A Star Called Henry

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A Star Called Henry
AStarCalledHenry.jpg
First edition
Author Roddy Doyle
Country Ireland
LanguageEnglish
Series The Last Roundup
Genre Historical fiction
Publisher Jonathan Cape
Publication date
1999
Media typePrint
Pages352
ISBN 978-0-224-06019-6
OCLC 57672557
Followed by Oh, Play That Thing  

A Star Called Henry (1999) is a novel by Irish writer Roddy Doyle. It is Vol. 1 of The Last Roundup series. The second installment of the series, Oh, Play That Thing , was published in 2004. The third, The Dead Republic , was published in 2010. The book follows the early life of Henry Smart, from his childhood in the slums of early 20th century Dublin to his involvement in the Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence.

Contents

Plot summary

The novel is set in Ireland in the era of political upheaval between the 1916 Easter Rising and the eventual truce signed with the United Kingdom in 1921, seen through the eyes of young Henry Smart, from his childhood to early twenties. Henry, as a member of the Irish Citizen Army, becomes personally acquainted with several historical characters, including Patrick Pearse, James Connolly and Michael Collins. Energized by Sinn Féin's victory in the general election of 1918 and the party's establishment of the independent Irish Republic, Henry trained the men in the Soloheadbeg Ambush, the first engagement of the Irish War of Independence.

Later, he becomes a gunman in the ensuing guerilla war against the British, setting barracks on fire, shooting G-men and training others to do the same. At the end of the novel, Henry comes to think that the endless violence and killing of innocent people has little to do with the concept of a free Ireland, or the prospect of a better life in Ireland and more about personal gain.

History vs Fiction

In the novel, Doyle takes an approach similar to Little Big Man, Forrest Gump and Zelig in introducing a fictional character in an historical setting and having that character interact with real historical characters. An early example in the novel is when James Connolly shows Henry a draft of the 1916 proclamation and Henry suggests adding the line "cherishing all the children of the nation equally".

Cover

One cover to "A Star Called Henry" features a young member of the Irish Republican Army on patrol. The young man in question is Phil McRory. [1]

Reception

Roddy Doyle, author of A Star Called Henry Dublin Writers Festival 2007 (685407911).jpg
Roddy Doyle, author of A Star Called Henry

While Doyle had addressed issues in his previous novels that indicated his revisionist and atheist perspective on Irish history before, in A Star Called Henry he tackled these ideas at a far more ambitious scale. Many reviews of the book took issue with his political opinions rather than the novel itself; [2] [3] however, aspects of the writing were criticised too. The novel was nominated for a Bad Sex Award in 1999. [4]

Irish reviewers with their own opinions of Irish history tended to be more reserved in their appraisal of the novel than British and American reviewers. Richard Bernstein in The New York Times noted that "Doyle's new novel never lets up. It is an unrelenting tumult of events recounted with tremendous verbal intensity. But it also seems much of the time to be tumult and intensity for its own sake -- a contrived larger-than-lifeness." and that "The prodigal, extravagant quality of Doyle's new book is evident from the beginning ...". [5] The The A.V. Club described it as "extraordinary" and said that "Doyle has fashioned a gratifyingly complex character around which to build his series". [6]

In The Guardian, Roy Foster notes "The novel's greatest triumph is to recreate this world in Doyle's distinctive shorthand, without any creaky historical set pieces, and make it utterly convincing". [7]

In German-speaking countries it provoked mixed reactions. Reviewers with a penchant for Irish literature and history tended to rate it positively, while critics without this specialist knowledge sometimes rejected the novel. Doyle's language in particular is controversial, the content is perceived as too vulgar and unnecessarily brutal, the style is too artificial. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easter Rising</span> 1916 armed insurrection in Ireland

The Easter Rising, also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the aim of establishing an independent Irish Republic while the United Kingdom was fighting the First World War. It was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798 and the first armed conflict of the Irish revolutionary period. Sixteen of the Rising's leaders were executed starting in May 1916. The nature of the executions, and subsequent political developments, ultimately contributed to an increase in popular support for Irish independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proclamation of the Irish Republic</span> 1916 declaration of independence from the United Kingdom

