The Butcher BoyThe Butcher Boy
Score Modern
What it's about
Francie Brady is a boy growing up in a small Irish town in the 1960s, with an alcoholic father and a mother who is sinking into despair. Funny, imaginative and full of bravado, Francie becomes obsessed with Mrs. Nugent, a neighbor who once called his family pigs. As his life falls apart, his narration grows stranger, and his rage builds toward violence.
Why it's worth reading
It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It's darkly funny and horrifying, and Neil Jordan made it into a film.
You'll love it if you liked
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
A Clockwork Orange
The Catcher in the RyeGood to know
It's violent, with a murder and abuse by a priest. The voice is wild and unpunctuated.
By the numbers
- Readers13 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller1 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #85 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #203 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #1497 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2716 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Dark
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The Green MileExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Butcher Boy worth reading?
Yes. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It ranks #2,716 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 55.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Butcher Boy about?
Francie Brady is a boy growing up in a small Irish town in the 1960s, with an alcoholic father and a mother who is sinking into despair. Funny, imaginative and full of bravado, Francie becomes obsessed with Mrs. Nugent, a neighbor who once called his family pigs. As his life falls apart, his narration grows stranger, and his rage builds toward violence.
How long does it take to read The Butcher Boy?
About 6 hours (231 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Butcher Boy?
If you liked it, try Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess or The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.