NAMA Mia! is a 2011 novel by Irish journalist and author Paul Howard and the eleventh in the Ross O'Carroll-Kelly series.

NAMA Mia!
AuthorPaul Howard
IllustratorAlan Clarke
Cover artistAlan Clarke
LanguageEnglish
SeriesRoss O'Carroll-Kelly
GenreComic novel, satire
Set inDublin, 2010
PublisherPenguin Books
Publication date
6 October 2011
Publication placeRepublic of Ireland
Media typePaperback
Pages398
823.92
Preceded byThe Oh My God Delusion 
Followed byThe Shelbourne Ultimatum 

The title refers to the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) and to the Catherine Johnson stage musical Mamma Mia!.[1]

Background

edit

Author Paul Howard insisted that the novel's storyline — with Ross becoming the lover of an older Northern Irish woman — was not inspired by the Iris Robinson scandal, which became public knowledge in January 2010.[2]

Plot

edit

Ireland is in recession, but Ross's shredding company is successful. He becomes a "toy boy" for Regina Rathfriland, a wealthy older woman. Ross tracks down Oisinn and brings him back to Ireland. Fionnuala has switched to writing "misery lit" memoirs.

Reception

edit

The Irish Independent reviewed it positively, saying "Howard has given Ross a new lease of life in this book and it's a testament to his skill not as a writer but as a keen observer of society that Nama Mia! actually ranks up there with his best work."[3]

NAMA Mia! was nominated for the Eason Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.[4][5]

References

edit
  1. ^ O'Carroll-Kelly, Ross (21 September 2011). NAMA Mia!. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 9781844882274 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "It's not about 'Irisgate', roysh, says gigolo Ross". Independent.ie. 11 June 2011.
  3. ^ "Review: Fiction: Ross O'Carroll-Kelly Nama Mia! by Paul Howard". Independent.ie. 17 September 2011.
  4. ^ "Chick lit vies for top book awards". Independent.ie. 7 November 2011.
  5. ^ McGreevy, Ronan. "Heaney honoured at book awards". The Irish Times.