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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
I read this a few years ago but got more out of it this time. The idea of a former paramilitary being propelled to take revenge for 12 victims of IRA killings is compelling throughout the entire story. Fagan is a bad guy who began killing when barely out of his teens. His story of being tricked and coerced into some of these killings is one reason why he doesn't deny his ghosts their revenge. I imagine that people who know Northern Ireland's history and politics won't fail to recognize the thinly veiled portrayal of the Nationalist politician who denys ever being behind any killings, while Fagan describes him as the mastermind of many, as well as a person who knows where the bodies are buried. The narration is expertly done by Gerard Doyle, my favorite narrator for Northern Irish books.
It was hard for me to get into this one in the beginning. I think because there are a lot of terms specific to Northern Ireland and the Troubles that aren't really explained. Makes sense since the author is Northern Irish. Ended up really liking it though.
This novel is a non-stop action thrill ride. It will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole entire time!
The premise is fairly simple. A man, haunted by the ghosts of his past, seeks revenge for said ghosts on the men who ordered him to kill. What drew me to the novel originally was the setting. The story is set in Northern Ireland, sometime after 9/11 happened. They story's roots though are in the past, during the Troubles between Northern Ireland, the Irish Republic, and England.
I will offer a small piece of advice for anyone tackling this book. Make sure you have a refernce book on the Itrish Troubles handy. If for nothing else than to know the slang for the different fighting groups.
The premise is fairly simple. A man, haunted by the ghosts of his past, seeks revenge for said ghosts on the men who ordered him to kill. What drew me to the novel originally was the setting. The story is set in Northern Ireland, sometime after 9/11 happened. They story's roots though are in the past, during the Troubles between Northern Ireland, the Irish Republic, and England.
I will offer a small piece of advice for anyone tackling this book. Make sure you have a refernce book on the Itrish Troubles handy. If for nothing else than to know the slang for the different fighting groups.
I was expecting a police or detective book but was not disappointed to find that it was neither. Instead, we follow an ex-IRA assassin who, years later, exorcises the ghosts of those he killed (and it doesn't matter at all whether they're real ghosts or the result of the assassin's mental illness) by complying with their wishes that he kill certain of his former compatriots. It's a gripping read and well written. For me, the violence was a bit too graphic and sadistic . . . not sure if I'll tackle another in the series.
I listened to the audio version of this book and really enjoyed it. The narrator, Gerard Doyle, really captured the feel of place and people and I think I enjoyed it more as a listening experience more than I might have had I read it. The book was violent and the characters for the most part are almost all nasty unlikeable types with something to hide. The premise, of ghosts haunting a killer, demanding retribution, sounds far-fetched, but it worked. The characters were well drawn and believable. I found myself gradually coming to respect the protagonist, Gerry Fagen, as he came to terms with his own life. Highly recommended but not for the squeamish or those trying to avoid the grittier sides of life.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What an incrediable read. Neville is a gifted writer. Regan is a tortured soul looking for redention. The author has brought to life a world that is somewhat unknown.
I really am very excited about reading other books written by this auther.
I really am very excited about reading other books written by this auther.
I'm not entirely sure how I've gone so long without reading this book or knowing about this author. This is wonderful noir fiction set in post-Troubles Ireland and it will quietly remind you again and again how awful things were before the Good Friday peace accord. No one's hands are clean. We so often think only of Muslim extremists when we think of terrorism and forget Oklahoma City and the IRA and the white supremacist movements. We don't have a clue about colonialism (neo- or not). Imperialism is an abstract word. Most of all, I think we forget the sheer human cost - a cost that resounds through history and world events.
With Fegan, Mr. Neville has captured the despair of a hard man when the work is done. Haunted by his past, literally and figuratively, Fegan cannot forget - his ghosts can't forgive. Lovingly and meticulously written, Ghosts of Belfast forces the reader to care about someone they might condemn after reading about them in the newspaper. It reminds us that the use horror and terror as political weapons can happen anywhere and that sometimes not love nor revenge can redeem.
I loved this book and will now have to find and read Mr. Neville's other books - if they're as good as this one I'm in for a great ride.
With Fegan, Mr. Neville has captured the despair of a hard man when the work is done. Haunted by his past, literally and figuratively, Fegan cannot forget - his ghosts can't forgive. Lovingly and meticulously written, Ghosts of Belfast forces the reader to care about someone they might condemn after reading about them in the newspaper. It reminds us that the use horror and terror as political weapons can happen anywhere and that sometimes not love nor revenge can redeem.
I loved this book and will now have to find and read Mr. Neville's other books - if they're as good as this one I'm in for a great ride.
Peace has come to Northern Ireland, but not to Gerry Fegan, a former assassin for the Irish Republican Army. Fegan's victims lurk in the shadows and scream in the night, driving Fegan to whiskey and madness. Only by killing the people who ordered the murders will Fegan find peace. This thriller won the 2009 L.A. Time Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller and the Spintingler Award for Best First Novel.