Rating: 
Summary: Simultaneous sympathy and revulsion for protagonist.
Review: McCabe creates a seductive tale of a boy's innocence compromised, luring us into sympathizing with and even identifying with the main character at the same time that we are horrified by his behavior. A single hurtful experience initiated by the malicious Mrs. Nugent starts the inexorable spiral. Events, both real and imagined, begin to engulf Francie, causing him to react instinctively, rather than rationally. His problems are compounded, as hostile, or even venal, adults exert their power over him. Still, we cannot help liking Francie and hoping for his future even as he repels us and and those around him by his actions. A psychological study fascinating as much for its effect on the reader as for its depiction of an increasingly disturbed youth.
Rating: 
Summary: another great Irish writer
Review: I think those who didn't like the novel are just not used to Irish voices -- read some Yeats, Joyce, etc... and then come back and read this again. It's innovative, experimental and depressing as all hell. It's makes Catcher in the Rye look like comedy. It's an Irish Heart of Darkness. You may not enjoy the story, but it's hard not to find the writing brilliant. Despite the fact that I felt like I needed to purify myself after reading this, it's an excellent work of literature. McCabe is a terrific writer.
Rating: 
Summary: Annoying writing
Review: Although a 1992 Booker finalist I couldn't bring myself to finishing it. The story is from the perspective of a young boy (10-13 range) who lives with an alcoholic father and a depressed mother in am Irish village in the 1950s. The novel traces the boy's slide into delusion and dementia as his world gets harsher and harsher. It doesn't take you long to realize that the kid is messed up, the only question is how far he'll go. While the author has done a brilliant job of writing from inside a young boy's head, I couldn't find enough it to keep my attention after 100 pages or so. A particularly annoying aspect is the lack of punctuation to distinguish dialogue from internal thought. Some passages are particularly difficult and force you to re-read, interrupting the flow of the otherwise good writing. For some reason, the Scots seem to do this type of thing much better.
Rating:
Summary: A truly memorable book
Review: I skimmed through the other reviews and notice a somewhat distinct pattern. Most, if not all, of the non-flattering reviews of this book have come from people outside of Ireland, which in itself tells a story. I am not saying that you have to be Irish to understand the quick slippery slope to madness that Francis undertook but it certainly helps you to understand this book fully. I have never known a Francis Brady in my life, in Ireland, but I certainly have come across parts of him in my childhood and the childhood of the people I grew up with. When you have this understanding of the character it does make the book that much more worthwhile. An example, the notion of the "garage' (madhouse) has put fear into generations of Irish and it is something that certainly the poorer section of the Irish community have had to deal with at some stage in their life. If McCabe had started the book with a description of Francis's family, any one would have known what was to become of him. Instead he offered this initially "normal' boy who as he grew, and the author divulged more and more of his family history, turned into the boy you would expect him to. Okay not all boys who have similar past murder but they certainly are no angels. McCabe not only captured the innocence of one boys childhood in country Ireland but also that boys evitable fall into a madness that was his destiny.
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Summary: A strange but enthralling insight into a young boy's mind
Review: This book has changed my entire outlook on life, it is a masterpiece, the defining moment in Patrick McCabe's career. Although strange and savage in areas there is something about this book that just makes you want to read on. In my otherwise dull and uneventfull life this has been a break from the norm a thrilling encounter which i would recomend to every reader buy it now.
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Summary: Unbelievable!
Review: The Butcher Boy is a book which describes many different feelings of life such as anger, sadness, distress, and many more. The whole story about Francie is very unusual and sometimes you wouldnt expect certain things to happen.this book is summed up in one word... BRILLIANT!
Rating: 
Summary: dull
Review: boring, the "adventures" of a stark raving mad looney bin candadate. the end is two dragded out which makes for the boring part.
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational Novel
Review: This novel is one of the best books I have ever read.It has everything: humour, violence and sadness. In my opinion this combination makes the book stand head and shoulders above every other book and you have not lived live until you have read it.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: The book is perfect in so many ways. First there's the atmosphere: the book completely captures the atmosphere of Ireland in the 1960's (and the 1970's, I guess). I kept nodding my head as the iconography kept bringing me home: guilt, poverty, drunkeness, snobbery, the Pope, John Kennedy, John Wayne. Then there's the insanity. I think adults like to forget that a child's thought processes are a lot different from theirs. Francie's just trying to function in a world that looks down on him and maltreats him. He's just not mentally equipped to do so, and in the end it gets to be too much and he snaps. The description of this process is magnificently done: the put-downs; the home life; the running away; the reform school; the loss of mother, friendship, and innocence. The only really odd thing about Irish life is that there are so few Francies. I just can't say enough good about this book.
Rating:
Summary: Superlative - one of my favorite books ever
Review: How can anybody give this a negative review? It's absurd to say this style of writing is trite - the narrative manner wholely suits the subject matter, and believe me, go to County Cavan and people do talk like this. Only keep your opinions to yourselves, or Francie Bradie himself might slaughter a few more stuck-up pigs.
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