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Balloon Animals
by
A pilgrimage and road-trip of unusual dimensions.
Follow me, Jonny Rowe, on a wild goose-chase from Ireland to the USA with my American grandfather's remains in my red birthday balloon. I use 'remains' in the loosest sense of the word: my grandfather, 45, puffed his last breaths of air into my birthday balloon before suffering a massive heart attack right there at my birthd ...more
Follow me, Jonny Rowe, on a wild goose-chase from Ireland to the USA with my American grandfather's remains in my red birthday balloon. I use 'remains' in the loosest sense of the word: my grandfather, 45, puffed his last breaths of air into my birthday balloon before suffering a massive heart attack right there at my birthd ...more
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Thought all my Christmases had come at once when I got this as a free download. It had been on my to-read list for some time, and I wasn't disappointed, on the contrary, it far exceeded expectations.It was like a breath of fresh air with it's unique storyline, and funny? I don't know where to start, it was just hilarious. Move over MRS BROWN- make way for MR DUNNE cos he's here to stay.( for those of you unfamiliar with Mrs Brown, it's a popular sit-com in the UK)Seriously, I can see this on the
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Here is something like Fast Times at Ridgemont High meets a low-brow version of Joyce's (please place an emphasis on low-brow) Ulysses. It involves a journey, Ireland, and a mind-blowing amount of Scrumpy Jack, Mexican brown or black, and chakra openings. It also involves a red balloon - a "semi-permeable membrane" that holds the last breaths of Jonny Rowe's grandfather (named 45). On this balloon is inked "Happy Birthday Fanny!"
Jonny has just turned 30 and is "working" on his doctorate in gene ...more
Jonny has just turned 30 and is "working" on his doctorate in gene ...more
Funny...sexy...intelligent.
This book is so well done I thought it was an autobiography when I first started reading it. Mr. Dunne takes the reader on a flight of fantasy in many ways. You will be captivated by the humanness of Johnny Rowe, from the first chapter. Congrats to Mr. Dunne for being one of the brave new wave of fiction writers that demands we, as readers, take a look--this is where an imagination can take you.
This book is so well done I thought it was an autobiography when I first started reading it. Mr. Dunne takes the reader on a flight of fantasy in many ways. You will be captivated by the humanness of Johnny Rowe, from the first chapter. Congrats to Mr. Dunne for being one of the brave new wave of fiction writers that demands we, as readers, take a look--this is where an imagination can take you.
I cannot remember how I stumbled across this book but when I joined "goodreads" it asked me about the books I had read. As soon as I saw the cover, I remembered I loved the story.It made me laugh. Who'd think you could get so attached to a balloon just as a reader. Now, I have discovered there are other books of the Authors to read. It's like finding a mystery present at the back of the Christmas tree when all was done and dusted.
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Humour is a personal thing. What makes one person laugh won't necessarily make others laugh.
I think Jonathan Dunne has it right with "Balloon Animals". My husband banned me from reading it in bed at night because of the snorts and chuckles! There's probably a laugh in there for everyone at some point, regardless of their sense of humour.
There are some things I (as a well brought-up lady - HAH!) know I shouldn't laugh at, but I just couldn't help myself.
Using a toilet before reading is a must... ...more
I think Jonathan Dunne has it right with "Balloon Animals". My husband banned me from reading it in bed at night because of the snorts and chuckles! There's probably a laugh in there for everyone at some point, regardless of their sense of humour.
There are some things I (as a well brought-up lady - HAH!) know I shouldn't laugh at, but I just couldn't help myself.
Using a toilet before reading is a must... ...more
Meet a set of incredibly quirky characters including Ronald McDonald, Reiki Mistress, Candy, and Ruthy. On his 30th birthday when his grandfather dies, Jonny vows to return his grandfather's "remains" (contained in a red balloon) to Iowa. His journey is filled with humor and pathos as he discovers unknown ancestors and uncovers mysteries involving his odd family. Get ready for a wild romp like all of Dunne's offbeat hilarious novels!
