The Anatomy School
Bernard MacLaverty
A "boys' book" - a crude vulgar book about boys growing up in
Ireland. Doreen didn't like any of the characters. The usual
stuff: the sadistic priest, the nasty teachers and all a bit old
hat. An extended sex scene at the end which takes place in a
morgue is disgusting and grotesque. There are some original
characters and MacLaverty writes well but Doreen didn't like the
subject and found this disappointing after 'Grace Notes', which
she had liked.
Doreen 19/1/03
This was reviewed two months ago by Doreen who, despite being a
fan of the author, thought this novel was very poor. Andrew too
is a fan and he agreed that this was the author's least
satisfactory effort but he did find more to like in it than
Doreen! Andrew liked the book's strong plot about teenage
children in an Irish Catholic school and the atmosphere of
inevitable doom and thought that some parts of the book were
quite thrilling. The sex scene didn't offend Andrew despite its
macabre setting. In sum, not bad but not good either.
Andrew 30/3/03
By the same author
The frames have
gone all funny - click to make it good.