Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
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Book Reviews of Angela's Ashes: A Memoir
Book Review: 3/4 Great, 1/4 Yikes
Summary: 2 Stars
"Angela's Ashes" is an autobiographical story of Frank McCourt growing up in Ireland during the depression and World War II. Through the entire book I just really wanted something good to happen to this family, but it never does.
The first probably 3/4 of the book is incredibly eye-opening. It was amazing to me how little this family could live with, especially food. It made me see how resilient people can be, how little we really need, and the terrible circumstances some people live in.
If you don't read anything else in the book, the chapter on Frank's first communion is worthwhile. I was in tears reading it to my husband, laughing so hard at Frank's grandmother's horror at Frank throwing it up in her backyard.
Overall, I don't recommend "Angela's Ashes." It was bad while he was young and poor and that was difficult to read, but the last about 1/4 of the book the story turns south. Think young man growing up. He gets a little too much 'excitement' when he's alone and sometimes with others. Maybe McCourt is happy sharing his blatant immorality, but I don't need to read about it.
I love when I finish a book, close it, and just have to sit and breathe for a few minutes and let the greatness of it all soak in. When I finished this there wasn't even a hint of that. More like, "That was it?" There was some good, but it didn't overwhelm the bad.
Book Review: Depressing - Those Poor Children
Summary: 2 Stars
I read this story for a book club, and that sense of accountability was the main reason that I finished it.
The McCourt family's life did not have to be so bad, and the children did not have to be malnourished.
I know we have no right to judge others, but how could the parents keep spending what little they had on alcohol and cigarettes and give the babies sugar water to quiet them when they were hungry? Didn't the children deserve some kind of priority? Didn't this constitute child neglect?
Some of the children did make it, but oh, things didn't have to be that bad.
I must say, this book was depressing. Although, more power to the author for ending up alright despite his childhood impoverishment and neglect.