The Butcher Boy

By: Patrick Mccabe

Narrated by: Patrick Mccabe

Welcome to the mind of Francie Brady. Just what Francie did to Mrs. Nugent is the final, terrifying act of a young boy at the end of a relentless descent into a world of scorn and fear, brought to unforgettably vivid life in this tour-de-force performance by author Patrick McCabe.

Francie Brady, the "pig boy," is growing up in a poor small Irish town in the early 60s, fueled on an adolescent's comic books, Flash Bars, and John Wayne movies. He is determined to win the Francie Brady Not a Bad Bastard Anymore Diploma. But how do you do that when your mother is sent to the madhouse, your father is an alcoholic, and everyone turns their back on you?

Soon to be a major motion picture from Neil Jordan (Interview with the Vampire, The Crying Game), and read with the bravura performance style that has earned McCabe raves on both sides of the Atlantic, The Butcher Boy is a stunning audio thriller.

©1994 Patrick McCabe (P)1994 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Lyrical and disturbing, horrific and hilarious." ( The New York Times)

Startlingly original...viciously entertaining." ( Washington Post Book World)

Not terribly interesting or exciting.

Generally, this book just flat out lacks entertainment. It’s somewhat intriguing at times But not for long. Mostly it’s a slow crawl to an unsurprising end of a mostly bland short story. I’m usually very forgiving with books and I only have a few basic questions I ask myself when I finish a story. But really, only ONE truly matters to me and that is “Did this book do a good job of entertaining me?” And to that I would have to answer, “no....not really.”

Genius in every way

This book is the definition of genius. By turns heartbreaking and darkly funny, constantly perceptive, terrifying, and deeply empathetic. The greatest Irish novel of recent times, stunningly read by the author.

Intense, Scary, but AMAZING

Would you listen to The Butcher Boy again? Why?

Oh yes, read it twice back to back and I think I will return to it again and again. The psychological aspect of the main character as he struggles agains his own nature, has aspirations to be a good and better person, and the helpless situations he is forced into again and again is wonderfully done The ambiguity between fiction and reality is captured perfectly and only serves to have the reader question themselves, for everyone has impulses of the darker side and this book shows what happens when a person is pushed to the extreme so he is no longer able to battle against himself. The story is incredibly moving and despite knowing the main character is slightly psychotic, you just can't help feeling sorry for him and what he has to endure. The writing is also beautiful and the way the author reveals the inner working of the main character's mind challenges us to view the world in ways that are unexpected. Truly beautiful writing.

What did you like best about this story?

The intensity of it, the blur between reality and fiction, the fact that the author reads it so well.

Have you listened to any of Patrick Mccabe’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but having read this, I am looking forward to reading his other books on audible.

Any additional comments?

If you are looking for a fun and easy read then this is not the book for you.

But if you are looking for something to move you, something that exposes the darker side of humans, if you are looking for a tale that would pull you along and show you the perspective of what it is like to live in a small town in rural Ireland and and to see a different perspective of the age old story of a woman loving the wrong type of man, than read this. I promise that you would not be disappointed.

This is true literature; it explores and challenges the reader to see what we so often dare not face.

Favorite book, Favorite movie

I saw the movie first and they did a great job with it. the two together are just great. I just live this story so much I don't know why. The song gets me every time.

Best audiobook I've ever read

Absolutely phenomenal, from the first sentence the whole way through this book was a rollercoaster of emotions - sad, hilarious & eye opening! Gives an insight into some of the darker times back in Ireland.
The voice in this audiobook couldn't be more suited to get across the energy and properly get the reader/listener fully immersed.