A review by admatthews
The Raptures by Jan Carson

dark emotional funny mysterious fast-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? Yes

5.0

Outstanding. The insularity of an early-90s Northern Irish village, and of a strict protestant family, is shattered by a mysterious and seemingly innocuous intrusion from the outside world. Each character is drawn with great nuance and empathy. Humour sits alongside awful grief, and the magic realist touches amplify the scope and humanity of the novel. The question over whether some of the victims are better off dead than alive is disturbingly unanswerable.
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