A review by kairhone
House of Splendid Isolation by Edna O'Brien

challenging emotional slow-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

3.0

I most looked forward to the conversations between Josie and McGreevy; Josie being surprised by her own fearlessness in challenging him and his growing softness and vulnerability. They see each other as allies eventually, and it's McGreevy that pushes Josie to realize that she's more nationalist than she thought. I enjoy Josie's journal entries where she contemplates her loneliness and her desire to learn about this man and goad him into friendship after years of being outcasted by her neighbors. It's in these moments that Edna's writing is strongest. She attempts this same vignette into Irish inviduals, but the other characters lack intrigue. I wanted to spend more time in the old house with Josie and her captor. 
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