A review by reads_eats_explores
Wild Houses by Colin Barrett

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Wild Houses is Barrett’s debut novel, and he sticks to his County Mayo home turf with this briskly paced and highly engaging tale of dubious characters caught up in small-time criminal activity throughout just one weekend.

One evening, the Ferdias appear at the front door of their cousin Dev Hendrick with teenager Doll English in their grasp. We soon learn that the Ferdias work as enforcers for a drug dealer named Mulrooney, and they’ve been cuckooing the recently bereaved, achingly lonely Dev by using his house to store their boss’s product.

But why kidnap Doll? Well, his older brother, Cillian, ran a ‘wild house’ as a former dealer, and he’s old debts that need be settled. What better way to make him cough up than abduct his young brother?

When Doll disappears from a Friday night party after a fight with his girlfriend, Nicky Hennigan, her annoyance turns to alarm when she learns that he’s being held hostage. Nicky, plagued by ghosts and deep tragedy of her own, is contemplating her future plans and whether they involve Doll; is young love enough?

With deft skill, Barrett interweaves pitch-perfect stories of Doll’s captivity, Nicky’s troubled mind, and Dev’s sad life story as this weekend rolls on.

There is a simmering threat of violence throughout, and tension steadily builds toward the inevitable confrontation between the Ferdia brothers and Cillian (who, let’s face it, are all shams), but the joy is in Barrett’s ability to bring all characters humanity to the fore. They might be considered the scourge of society, but they all have a backstory and quite clearly recognise their own profound flaws. And, sure, despite all this you can't help but root for them to make the better choices.

With the vibes of Lisa McInerney’s ‘unholy trinity’, there’s so much to love about this book. I’ve said it before, and I’m sure to be saying it again soon: Irish fiction is on top form right now, and Wild Houses is no exception. Can we have a sequel, please, Colin?

4.5⭐

Many thanks to the publisher for the advance copy; this is an honest review, as always. Wild Houses is available now; g’wan and get a copy, run, don't walk.