Good Eggs

Lurgan College Staff Book Group reviews:

‘Good Eggs’ would be perfect as a fun summer read. It is an easy-to-read novel with a bunch of likeable, though not too perfect, characters at its core. It is written from the perspective of three characters: Millie, Kevin and Aideen and there is a nice balance of each character. The chapters are short which makes for a perfect evening read. I liked the character of Millie the most. I thought she was convincingly funny and genuine.

Despite being an easy read there are some serious themes bubbling below the surface that makes allows this book slightly more depth than your average beach read. The social commentary through the repeated references to the economic situation in Ireland is welcome. I did find the humour convincing and would recommend this book if you are looking for something that is entertaining and with likeable characters.

4 stars - Eleanor Patterson

Initially I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this book. However, as I read on…I found myself warming to the characters. It is a character driven book about a family in Ireland. What is great about it, is that, like all of us, each of these characters are flawed. From Mille with her penchant for shop lifting, to Kevin and his wandering eye, to Aideen and her general teenage angst and feeling of insecurity. I really enjoy Irish literature and Irish authors and this book certainly has a sprinkling of Irish place names, references and slang to make you feel at home in Ireland whilst reading. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys humorous novels (with heart) about troubled families coming together. It is uplifting and will certainly put a smile on your face without being too twee in the process.

4 stars - Tracey Campbell

I’ve been finding it difficult to read of late, given the stresses of the pandemic and I chose to listen to this book via the audiobook version of it. I must say I really loved this experience. The reader does a great job of bringing the characters Millie, Jamie and Aideen (not to mention Grace and all the other subsidiary characters) to life. The book certainly made me laugh on many an occasion; often it was the little throwaway comments and tag on clauses that were the funniest. Each of the characters has a really drole sense of humour and their critique of elements of society can often been seen at these funny moments. The plot, at times, could be described as a little fantastical. Despite this, I enjoyed spending time with the Grogan family, and I don’t think your time would be wasted if you decided to also. A fun and non-demanding read. Perfect for these times.

4 Stars - Jill Greenfield

There is such a buzz about Irish writing at the moment that I was very excited to receive this book. I love the work that Sally Rooney, Anne Enright and Marianne Keyes is producing at the moment and hoped this novel would be in a similar vein to theirs. This novel, however, is a bit different. It looks at Ireland through a much gentler lens than any of the aforementioned novelists and because of this I wouldn’t say it was a favourite of mine. The novel is good, the plotline entertaining, and the characters are engaging. This book certainly has a place on your shelf if you want something fun and it is definitely a ‘page-turner’.

2 stars - Miranda Boyce

A decent read. A story that revolves around one Irish family and focuses on the grandmother, son and granddaughter. There were certainly lots of twists to the plot and the story was far from dull. From the first chapter you become involved in the life of Millie and her antics in chapter one mean that the plot takes off swiftly. It continues in this vein throughout with new events happening quickly to keep you engaged and reading on. It has the odd reference to the economic situation in Ireland. But…it’s mostly a light and entertaining read. It interesting to read about the inevitable conflict that exists due to the different personalities in most families and how they all pull together when necessary. A good read for the chilled-out summer season.

3 Stars - Amber Duncan

This is definitely a feel-good novel which is an easy read. Perfect for these troubled times when it can be hard to concentrate. I looked forward to reading a chapter each night and dipping into the world of this eccentric and somewhat troublesome family. I liked the fact that you got a multi-generational perspective from the school child Aideen to the octogenarian Millie and the American family of Sylvia, and her son brought an interesting international element to the novel. Though it wasn’t splitting your sides hilarious; I did smile often when reading it. It’s a fun and easy read and I do recommend it.

4 Stars - Karen Smith

I really enjoyed how character driven this book was. The characters, whilst not always likable, felt authentic. I enjoyed following their antics and the scrapes they got into. There was never a dull moment with this bunch. Plenty of twists and turns and excitement to the plot also meant that the pages kept turning. I like a story set in Ireland and I felt the setting was convincing without being too sentimental. I would recommend this book as a fun read.

3 Stars - Cara Faith

I love a book where the story is told from multiple perspectives, and this is what you get in this novel with its three narrators. It’s always interesting to see the same event through different eyes and I loved swapping from the mind of an eighty-year-old woman to the mind of a teenager and noticing all the commonalities between the characters, rather than their difference. The plot is fun, if a little outrageous at times. I enjoyed the humour…it did genuinely make me smile/maybe laugh and I feel humour is so hard to do in a book. I believe reading this book would be time well spent.

4 Stars - Lizzie Lappin

I would categorise this book as an easy read. The opening chapter delivered through the perspective of Mille, the grandmother figure in the family, and the initial conflict occurs swiftly and with touches of humour. Then we are introduced to the other key figures in the Gogarty family: Kevin (son of Millie) and Aideen (daughter of Kevin) and thus the intergenerational connections are made. I must say, I enjoyed the chapters delivered from the narrative perspective of Millie as the most engaging. These sections had a lovely balance of humour and heart and for that reason were the most genuine. I found Kevin’s internal monologue and his obsession with the female body off-putting at times and I found Aideen as a character hard to pin down in my mind.

3 Stars - Sarah Duke