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Troubles

Winner of the Lost Man Booker Prize 1970

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Troubles

By: J.G. Farrell
Narrated by: Kevin Hely
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Winner of the 1970 lost Man Booker prize in 2010.

Major Brendan Archer travels to Ireland - to the Majestic Hotel and to the fiancée he acquired on a rash afternoon's leave three years ago. Despite her many letters, the lady herself proves elusive, and the Major's engagement is short-lived. But he is unable to detach himself from the alluring discomforts of the crumbling hotel. Ensconced in the dim and shabby splendour of the Palm Court, surrounded by gently decaying old ladies and proliferating cats, the Major passes the summer. So hypnotic are the faded charms of the Majestic, the Major is almost unaware of the gathering storm. But this is Ireland in 1919 - and the struggle for independence is about to explode with brutal force.

(p) Orion Publishing Group 2018 Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Political Fiction
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Critic reviews

A work of genius
One of the finest novels of the past 50 years
Funny, sad and beautifully written; prescient, wise, original and unexpectedly eccentric (Rachel Cooke)
TROUBLES has everything: great story, compelling characters, believable dialogue and big ideas. It's a book good enough to win the Booker in any year. Not just 1970.
Like Fawlty Towers written by Evelyn Waugh (Rachel Cooke)
No finer work has ever been written about this transitional period in Irish history: it remains a landmark in 20th-century Irish literature, and one that deserves to win The One And Only Great Retrospective Booker
Farrell's vision and voice are unique, inimitable (John Banville)
All stars
Most relevant
The book babbles on with no clear start and no clear end, enjoyable, but at the same time leaving no big impression. If you will ask me two years from now what the book was all about, I am pretty sure I cannot tell you.

Like a river

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This otherwise brilliantly read novel is unfortunately constantly undermined by the narrator's bad "posh" English accent of Edward. As much of the novel is a conversation between Edward and the Major, the listener cannot escape. Edward sounds uncannily like Stuey in "Family Guy"; it is as if that little rogue had burst in. I would rather just hear the story straight, without any acting of accents. The Irish accent is in any case ideal for the novel, as the setting is in Ireland. Why not just have it for the whole thing? The story is full of "troubles" of all kinds but the way J.G.Farrell takes the reader into his confidence, in the Irish tradition with a nod and a wink, and shares all kinds of intimate reflections throughout the novel makes it perfect company. Very often these observations are ironic and hilarious but how J.G. Farrell leads you to them makes you appreciate why this novel won the 'lost' Booker prize. He really is a master story-teller on every level.

The English accent is like Stuey's in "Family Guy"

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I got the allegory, but the story did not hold my interest so much.
.

OK

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For a serious subject the story was very funny in many respects. The narrative was very good and added to the story.

Great Story and Excellent Narration

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I loved this story and narration. Just wonderful - every page made me smile but not the context within which it was set.

Wonderful

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