Barbara's Reviews > Beatlebone

This was a 4 and a half star book for me. I am a fan of the author and of the late John Lennon. I like the uncooperative "attitude" of the west of Ireland - the relentless rain, the locals who may pretend to be obtuse, and the evasive sun. The author captures these aspects of Mayo which becomes another character in the book in addition to John Lennon and Cornelius, his local driver.
It is 1978 and John is desperate to get to an island in Clew Bay that he bought years earlier. Much of their time is taken up in the search for the island as John doesn't remember its name and is trying to avoid the media who have heard he is in Mayo. The ensuing comedy of errors I decided was due to Cornelius just being a Mayo man. It was an adventure for him, and a chance to escape the dreariness of the never-ending rain. John, despite his Irish roots, is just another Brit, albeit a very wealthy one. While it seems John manages to disguise his true identity, a 112 year old woman knows him immediately, leading me to the conclude that everyone knows. This is one example of the fake obtuseness of the citizens of Mayo.
John is desperate to escape the pressure of being a public figure, and his feelings of loss going back to childhood. Some may not feel a lot of pity for the famous who seemingly wallow in misery, yet Barry makes Lennon a figure worthy of our compassion.