Knick Knack Paddy Whack by Ardal O'HanlonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Patrick Scully is not a likeable character. From the onset we are slapped around with cuss words and awful language, that somehow settles down as the book goes on. It’s the first year out of school and his friends have all gone to university while Patrick is feeling left behind, despite that they all share a flat in Dublin. His girlfriend Francesa doesn’t really like him too much, but he doesn’t know this, only she won’t go all the way, so he’s still a virgin. On the weekends he takes the bus back home to his village and spends the weekend with friends getting drunk at the pub or club, and maybe getting into a fight.
It's not a pretty book by any means. Interspersed with Patrick’s POV we get entries from Francesca’s diary that is detailed and erudite. This is how we learn she tolerates Patrick, maybe feels sorry for him, and has affection for his roommate Xavier whom they call Balls.
The timeline isn’t linear and we even have Patrick making up something that could have happened so the story is not clear. As the book goes on, it’s hard not to feel some sympathy for the lonely Scully. Still, I did not enjoy the journey.
The book was originally published with the title "The Talk of the Town" which I think fits better
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