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A very original comedy, so many hilarious characters. The expression laughing out loud is thrown around a lot these days but I was literally laughing out loud at some of the situations Jonny Rowe gets himself into as he embarks on this wild quest. I can definitely say I've never read anything like it, its funny throughout, shocking in places and mind-bending towards the end where things really get out of control! The central idea of the balloon is very clever and that, combined with a host of qu
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I found this book through Jonathan's twitter comments....downloaded it and curled up in an old beaten up leather armchair in a coffee shop and started to read....and was still there long after I should have left. I would never normally pick up a book of this kind..but I'm so glad I did..it is laugh out loud funny, touching and entertaining. What more could you want? Except maybe another frothy hot chocolate to keep you company while you read?
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Really enjoyed this book.
Been looking for a funny story for some time.
This book is'nt only funny....it is hilarious!
Laugh out loud hilarious!
What a wild,crazy adventure!
Never knew what was going to happen next.
Highly recommend this to anyone who want to
read something totally original and great fun!
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Been looking for a funny story for some time.
This book is'nt only funny....it is hilarious!
Laugh out loud hilarious!
What a wild,crazy adventure!
Never knew what was going to happen next.
Highly recommend this to anyone who want to
read something totally original and great fun!
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Whoa! This book will leave you on the edge of your seat wondering how such a fantastically strange story was concocted. I thoroughly enjoyed the crude humor. Most of all, as a lover of variety and spontaneity, this book held my interest as the plot got thicker. If you want to read something "different" this is definitely the way to go.
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What I love about Dunne is his humor. All of his characters remind me of people I know, or avoid ha ha... Jonny Rowe is off on an outlandish quest to give his deceased grandfather a proper send off, which wouldn't be so complicated if the old man wasn't such a mystery when he was alive and now contained in a red balloon through his last breaths, blown at Jonny's birthday party. 45, his 'senile' grandfather who was more of a father to him than the 'Clinical Dad' who may or may not have taken his
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I would give this an almost four. The book starts out at Jonny's 30th birthday. The party is in Ireland. 45, Jonny's grandfather is there he blows up by mouth a huge red birthday balloon for his grandson. It is the last thing he does. {moments before he whispers a couple secrets that he wants Jonny to travel to Iowa to take care of some past regrets. seconds after blowing up the balloon, 45 drops dead. Jonny holds fast to the balloon. He is convinced his grandfather's last breathes are in the re
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This book was a pleasant surprise and is very well executed, not to mention very funny and also rather emotional at times. Do not let this one pass you by...here is a tragic comedy, full of feeling and adventure.
The plot was I thought, well developed and had me sucked in from the first few pages. This was a lot to do with the quirky characters who I warmed to but also the witty prose and the continuity throughout. By continuity, I mean that the plot was cleverly executed, right down to the small ...more
The plot was I thought, well developed and had me sucked in from the first few pages. This was a lot to do with the quirky characters who I warmed to but also the witty prose and the continuity throughout. By continuity, I mean that the plot was cleverly executed, right down to the small ...more
I won Balloon Animals by Jonathan Dunne from Goodreads.
Jonathan Dunne's novel, Balloon Animals, starts with a unique premise, moves along with an unexpected plotline, and reaches a thought-provoking conclusion.
Protagonist Jonny Rowe is on a quest to return his grandfather's final breaths, trapped in Jonny's birthday balloon, to his grandfather's birthplace. Jonny hopes to also figure out his own identify along the way. With humorous situation and fascinating characters, Dunne's highly imaginativ ...more
Jonathan Dunne's novel, Balloon Animals, starts with a unique premise, moves along with an unexpected plotline, and reaches a thought-provoking conclusion.
