Jimmy Dice was born a twin. He just didn't know it. For any reader of Roddy Doyle, Colin Barrett, Kevin Barry.
If you enjoy Colin Barrett, Kevin Barry, Donal Ryan and Lisa McInerney, you will want to read THE FRACTURED LIFE OF JIMMY DICE by Ronan Ryan. Jimmy is born a twin, and while he doesn't know it, his nearest sibling has stayed with him forever, overseeing the drama of his life played out and acting as a narrative voice.
As a young boy, aged seven, Jimmy loses a lower limb to an attack dog - the first of many disasters that shape him for the future. Jimmy is a chancer who becomes a wilful man unafraid to stand up to a notorious Dublin gangster. He's also a young man with heart and belief: a loyal son, a good friend, a courageous brother and a sweet and passionate lover.
Part love story, part coming of age, THE FRACTURED LIFE OF JIMMY DICE is also the story of a life in the changing streets of Ireland, from the days of the Troubles to the boom and bust years and Dublin today.
An Irish epic with a potent post-millennial hum and a wave-like momentum that becomes insidiously addictive - Irish Independent
Hugely engaging... warm, sincere and big-hearted. A wonderful debut from an Irish talent - Image Magazine
Expertly experimental. Ryan has talent to burn - Irish Examiner
Ryan's imaginative novel is full of adventure and told with compassion...a compelling account of a family's fortunes - Irish Times
An engaging coming of age story told from a truly unique perspective. The Fractured Life of Jimmy Dice is readable, thought provoking and highly entertaining - Sinead Crowley
Ronan Ryan is originally from Clonmel in Ireland. At thirteen, he moved to Nagoya, Japan. He was educated in Dublin and studied psychology at university before embarking on an MSc in neuropsychology. He completed an MSc in Creative Writing at the University of Edinburgh, and lived in New Zealand, where he completed an English Literature PhD. Returning to Dublin, he worked on Jimmy Dice, his first novel. He lives in Dublin, still.