Anhistoricalnovellikenonebeforeit,AStarCalledHenrymarksanewchapterinBookerPrize-winnerRoddyDoyle'swriting.Itisavastlymoreambitiousbookthananyhehaspreviouslywritten.AsubversivelookbehindthelegendsofIrishrepublicanism,atitscentreapassionatelovestory,thisnewnovelisatriumphantworkoffiction.BornintheslumsofDublinin1902,hisfatheraone-leggedwhorehousebouncerandsettlerofscores,HenrySmarthastogrowupfast.Bythetimehecanwalkhe'soutrobbing,begging,charming,oftencold,alwayshungry,butaprinceofthestreets.Atfourteen,alreadysixfoottwo,Henry'sintheGeneralPostOfficeonEasterMonday1916,asoldierintheIrishCitizenArmy,fightingforfreedom.Ayearlaterhe'sreadytodieforIrelandagain,arebel,aFenian,and,soon,akiller.Withhisfather'swoodenlegashisweapon,Henrybecomesarepublicanlegend-oneofMichaelCollins'boys,acopkiller,anassassinonastolenbike,alover.FromtheHardcoveredition.