Protagonist Jonny Rowe is on a quest to return his grandfather's final breaths, trapped in Jonny's birthday balloon, to his grandfather's birthplace. Jonny hopes to also figure out his own identify along the way. With humorous situation and fascinating characters, Dunne's highly imaginativ ...more
I am finding myself a great fan of Jonathan Dunne's books. His quirky characters and off-the-wall storylines continue to amuse me and this book is no exception. This story of a young man searching for his past that stretches from Ireland to the USA is so full of enticing characters, strange twists and such an amusing and yet thought-provoking storyline, I could not put it down and was sad for it to end. From his senile grandfather to his Reike mistress to his pot-smoking best friend to A Ronald
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4.5 Stars.
I'm just laughing and always at the edge of my seat by the end of this book. I admit it was a bit slow for me at the start but by the end I felt that it was necessary for me to be able to get to know the character in depth. All the characters were so well-thought of, realistic and easily relatable.
Dunne showed memorable and magical people can be despite their hardships and their flaws. Filled with laugh out loud moments an ...more
I'm just laughing and always at the edge of my seat by the end of this book. I admit it was a bit slow for me at the start but by the end I felt that it was necessary for me to be able to get to know the character in depth. All the characters were so well-thought of, realistic and easily relatable.
"You have to laugh because you'd cry if you didn't"
Dunne showed memorable and magical people can be despite their hardships and their flaws. Filled with laugh out loud moments an ...more
Balloon Animals is the craziest story, really out there, and I loved reading every minute of it. Jonathan Dunne has written a splendid tale and created memorable characters that are lovable despite their flaws. Real life drama could never be so hysterical. The story is different from anything I have encountered, as we follow Jonny Rowe's quest. The characters are a bit bizarre, yet I could relate to them. The more I read the more I laughed. There is also a sad side to this story. The ending was
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The adventure in the book was great. Who would think that travelling with a balloon could cause such a problem, trying to grant your grandfather's dying wish.
The characters in this book were well planned out, the unexpected twist at the end was something I didn't see coming which made the book so enjoyable to read.
One thing I didn't like were some of the chapters were too long (I read this on my kindle) and the only reason why I didn't like that was because I read this in bed and like finishin ...more
The characters in this book were well planned out, the unexpected twist at the end was something I didn't see coming which made the book so enjoyable to read.
One thing I didn't like were some of the chapters were too long (I read this on my kindle) and the only reason why I didn't like that was because I read this in bed and like finishin ...more
I had a lot of fun reading this book. Lots of giggles and laughs. I liked how it was written, I liked the story, I liked the comedy. Somewhere in the middle of the book I was thinking that a movie can be made after this story and it would be so funny! I like that kind of humor. I think my favorite part is the one when they go to the cemetery to snap a picture of...I guess you'll have to read it to find out! ;-)
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One of the best books I read this year. Every twist is unexpected and there's simply no way to read this in silence, I ended up snorting and guffawing into my pillow most of the time. Its brilliant.
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Aug 21, 2016
Profoundly Shallow
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Martin McDonagh, everyone else
A hilariously grim, unpredictable, exciting adventure!
An epic journey of ridiculous proportions. Absurd and hilarious. The protagonist kept me rapt. I loved it. JD is quickly becoming a favorite author. Five stars.
What a fun read. It had a lot of "what?, I can't believe that happened!" moments. This book definitely kept you on your toes with all the shenanigans pulled.
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This book is unique, hilarious and clever! It's a book that you can't read without laughing out loud and one where you get totally absorbed by the characters and the storyline. The storyline is quirky with plenty of bizarre elements. There is a lot to this book and the level of detail used by the author really pulls you into the story. Somehow the story feels authentic in that what you read becomes very real. It feels like an extremely well-thought-out book with some lovely themes in the writing
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I loved this book! An amazing story of an Irish dude with fuzzy family history. There is an amazing story line with twists and turns and hysterical characters. The dialogues and situational comedy is really funny. We feel for the personages in this tale, and laugh, through them at ourselves. Somebody should make this into a film as well. Brilliant.
