Editorial Reviews:
The sequel to "The Mammy", featuring the minor scrapes and major run-ins of the seven children of Agnes Browne on the streets of Dublin. It's three years since Redser's death, and Agnes soldiers on as mother, father and referee to her fighting family, helped hormonally by the amorous Pierre.
In his introduction to this second episode in the rollicking trilogy that began with The Mammy (1994), Brendan O'Carroll explains that his greatest surprise and pleasure, in the wake of his newfound literary success, was meeting people who told him it was the first book they had ever read. And it's easy to imagine how new readers would be drawn in by engaging, larger-than-life characters, colorful dialogue, and high-spirited plot. The Chisellers opens in 1970, with the widow Agnes Browne still struggling to raise her brood (the chisellers of the title) alone, although the broad-shouldered Mark is now an apprentice carpenter and Rory, his gay brother, is an apprentice hair stylist. Agnes may be too caught up in her exciting bingo win of 310 pounds to notice that little Dermot is developing a dangerous taste for shoplifting, but she frequently wrings her hands over Frankie, a neo-Nazi thug who has been expelled from school. Into this flurry of daily concerns and excitements comes a letter from the local housing authority, notifying her that all the indigent families in her neighborhood are being relocated from their shabby but familiar tenements in the center of Dublin to new houses in a distant suburb. At the sad but raucous farewell party at the pub, Agnes sits drinking cider "in her usual corner," remembering her best friend, Marion, who died three years before: "Ah Jaysus, Marion, listen to them!" she muses. "The music of The Jarro! Will we ever hear the likes of it again?" The music to which Agnes referred could not be played on any instrument, but was the cackle of voices and rhythmic banter of the inner-city folk, the symphony of unanswered questions and impossible statements, that were so much of the colour of Dublin: "Hey, Mr. Foley. A vodka with ice--and fresh ice, none of that frozen stuff!" This would be followed by a howl of laughter. As you read, it is impossible not to envision a feel-good film of The Chisellers (Anjelica Huston directed The Mammy) and to admire O'Carroll's comic skill, even if his sunny, too-tidy conclusion to the novel makes Frank McCourt read like Dostoyevsky. --Regina Marler
Customer Reviews:
Displaying 1 to 5 of 23 total reviews (Page 1 of 5):
 It takes individuals to make a family
This is the second of Brendan O'Carroll's delightful stories of the inimitable Browne family. This tells the story of the kids growing up and is filled with hi-jinks and pathos. The book is short enough to finish in one sitting, a good holiday travel choice. A VERY ENJOY ABLE READ
This is the second part of the Anges Brown trilogy and as a general rule, the second offering is often times not as good as the first. In this case though, that does not hold true. The author follows his delightful characters, their ups, their downs, and skillfully blends relationships into a wonderful story of a family. As with the first book in this servies, I could hardly put it down. The author's humor and insight to human nature are truely a gift, one which I am glad he is sharing with us. These books have been out long enough now and have been successful enough to attract those few distractors who seem to take delight in casting stones at other peoples sucess. Pay them no heed. This is a delightful read, one you don't want to miss. Recommend this one highly. This light hearted if not at times tragic novel will have reader laughing, crying and marveling at the strength of friendship an
Brendan O'Carroll's The Chisellers is the next in the Agnes Browne books and continues in the wonderful tradition of the Mammy. This will have you laughing along with the spunky Browne Family, whose deadpan humor navigates them through their poverty. This light hearted if not at times tragic novel will have reader laughing, crying and marveling at the strength of friendship and family.
A Wonderful Treat
There is something for everyone in O'Carroll's writing. If you read and enjoyed "The Mammy" then don't wait another minute before reading "The Chisellers."
O'Carrol writes another splendid narrative of the adventures of Agnes Browne and her children. This book, like The Mammy, will cause you to laugh and will almost bring you to tears at other times.
The only downside of this book is that it is over too quickly. Thank goodness there is still another one in the series to read.  Very good sequel to The Mammy!
The Chisellers is the second book in a trilogy by Brendan O'Carroll which began with The Mammy. As I found with the first book, this is a good book which continues the story of Agnes Browne and her seven children.
When we first meet Agnes Browne she is newly widowed trying hard to take care of her children, the Chisellers of the title, and her stall in the market of the streets of Jarro. In this book, Agnes is older, wiser and still trying hard to keep her children in school or at work. Her oldest son is now working for an elderly man making furniture which presents the reader with a bit of a mystery while her daughter is keeping company with a local policeman. Then there is Agnes's son who has become a hair dresser and is keeping the secret that he is gay fromthe family. The younger boys are in school where one son isn't doing well and will be expelled while another one has become a pickpocket in the local stores. As Agnes continues selling her wares in the marketplace, she desparately misses her dear friend Marion while she continues her relationship with Pierre the owner of a pizza store.
Life couldn't be more of a challenge for Agnes keeping everything together and calm when she receives word that the Browne clan will be relocated to a different area while renovations to the area of her flat in the Jarro is completed. Naturally, this is quite unsettling to a woman who has never lived anywehre else and she wonders how her children will adjust. What happens when they move and one son is gone from their midst and the days are good and then bleak fills the pages of this book with laughs and tears.
This was a really good read and a worthy title to follow The Mammy. While reading this book, Agnes and her chislellers become real fleshed out people that any reader feels they know well. As I closed this book I looked forward to reading the last book in the trilogy, The Granny. More Customer Reviews:
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(23 reviews)
