a b "Euro 2012: Pirlo's courage to kick a penalty like Panenka helped Italy's 4-2 win over England". The sound of a bass drum and a surly engineer who just wants to go get a sandwich and you’ve just been sitting there with two hours to kill between soundcheck and the gig. Through some of the most simple, yet effective prose I’ve ever read, Hession paints a quiet, yet complete portrait of how peoples lives can be forever shifted by seemingly unimportant events, and shows the potential for finding some catharsis in what remains. It's so, so much sadder than Leonard and Hungry Paul - it still made me chuckle in places but overall it's sparse with its humour - but still it has this bittersweet touch of hope. It’s a very 19th century idea… I thought the show-don’t-tell police would have me put away for that.

Unfortunately, this novel was not that engaging, I was bored and I ended up not caring much about any of the characters who peppered this short novel.

Everyone I have spoken to about this book has given it nothing but praise, but I found Panenka to be incredibly boring, as well as almost feeling unfinished. There is a tragedy and a sadness lingering in the background that stays with you after turning the final page.

I meet Rónán Hession at a picnic table looking out to sea in Portmarnock where he lives with his wife, Sinéad, and their two sons. Under 200 pages but still memorable as this is an emotional story that depicts ordinary people dealing with mistakes, love, and how to move forward and begin again.In Panenka, each character has its own distinct role, all creating a picture-perfect cast for the scene in hand. We learn all about his life and meet his friends, his daughter and grandson, as well as his new romantic interest.