Seventeen year old Martin Brennan has failed his exams and is retaking the year, in his new class he finds himself befriended by the popular and athletic Kavanagh, a friendship that surprises but also pleases Martin. This is Belfast in the 1960s, troubled times for that city, but also for Martin, a Catholic boy whose mother hopes might choose the priesthood, who is under pressure to pass his exams, a rather naive boy who has a lot to learn about much including sex and friendship.

With Kavanagh's help Martin makes progress, a progress accelerated with the appearance of a new boy in school, Blaise Foley. The mysterious and irreverent Blaise attaches himself to to Martin and Kavanagh with potentially disastrous results as among other things they hatch a scheme to pass their exams.

We follow Martin and Kavanagh later at the anatomy school where we find Martin helping his friend, but also where Martin also finally discovers much to his delight some more earthly pleasures.

Interspersed with Martin's schooling are episodes in his family life where his mother's regular weekly evenings at home to the local priest and a couple of opinionated parishioners provide further humour.

Frequently very funny, The Anatomy School is a very entertaining account of a likeable young boy finding his way through the uncertainties of life discovering the value of friendship and eventually the delights of the flesh. ( )

Martin Brennan, the hero of The Anatomy School, faces all the traumas of an older adolescent—over-bearing mother, lack of money, pressure about his future, girls, and sex—plus the traumas associated with living in a strict Catholic home in Belfast during “The Troubles.” Martin is basically a good kid who drifts through his life by not drawing attention to himself. During his last year of high school he becomes friends with two classmates who, each in different ways, challenge and stretch him as a person. Much to his mother’s dismay, Martin decides not to pursue the priesthood. He struggles academically and barely finishes school. It is Martin’s interaction with his friends and mother and his keen internal observations that keeps this story moving and ultimately worth reading. ( )