceit: the fictionalised account of real events in which John Lennon tries to lose the press & find himself, in Western Ireland. I liked the unconventional structure: the author wrote his little article about how he conceived, researched & wrote the book, in the middle, not at the end. I enjoyed reading the book. But there are really only two characters & I failed to engage with either of them. The whole book strains under the weight oftoo much worn out, broken down psychedelia. There's a weird musing, or a spook, or a hallucination in almost every paragraph. Eventually I was listening to it because I enjoyed the sounds, like a piece of music. When it finished (at the end of the middle, because there seems to be no ending) I was surprised buts lightly relieved.

Sort of Great

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Kevin Barry reads with the same authentic tone with which he writes. He creates atmosphere with ease, allows for fun, cheek and raw truth to coexist in the same sentance. Pretentions are exposed and honesty delivered. A well told yarn.

Unique, engaging, leaves you wanting more.

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The story travels, expertly carried by Barry, through unexpected territory. Characterisation brilliant, laughing just recalling some of the characters.

Rip-roarious and exhilarating

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