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noshinbean's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Infertility, Sexual content, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, and Violence
_inge's review against another edition
I loved how Irish this was. The characters all felt really real. Father Slattery was hilariously awful, I could practically smell the pub and hear the banter inside, and the Irish phrases used I could sometimes ‘hear’ on paper.
The story mostly focuses on how The Troubles influenced people in their daily lives. This was visible at the start of every second chapter or so, for instance. It would start by summarising news from the area, and sometimes you’d get to hear how this news impacts the protagonist or if it’s connected to her in any way, yet other times this isn’t brought on as there’s no connection between her and the news whatsoever. This really showed how odd it must’ve been to live during this period; if the news doesn’t broadcast anything on someone you may now, you’d still be wary that this might happen another day. People try to go on with their daily lives but current affairs always seep through. I found this perspective refreshing.
The style of writing included a lot of shifts. Sometimes you’d not hear what a character is up to, but it would be alluded to it. Someone might stand in front of a house, for instance, but the next sentence describes how the doorknob feels. This character would be inside the house in the sentences that follow. So you don’t read about them twisting the doorknob themselves, or even stepping inside, but from the next few lines you get that they must now be inside the house. Every chapter started at a completely different point of the story too. In the previous chapter you may have read about the protagonist leaving one place, but the next chapter would cut to her being somewhere entirely different. This fragmented style sometimes means you have to actively work out what’s happening. It’s never too difficult, but I have had times where I got lost in the details of a certain place and got confused at the location of the next scene. The author doesn’t use quotation marks either, but because there’s quite a few characters in this you might have to work out who’s speaking, too.
I did find it interesting how every character is referred to by their first name. Even Cushla’s mum or brother are never referred to as being that to her. This makes for interesting writing concerning the affair; just like the protagonist you don’t know who Michael is to her. I don’t know whether this was a fully conscious choice, but I did like it.
This could’ve been a hard read, and I could get that this character focused story could make that even more so for some, but there was hope found within the pages. People were as horrible as they were kind to each other. Throughout reading you’re never too sure what the intentions of each character are, and if their actions are wrong or right. That makes for an interesting read.
The story mostly focuses on how The Troubles influenced people in their daily lives. This was visible at the start of every second chapter or so, for instance. It would start by summarising news from the area, and sometimes you’d get to hear how this news impacts the protagonist or if it’s connected to her in any way, yet other times this isn’t brought on as there’s no connection between her and the news whatsoever. This really showed how odd it must’ve been to live during this period; if the news doesn’t broadcast anything on someone you may now, you’d still be wary that this might happen another day. People try to go on with their daily lives but current affairs always seep through. I found this perspective refreshing.
The style of writing included a lot of shifts. Sometimes you’d not hear what a character is up to, but it would be alluded to it. Someone might stand in front of a house, for instance, but the next sentence describes how the doorknob feels. This character would be inside the house in the sentences that follow. So you don’t read about them twisting the doorknob themselves, or even stepping inside, but from the next few lines you get that they must now be inside the house. Every chapter started at a completely different point of the story too. In the previous chapter you may have read about the protagonist leaving one place, but the next chapter would cut to her being somewhere entirely different. This fragmented style sometimes means you have to actively work out what’s happening. It’s never too difficult, but I have had times where I got lost in the details of a certain place and got confused at the location of the next scene. The author doesn’t use quotation marks either, but because there’s quite a few characters in this you might have to work out who’s speaking, too.
I did find it interesting how every character is referred to by their first name. Even Cushla’s mum or brother are never referred to as being that to her. This makes for interesting writing concerning the affair; just like the protagonist you don’t know who Michael is to her. I don’t know whether this was a fully conscious choice, but I did like it.
This could’ve been a hard read, and I could get that this character focused story could make that even more so for some, but there was hope found within the pages. People were as horrible as they were kind to each other. Throughout reading you’re never too sure what the intentions of each character are, and if their actions are wrong or right. That makes for an interesting read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Infidelity, Grief, Death, Addiction, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
rly's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, and Police brutality
rochelles_reading_journal's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Murder, Violence, and Addiction
travelseatsreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
I wasn't sure what to expect when I read the blurb for Trespasses but what I got was a gripping, haunting & deeply evocative story of love & loss amidst The Troubles in 1970s Ireland.
Louise Kennedy's writing throughout these pages is quite simply flawless. From the first few lines I was captured & taken straight to 1970s Northern Ireland. The prose is so entrancingly evocative & effortless that I could smell the putrid thick smoke in the air, feel the hard bar stool pinching at my thighs & almost taste the oaky amber liquids swirling in Michael's glass.
