Hilarious? No. Touching? Yes
A Calling for Charlie BarnesI really expected this to be a laugh-out-loud read. It isn't. At least, not in my opinion. It is funny, but only in the rather painful way that life can be a funny old thing. I suppose we sometimes laugh because things hurt. There's plenty of irony, and the occasional mildly amusing moment - and yes, I suppose one could say it is satirical. All the same, I found it rather sad. Poor Charlie wants so much to be a good person - when he remembers to - and he's not averse to creating false impressions for the sake of being liked. As a result, everyone sees him differently, and even he isn't too sure about who he really is. The book is written in a conversational tone and I found it easy to get into and enjoy. The tale has its twists and although Charlie is something of a loose cannon, I think many people would identify with him and like him as I did. I'd be interested to know whether anyone finds this "hilarious." Perhaps my sense of humour is at fault...