Jun 07, 2015
Kevin
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
first-reads,
first-reads-received
This book had a lot of unexpectedness. I was expecting the story or a road trip, which it vaguely is, just with a lot less road in the trip than I expected. It's a book with unexpected turns. It's a book that doesn't always add up either, but I'll ascribe that to artistic license rather than errors. Even the formatting is unexpected, with random line breaks and inconsistent chapters. Yet it all adds up into something interesting. Something absorbing in fact. The book starts quite slowly but it d
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What can I say that will make you want to read this (almost) tragic comedy?
I was caught off guard and absolutely LOVED the surprise that was hiding in Balloon Animals! I was not expecting to laugh out loud, nor did I expect to become attached to Johnny Rowe. Beside finding the humor in human behavior during tragic times, I was emotionally touched by the beauty of its heart and thought.
This story sums up the unpredictable journey of 30 year old Johnny Rowe, who (still) lives with his mum, has ...more
I was caught off guard and absolutely LOVED the surprise that was hiding in Balloon Animals! I was not expecting to laugh out loud, nor did I expect to become attached to Johnny Rowe. Beside finding the humor in human behavior during tragic times, I was emotionally touched by the beauty of its heart and thought.
This story sums up the unpredictable journey of 30 year old Johnny Rowe, who (still) lives with his mum, has ...more
I have to say that although this sounds like a wonderfully sweet story, it's definitely not for everyone. There is a lot of drug use, offensive language and the main character Jonny is a straight up weirdo! How anyone can walk around smelling like a toilet without being questioned is a mystery to me..
Two things really bothered me when I first started reading this book: The paragraphs seemed to be long winded with many different thoughts thrown all about and there was an eye rolling amount of pop ...more
Two things really bothered me when I first started reading this book: The paragraphs seemed to be long winded with many different thoughts thrown all about and there was an eye rolling amount of pop ...more
Sarcastic and witty, and unbelievably fun!
It had been one of those weeks. A family member was in the hospital, ICU, and it was going to take some serious humor to brighten up my spirits. As I sat in the waiting room of the hospital, worried, I picked up my Kindle and read Balloon Animals, by Jonathan Dunne, a book I had started but had not been able to finish due to recent circumstances.
Well, Mr. Dunne's debut book delivered! Sarcastic and witty, the characters came alive with each unbelievable ...more
It had been one of those weeks. A family member was in the hospital, ICU, and it was going to take some serious humor to brighten up my spirits. As I sat in the waiting room of the hospital, worried, I picked up my Kindle and read Balloon Animals, by Jonathan Dunne, a book I had started but had not been able to finish due to recent circumstances.
Well, Mr. Dunne's debut book delivered! Sarcastic and witty, the characters came alive with each unbelievable ...more
This book was so great to read! It was like an amusement park with a roller coaster, tilt-a-whirl and even fun-house mirrors! It takes you to places in your mind you've never been. More than once I found myself saying "Did I really just read that?!"
All of the characters in the book are a riot. The use of nicknames for some of them (45, Clinical Dad, Reiki Mistress) is hilarious. I really enjoyed getting to know them all - especially loved Sooty towards the end of the story.
Really great book. I ...more
All of the characters in the book are a riot. The use of nicknames for some of them (45, Clinical Dad, Reiki Mistress) is hilarious. I really enjoyed getting to know them all - especially loved Sooty towards the end of the story.
Really great book. I ...more
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I also pen stories of a darker nature under the pen name Jon Downes And, as the night is calling, you will find me on my Jon Downes Goodreads Page going forward.
Amazon https://amzn.to/379EhNB
Smashwords http://bit.ly/378p3s7
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Twitter http://bit.ly/2tlcQSl
LITSY @ JonathanDunne
I am not yet a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Originally from Limerick, Irel ...more
Amazon https://amzn.to/379EhNB
Smashwords http://bit.ly/378p3s7
Books2Read http://bit.ly/2RyvUUX
Twitter http://bit.ly/2tlcQSl
LITSY @ JonathanDunne
I am not yet a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Originally from Limerick, Irel ...more
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