This book is exhausting, both emotionally and for your eyeballs. Although the story largely takes place within the narrow confines of a boys'
Catholic school in
Dublin, the breadth of the issues discussed is as wide as (and includes) the universe. The writing is insightful and the subject matter is interesting. However, the book was so densely packed with musings ranging from the
origins of the universe to the nature of
pop music that it just frayed around the edges a
bit. A few of the threads in the book could have probably been trimmed to make it a tighter, more interesting read.