Oh dear. I went in with high hopes for this book, expecting the energy and banter that is trademark Doyle but what I got was something confused. It's a story about music, cancer, and second chances but the detail was uneven (notably the exhausting hunt for old recordings and the music festival that felt like it would never end) and a few sub-plots seemed completely superfluous. The snappy dialogue between the main character, Jimmy, and his father provided the only real relief in a book that plods to a predictable end.

2/5

I received my copy of <em>The Guts </em>from the publisher, Viking, via <a href="https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/35383" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NetGalley</a>, in exchange for an honest review.

Just an awesome book. If you liked The Commitments, this is a must read. Doyle is an amazing writer.