Every single character Kennedy has written is very much their own distinct individual with contrasting beliefs, morals & quirks. What they all have in common is that they are so raw & real & are not pretending to be anything that they aren't. There are characters that I absolutely hated, to the point where I almost snarled as they appeared on the pages, there were characters who simply broke my heart & left me crushed by the situation they were in & then there were those that I just couldn't get a hold of, so slippery just like in life when you don't know what to make of someone.
The book overflows with extreme emotions & I feel that's down to Louise's ability to depict the true reality of events & festering atmosphere of 1970s Ireland so realistically that it is hard not to feel the intense fear terror & anger that was bubbling within the people at the time.
Often when I'm reading, I simply just read & enjoy the story & maybe try to figure out the plot. However, with Trespasses I was so engrossed within the words that I found myself visualising every scenario playing out in my head in vivid detail, to say I was caught within the flow of the storyline would be an absolute understatement. I found myself so enthralled that when it came to the ending it honestly felt like a punch to the stomach, which inevitably kept on coming. It is a long time since I've been so enthralled by a book that I simply just experienced it & enjoyed it without wondering what was coming next.
A beautifully raw & brutal piece of writing which stirred huge emotions & will stay with me for quite some time to come.
Louise Kennedy's writing throughout these pages is quite simply flawless. From the first few lines I was captured & taken straight to 1970s Northern Ireland. The prose is so entrancingly evocative & effortless that I could smell the putrid thick smoke in the air, feel the hard bar stool pinching at my thighs & almost taste the oaky amber liquids swirling in Michael's glass.
Every single character Kennedy has written is very much their own distinct individual with contrasting beliefs, morals & quirks. What they all have in common is that they are so raw & real & are not pretending to be anything that they aren't. There are characters that I absolutely hated, to the point where I almost snarled as they appeared on the pages, there were characters who simply broke my heart & left me crushed by the situation they were in & then there were those that I just couldn't get a hold of, so slippery just like in life when you don't know what to make of someone.
The book overflows with extreme emotions & I feel that's down to Louise's ability to depict the true reality of events & festering atmosphere of 1970s Ireland so realistically that it is hard not to feel the intense fear terror & anger that was bubbling within the people at the time.
Often when I'm reading, I simply just read & enjoy the story & maybe try to figure out the plot. However, with Trespasses I was so engrossed within the words that I found myself visualising every scenario playing out in my head in vivid detail, to say I was caught within the flow of the storyline would be an absolute understatement. I found myself so enthralled that when it came to the ending it honestly felt like a punch to the stomach, which inevitably kept on coming. It is a long time since I've been so enthralled by a book that I simply just experienced it & enjoyed it without wondering what was coming next.
A beautifully raw & brutal piece of writing which stirred huge emotions & will stay with me for quite some time to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, War, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, and Violence
becca_thegrimreader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
I adored Louise Kennedy’s collection of short stories “The End of the World is a Cul de Sac,” and as soon as I found out about her debut novel I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. This book did not leave me disappointed. Kennedy’s style of writing is magical with a power to captivate you from the very beginning.
Cushla Lavery is a twenty four year old woman who splits her time between teaching and bartending at her family’s bar. Living in Northern Ireland she has witnessed and experienced the brutality of life during The Troubles. During one of her shifts at the bar Cushla meets Michael Agnew, a prominent barrister who isn’t afraid to fight against the political injustice. After a father of one of the boys in her class is savagely attacked, she works to help the boy and his family through the difficult time that follows.
This book blew me away at times, it is an unflinching and brutal portrayal of life in Northern Ireland. Kennedy does not shy away from sharing the turbulent and heartbreaking history of life during these times with daily news of beatings, murders, bombings, and so much more. To read of seven-year-olds reporting of these tragedies in school each day is deeply powerful and painful. I was devastated when I finished this book and I am still left thinking about it days later.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the copy of this book. My review is honest and unbiased.
Cushla Lavery is a twenty four year old woman who splits her time between teaching and bartending at her family’s bar. Living in Northern Ireland she has witnessed and experienced the brutality of life during The Troubles. During one of her shifts at the bar Cushla meets Michael Agnew, a prominent barrister who isn’t afraid to fight against the political injustice. After a father of one of the boys in her class is savagely attacked, she works to help the boy and his family through the difficult time that follows.
This book blew me away at times, it is an unflinching and brutal portrayal of life in Northern Ireland. Kennedy does not shy away from sharing the turbulent and heartbreaking history of life during these times with daily news of beatings, murders, bombings, and so much more. To read of seven-year-olds reporting of these tragedies in school each day is deeply powerful and painful. I was devastated when I finished this book and I am still left thinking about it days later.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the copy of this book. My review is honest and unbiased.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Death
Minor: Death of parent
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