Growing Up is Hard

So far, I am still liking the way that the story moves for Henry. The experiences that he goes through, like being on the streets, getting some education, and his brother's death really shape who he will become. In part 2 of the novel, he is 14 and is starting to enter the young adult phase. His childhood seems to end when his brother died. At age 14, he has joined an Irish faction that controls the post office i the city. I just find it shocking that this is where he went. All of part 2 from what i have seen do far mainly focuses on Henry's involvement in the Troubles. And it is all one really big chapter, which I don;t really like to much. I would much rather have part 2 broken into multiple chapters with smaller individual stories for each one. I think that it could be better for part 2 instead of the continuous chapter. I feel like it would get monotonous and dull quickly. The pace of the novel is also another thing that I like. It feels like the book is moving quick over the detailed life of Henry.

Themes in "A Star Called Henry"

Like some of the other books that we have read earlier in the year, there are recurrent themes that I notice. There is the popular theme of paralysis that many novels that we have read possess. There are themes no that in this novel that center around Henry's character. Henry is born into a problematic time that Ireland is experiencing with the different factions fighting for their causes. Life in general hasn't been the best for him. At age 9, Henry and his brother are on the streets pick-pocketing, begging, and stealing. The events that occur in Henry's life paralyze him, like the death of his brother. After his sick brother dies, Henry is in disbelief and is unsure about where he should go next. At age 14 he joins a faction to fight for Ireland's freedom.He is paralyzed by the Troubles, and how they have drastically changed over the course of the Troubles. A big theme that I think is prominent in this book is the theme of man vs. society. As Henry grows up, he faces more conflicts and problems that are put on him because of the time, period, his young age, and adults who stop him. In recent readings, I have noticed the the book gets very emotional. Mainly with the death of Henry's brother, Victor. Victor was the last "real" family that he had. They stuck together through thick and thin, and helped each other with everything. I could almost feel the loss that Henry felt.

How The Story Goes

The story of "A Star Called Henry" is truly a life story. In the beginning of the novel, it starts out with how Henry's parents met. I soon goes to Henry's birth which is vividly described so that you can feel like you are right there. The novel concentrates on Henry as he grows up in 20th century Ireland. The feel of the story's flow seems to be pretty straight forward, kinda like how "The Commitments" flowed. At the same time, it has an episodic feel with some chapters focusing on its own topic. I think that this hybrid system works well in telling the story of Henry Smart. In order to tell his story, it must constantly flow to go along with his growing age. I think that the way that everything is structured makes it very easy to read. When you get going, the words really come out quick and the story moves along nicely. Roddy Doyle has a knack to make his books fun to read, and easy to read. As I keep on reading the book, there are many points where I just want to keep reading to see what happens to Henry and his family. I really like the way that Doyle has worded this novel, because it all works perfectly with the story.

Characters in "A Star Called Henry"

So far the character is a baby that has just come into the world. Melody, the mother, is depicted as young and fair, but later shows age through how tired she is these days. Henry Smart, the father, is man who looks like he is down on his luck. His coat is dirty and tattered, while his face is covered in dirt with traces of dry blood. He also carries around a shovel to help him walk since he is missing a leg. Roddy Doyle does an amazing job describing the way they look and how their personalities are. From the way he describes the characters, I can get a perfect image in my head. Roddy Doyle is very direct when he describes his characters. All of the characters are very believable, by the way they are depicted. Melody is that innocent girl that runs in to Henry and from there, their story of love unravels. This was a very true scene, with how things went. The main character is also the narrator who takes us through his own birth, and by the way that he tells his story makes him a very likable character from the start.He describes himself as the biggest baby the town has ever seen. A baby that could equal a triplet and survive no matter what was thrown at him.

"A Star Called Henry"-My First Impressions

I have just started the novel "A Star Called Henry", and what I've read so far is very interesting. Right from the beginning, we are given a character who seems to be narrating the story as well.The opening of the book was really nice with the humor of the son being jealous of the older Henry. I also like how there is a quick reference to the title of the book in the first couple lines of the book. From the part where little Henry says that he is hungry and tired, Ireland seems to be going through rough times. Many of the stars don't have names, and little Henry tells us that they went before they were named. So there is more evidence that shows that Ireland is going through some rough times. The other thing that I like was the story of how Melody and Henry met. The way that the scene is described puts a vivid image in my head that I can perfectly picture. The imagery of the characters is another plus that I enjoyed. The way that Roddy Doyle described Henry was perfect in my opinion. I had a clear picture in my mind of what he looked like. I really like the style of writing that Roddy Doyle gives in his novels, and after reading "The Commitments", I knew that I had to read another one of his books. So far, I really can't say anything negative about this book. It is gripping, well thought out, and is just fun to read.