Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Trespasses

Before reading this novel, I didn't know anything about the Troubles, a historical period of political unrest and violence in 1960s-1990s Ireland. I feel like I learned a lot about the prejudice experienced between Catholics and Protestants. I adored Davy's character, and I honestly hated Michael, even if he seemed to love Cushla. The parts that took place in 2015 made my heart happy.

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mjstokes's review against another edition

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BORING ASF.

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ramreadsagain's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No

4.0

“Booby trap. Incendiary device. Gelignite. Nitroglycerine. Petrol bomb. Rubber bullets. Saracen. Internment. The Special Powers Act. Vanguard. The vocabulary of a 7-year-old child now.”

Cushla, a young Catholic school teacher, lives in a 'mixed' (but largely Protestant) town near Belfast, in the 70's amid The Troubles. She becomes a bit too involved in the life of Davy, a boy in the class she teaches, from a poor Catholic family living in a Protestant estate. She becomes much too involved with Michael, an older, highly educated, married Protestant barrister. While these actions might only have personal consequences in other times and places, they put her in a very precarious position within her divided community.

I am ashamed to admit that most of my knowledge of this part of Northern Ireland's history comes from Derry Girls, so I feel like I've learnt a lot here.

This is one of those books you come out of in a bit of a daze. It's a proper slowburn, then the final quarter just throws everything at you. The author has done an amazing job at immersing the reader into the time period, with descriptions of clothing, food, and overall mood creating an atmospheric 70's working class time capsule.

It's very well-written and pulls no punches. I did find the plot itself a bit... predictable? Essentially, it's exactly what I would expect from a literary book of this kind. Ticks boxes, I suppose. I was also not entirely convinced by the romance.

However, I know I'll remember this book for a long time, and I'm very happy to have read it. Absolutely a recommendation from me!

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madamelacy's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Set in Northern Ireland during the 1970s the story follows Cushla, a Catholic teacher and occasional bartender, as she embarks on a relationship with Michael, a married, Protestant barrister. Their relationship happens to a backdrop of The Troubles, with people trying to live normal lives despite daily acts of terror occurring in their communities.

Cushla befriends a Catholic family in need after the father of one of her pupils is severely beaten. The two strands of her life, as a teacher and as Michael’s lover, become inextricably linked.

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geraldinerowe's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Trespasses is utterly heartbreaking, not just as far as the main relationship in the story is concerned, but all of those around it as well as the times in which it was set. I found the power balance in the affair between Cushla and Michael somewhat problematic, even beyond its acknowledgement by the author, and Cushla's awareness of it and willingness to continue nevertheless, which slightly soured the romance of it for me. The language is beautiful and pulls you along with it (despite the fashionable lack of speech marks), but what will stay with me is the difficulty faced by people trying to live vaguely normal lives at that time. And Davy. I love Davy.

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ineedmorecoffee's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Damn you, Louise Kennedy, for making me feel things.

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