The Proclamation of the Republic, also known as the 1916 Proclamation or the Easter Proclamation, was a document issued by the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army during the Easter Rising in Ireland, which began on 24 April 1916. In it, the Military Council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, writing as the "Provisional Government of the Irish Republic," proclaimed Ireland's independence from the United Kingdom. The reading of the proclamation by Patrick Pearse outside the General Post Office (GPO) on Sackville Street, Dublin's main thoroughfare, marked the beginning of the Rising. The proclamation was modelled on a similar independence proclamation issued during the 1803 rebellion by Robert Emmet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roddy Doyle</span> Irish author and screenwriter

Roddy Doyle is an Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. He is the author of eleven novels for adults, eight books for children, seven plays and screenplays, and dozens of short stories. Several of his books have been made into films, beginning with The Commitments in 1991. Doyle's work is set primarily in Ireland, especially working-class Dublin, and is notable for its heavy use of dialogue written in slang and Irish English dialect. Doyle was awarded the Booker Prize in 1993 for his novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Clarke (Irish republican)</span> Irish republican (1858–1916)

Thomas James Clarke was an Irish republican and a leader of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Clarke was arguably the person most responsible for the 1916 Easter Rising. A proponent of armed struggle against British rule in Ireland for most of his life, Clarke spent 15 years in English prisons prior to his role in the Easter Rising, and was executed by firing squad after it was defeated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Citizen Army</span> Former group of trained trade union volunteers from the Irish Transport and General Workers Union

The Irish Citizen Army, or ICA, was a small paramilitary group of trained trade union volunteers from the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU) established in Dublin for the defence of workers' demonstrations from the Dublin Metropolitan Police. It was formed by James Larkin, James Connolly and Jack White on 23 November 1913. Other prominent members included Seán O'Casey, Constance Markievicz, Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, P. T. Daly and Kit Poole. In 1916, it took part in the Easter Rising, an armed insurrection aimed at ending British rule in Ireland.

<i>The Commitments</i> (novel) Novel set in 1980s Dublin, first book in the Barrytown Trilogy

The Commitments (1987) is a novel by Irish writer Roddy Doyle. The first episode in The Barrytown Trilogy, it is about a group of unemployed young people in the north side of Dublin, Ireland, who start a soul band.

Events from the year 1916 in Ireland.

<i>The Red and the Green</i> Novel by Iris Murdoch

The Red and the Green is a novel by Iris Murdoch. Published in 1965, it was her ninth novel. It is set in Dublin during the week leading up to the Easter Rising of 1916, and is her only historical novel. Its characters are members of a complexly inter-related Anglo-Irish family who differ in their religious affiliations and in their views on the relations between England and Ireland.

The Barrytown franchise, is an Irish comedy-drama media franchise centred on the Rabbittes, a working-class family from Barrytown, Dublin. It began in 1988 when Beacon Pictures and 20th Century Fox bought the rights to the 1987 novel The Commitments by Roddy Doyle shortly after it was published. The book was successful, as was Alan Parker's 1991 film adaptation. The film received cult status, and is regarded as one of the best Irish films ever made. In 1999, the British Film Institute ranked the film at number 38 on its list of the "100 best British films of the century", based on votes from 1,000 leading figures of the film industry.

<i>The Snapper</i> (novel) Novel by Roddy Doyle

The Snapper (1990) is a novel by Irish writer Roddy Doyle and the second novel in The Barrytown Trilogy.

<i>At Swim, Two Boys</i> 2001 novel by Jamie ONeill

At Swim, Two Boys (2001) is a novel by Irish writer Jamie O'Neill. The title is a punning allusion to Flann O'Brien's At Swim-Two-Birds. The book is written in a stream-of-consciousness style, which has led to favourable comparisons to James Joyce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roddy Connolly</span> Irish politician (1901–1980)

Roderick James Connolly was a socialist politician in Ireland. He was also known as "Roddy Connolly" and "Rory Connolly".

The Last Roundup is a series of three novels by Irish writer Roddy Doyle that began in 1999. They follow the life of Henry Smart from Ireland to America spanning most of the 20th century. The series is narrated by Henry as well, providing us the "Omniscient Narrator." Three books have now been published: A Star Called Henry (1999); Oh, Play That Thing! (2004); and The Dead Republic (2010).

