From Publishers Weekly
Doyle stumbles somewhat in this sequel to his excellent 1999 bestseller,
A Star Called Henry. Beginning with Irish revolutionary Henry Smart's arrival in New York City in 1924, the story follows Henry's subsequent adventures in advertising, bootlegging, pornography, unlicensed dentistry and keeping ahead of the former associates who'd like to see him eat a lead sandwich. After encroaching too much on a mobster's turf—and getting lucky with another powerful fellow's kept lady—Henry hightails it to Chicago, where he becomes the unofficial manager of a young Louis Armstrong. Though serendipitously reunited with his beloved wife and the daughter he's never met while trying to rob her employer's house, Henry soon heads back to New York to help Louis make it big. While just as brash and lively as Doyle's earlier novels, this one isn't nearly as focused; the dialogue-heavy narrative is interspersed with shifts in setting, time and plot, and characters appear and disappear with little consequence, their spoken parts hasty, repetitive and often perplexing. Worse, Doyle takes Henry Smart's charm for granted; readers unfamiliar with his previous adventures may roll their eyes at his arrogance and incessant sexual encounters. There's just too much material; any of the novel's numerous strands could have been fleshed out into its own book. That said, the novel is still a lot of improbable fun.
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--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Henry Smart, an ex-hit man who has fled Dublin, discovers that he can find trouble in New York and Chicago as easily as back home. He also finds sexual adventure and lots of good music--even becoming a friend and confidante of Louis Armstrong--in this Depression-era novel. Christian Conn gives Henry a lovely Irish lilt, which may explain why almost every woman that Henry meets is captivated by him. Conn also excels with the rest of the cast--from barmen and gangsters to women and late-night musicians, including Satchmo. Conn's Armstrong impersonation isn't perfect, but it's certainly a plausible voice for the great trumpet player. His pacing and delivery are also excellent and capture the listener's attention throughout. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
