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<p><strong>Overview</strong></p> <p><em>Butcher a Hog</em> is a novel that reads like a memoir (or a memoir that reads like a novel, and it really doesn’t much matter which). The narrator, Liam, has a very strong, engaging voice, not simply because of his dialect, but because of his unique mix of self-delusion and soul-baring honesty. It is the narrator’s frankness, in the end, which is most captivating. He allows the reader to see past his bravado to the fear, insecurity, and pain that motivate much of his self-destruction. Therefore, readers are on his side almost from word one, rooting for him to recover, to make better choices, to reach for happiness, and for peace. In the meantime, of course, his many escapades, near misses, and big mouth make for entertaining reading as well. In this, it strikes me that you have succeeded in doing what you set out to do—to write a narrative that is both painful and entertaining, and that mixture is terribly readable.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><a class="txtlarge gl3 gr4 reviewTitle valignMiddle" href="http://www.amazon.ca/review/R263E0BFDSID1K/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0615732178&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=916520&store=books">Funny and moving</a></strong></p> <p><span style="line-height:1.6em;">Here is a book whose absurd situations will in turn shock you and make you laugh. The voice is authentic, and the stream-of-consciousness Irish immigrant brogue is captivating. Addiction is incredibly difficult to comprehend for mainstream people like me, and this book invites your judgement while reaching for your understanding. It is rare for me to laugh out loud or to hold a book for a few moments after I finished, but I did both here. </span></p>