<i>The Commitments</i> (film) 1991 Irish film directed by Alan Parker

The Commitments is a 1991 musical comedy-drama film based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Roddy Doyle. It was directed by Alan Parker from a screenplay written by Doyle, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Set in the Northside of Dublin, the film tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, a young music fanatic who assembles a group of working-class youths to form a soul band named "The Commitments". The film is the first in a series known as The Barrytown Trilogy, followed by The Snapper (1993) and The Van (1996).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easter, 1916</span> 1916 poem by W. B. Yeats

Easter, 1916 is a poem by W. B. Yeats describing the poet's torn emotions regarding the events of the Easter Rising staged in Ireland against British rule on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916. The uprising was unsuccessful, and most of the Irish republican leaders involved were executed. The poem was written between May and September 1916, printed privately, 25 copies, and appeared in magazines in 1920 but first published in 1920 in the collection Michael Robartes and the Dancer.

<i>The Dead Republic</i> Novel by Roddy Doyle

The Dead Republic: A Novel is a 2010 novel by Irish author Roddy Doyle which concluded The Last Roundup trilogy. The first book in the trilogy was A Star Called Henry (1999), and the second was Oh, Play That Thing! (2004).

<i>The Deportees and Other Stories</i> 2007 short story collection by Roddy Doyle

The Deportees and Other Stories is the first short story collection by Irish writer Roddy Doyle first published by Jonathan Cape in 2007. All the stories were written for Metro Éireann, a multicultural paper aimed at Ireland's immigrant population and explore their experiences. The stories were written in 800 word chapters and published monthly; as Doyle explains in the foreword to the book:

The stories have never been carefully planned. I send off a chapter to the Metro Eireann editor Chinedu Onyejelem, and, often, I haven't a clue what's going to happen next, And I don't care too much, until the deadline begin's to tap me on the shoulder. It's a fresh, small terror, once a month. I live a very quiet life; I love that monthly terror.

<i>The Commitments</i> (musical) Musical written by Roddy Doyle

The Commitments is a jukebox musical written by Roddy Doyle, based on the 1987 novel of the same name, also written by Doyle. Like the novel, the musical is about a group of unemployed Irish youths who start a soul music band. It premiered in 2013 at the Palace Theatre in London's West End.

<i>Rebellion</i> (miniseries) Irish drama serial

Rebellion is a 2016 historical drama television serial written and created by Colin Teevan for RTÉ. The series is a dramatisation of the events surrounding the 1916 Easter Rising. The story is told through the perspective of a group of fictional characters who live through the political events. The series was produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. The ensemble cast includes Charlie Murphy, Ruth Bradley, Sarah Greene, Brian Gleeson, Niamh Cusack, Michelle Fairley and Ian McElhinney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack White (Irish socialist)</span> Irish Citizen Army co-founder (1879–1946)

Captain James Robert "Jack" White, DSO (1879–1946) was an Irish republican and libertarian socialist. After colonial service in the British military, he entered Irish politics in 1913 working with Roger Casement in Ulster to detach fellow Protestants from Unionism as it armed to resist Irish Home Rule, and with James Connolly to defend the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union in the great Dublin lock-out. White rallied to the defence of those condemned for the 1916 Easter Rising, but the combination of his socialism and anti-clericalism placed him at odds with the principal currents of Irish republicanism. Until experience of Republican Spain in 1936 convinced him of the anarchist critique of the party-state, he associated with a succession of communist-aligned groups. His last public appearance was in 1945, at an Orange Hall in his home town of Broughshane, County Antrim, where he proposed himself as a "republican socialist" candidate in the upcoming United Kingdom general election.

References

  1. "Photographic image of book cover" (JPG). Ecx.images-amazon.com. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  2. Maxwell, Nick (7 February 2013). "A Star Called Henry, Roddy Doyle (Jonathan Cape, £16.99) ISBN 0224060198". History Ireland. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. "Savage salvo to explode sacred myths of 1916". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  4. Wilkinson, Peter (25 November 1999). "Bad sex prize has critics blushing".
  5. "'A Star Called Henry': Enslaved, With Abandon, to Irish Independence". archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  6. "Roddy Doyle: A Star Called Henry". The A.V. Club. 29 March 2002. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  7. Foster, Roy (29 August 1999). "Roddy and the ragged-trousered revolutionary". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  8. Schede, Hans-Georg (2009). Erläuterungen zu Roddy Doyle : A star called Henry von Roddy Doyle (3. Auflage ed.). [Hollfeld]. ISBN   978-3-8044-5850-5. OCLC   1121453020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

<https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/99/09/05/daily/091099doyle-book-review.html> <https://www.theguardian.com/books/1999/aug/29/fiction.roddydoyle>