Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels/Peer review/At Swim-Two-Birds

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At Swim-Two-Birds[edit]

I want to know what this article is supposed to need. Lexo (talk) 00:38, 29 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Review by the_ed17[edit]

  • First thing is that I don't know if this is comprehensive enough; no, I'm not criticizing the article, but I have no idea if it is. =) I'm just going to review what I can see. Here goes:
  • Watch for WP:INUNIVERSE throughout, this can be a major problem with fictional articles...the Plot summary is a major siicking point there. Make sure that someone who has not read the book knows whats going on.
  • Lead
  • Plot Summary
    • Why is it autobiographical? I thought that it was fictional!
    • Explain what a Pooka and a frame story is in the article...just a little explanation.
      • Why? Well, I know that you've got links to them, but why would you want people leaving your article?
      • Also, I don't know if Pooka=Púca...? Are you sure?
  • Genesis and Composition
    • Generally, block quotes should be at least three lines long...on my screen, it's about 11/8.
    • What is a Menippean satire? Explain that in the article.
    • Please add reference(s) for this paragraph:

O'Nolan composed the novel on an Underwood portable typewriter in the bedroom he shared with his younger brother Micheál. The typewriter rested on a table constructed by O'Nolan from the offcuts of a modified trellis that had stood in the O'Nolan family's back garden. O'Brien's biographer believes that it was the unusual material that the writing table was made of that inspired the name of the character "Dermot Trellis".

  • Publication History
    • This sentence seems out of order:

At Swim-Two-Birds was published under the pseudonym of Flann O'Brien, a name O'Nolan had already used to write hoax letters to the Irish Times.[15] The book was accepted for publication by Longman's on the recommendation of Graham Greene, who was a reader for them at the time.[16] During negotiations with Longman's, O'Nolan suggested using "Flann O'Brien" as a pen-name:

    • Did sales ever pick up for this novel? How many copies did the U.S. version sell?
  • Literary significance & criticism
    • Both of the sentences need to be referenced:

However, most of the support for At Swim-Two-Birds came not from newspaper reviewers but from writers. Dylan Thomas, in a remark that would be quoted on dust-jackets in later editions of the book, said "This is just the book to give your sister – if she's a loud, dirty, boozy girl". Anthony Burgess considered it one of the ninety-nine greatest novels written between 1939 and 1984.

    • Otherwise, very nicely done.
    • Translations and adaptations into other media
    • Good, put consider moving this to the "Publication history" section?
  • Epigraph
    • Fine
  • Notes/References
    • Rename "References" to "Sources" or "Bibliography"
    • Rename "Notes" to "References"...not required, but as you can have separate 'Notes' sections now...
    • Make sure that you have access dates for the web references...consider using {{cite web}}.

Anyway, pretty decent article, and an interesting read. Cheers! -talk- the_ed17 -contribs- 00:40, 24 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]

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