Gaye Shortland

The first of two booked set in Cork, telling the story of Tony, who has just died of AIDS and whose ashes are being brought home by his brother, who is also gay.

But, this is not a sad novel. It's hilarious. It's narrated from beyond the grave by Tony, and the characters in this and the sequel are absolutely brilliant. Gaye writes the novel in the Cork accent, which is a little tricky to get used to initially, but you really easily slip into it.

for example:

"Me brothur Liam knew I wanted to be cremated an me ashes scattured onta the grave a Little Nelly a Holy God back in the Good Shepherd convent in Cork. So he had me cremated ovur an he brought me home in a bag. In his luggage like, in a shouldur -bag. I thought twas a nice touch, y'know, like Oscar's "a hand-bag!" There I was, not born or bred but at any rate dead in a handbag. Yeh never know what to expect, do ye? At any stage."


I've recommended this book to so many people, and it's always nice to have a lighthearted book about gay men and the AIDS era instead of one that is just sombre and dour. Sometimes the humour gets the message through just as well as the dismal.

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