false 4 0 false false Tue Nov 24 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Jun 30 05:26:19 -0700 2009 Tue Nov 24 03:35:23 -0800 2009
...enjoyed this, the charm of the (unreliable, slighty bonkers) young narrator wins you over immediately. Bit like the 'Butcher Boy' you're drawn in by his jokey style, his use of dialect, his love of animals and nature. All the animals talk, sheep, dogs, worms, gentle conversations with him as opposed to the human world of anger and fear and misunderstandings. Very subtly done, to draw you in like this and gradually expose the lad's other side - viciousness, obsession - and still have you rooting for him until you realise the nature of his crimes and start backpedalling.

The language is great, on every page there's a dialect word or two to get your head round, take these passages all from a couple of pages:

the bone-idle nazzart

happy to sell it fast as a rabbit's fart, just for a quick packet. Norman's father never had much brass, no matter the land was gradely and he could keep dairy, for he was a doylem.

outside a pub being done up for the influx of 'towns' a mighty yellow skip in the car park, slowly filling with manky articles of furniture - pictures and trunklements off the wall, chairs, tables, bar buffits reeking with 50 years of smoke, spilt ale.

I just love 'glishy', describing a healthy dog's coat, or new red houses, all bright and glishy like a piece of flesh with the skin torn off.

The prose is invigorating and comic, with the odd punch in the ribs. I take my pink and green hat off to you, sir. ]]>