Week #01 - The Spinning Heart ¦ Disco

The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan originally published in 2012 is my first book of 2014. If truth by told it wasn't actually my first. I started to read Shall We Gather At The River by Peter Murphy and had to put it down after 20 pages for fear I would do damage to it. It's the kind of book that could ruin the fun and beauty of reading for a "normal" reader. I digress ...

Review: The Spinning Heart is Donal Ryan's debut novel and there is a lot to like about it. It is the story of Bobby Mahon and how he adjusts to the death of the 'Celtic Dragon". The book starts off with Bobby's short story, and continues to introduce a new character in each chapter with the one constant of Bobby in all bar one of the stories. Most of the character short stories are wonderfully written and most add to the story. There is death, kidnapping and lots of tortured souls along the journey. Even a voice from 'beyond the grave'!

As I started reading I thought I was going to love this book, but as each new player was introduced I started to feel it was stretching the concept of the story too far. Although the book is only 156 pages long, half-way through reading it I could feel my resolve wain. Lloyd - "Opacity has trumped clarity again." - was ridiculous, most of the females weak and then when the recently murdered Frank spoke from the dead I just went through the motions to the end. Frank's part could have been introduced earlier, before his killing. The less said about Triona the better.

This is a story about the collapse of the Irish economy and the effects it has on people, but these short sketches of those most touched by it left me not caring and dreading the ending that should have been more in line with the events it spoke about.           

I picked this book as I saw it mentioned in a number of tweets after it won the Guardian First Book Award. It was also longlisted for the 2013 Man Booker Prize and won the Irish Book Awards: Best Irish Newcomer in 2012.

2/5

Since before Christmas I dived deep into some 70's disco. Starting off of course with Donna Summer which lead onto others. I then downloaded The Best Disco In Town [Box Set] by various and oh what a joy! There's Chic, The Trammps, Sister Sledge, Earth Wind and Fire, Chaka Chan,  Gloria Gaynor, Diana Ross and so much more. Oh and of course the Queen herself Donna Summers.

Disco is not just for dancing. I love it and can not dance one step without looking like a mountain of jelly during an earthquake. Disco is for making a day in the office seem like the funnest place to be.