A review by serendipitysbooks
The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-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

4.25

 
The Glorious Heresies is a really gritty Irish novel featuring drugs, murder, alcohol, gangland violence, prostitution, domestic violence, sexual abuse and more. It’s also surprisingly funny, in a dark kind of way. There’s an intriguing cast of colourful characters including Maureen, the estranged mother of gangland boss Jimmy, who accidentally commits murder; alcoholic Tony who does a lot of Jimmy’s dirty work, and Tony’s 15 year old son Ryan, already a drug dealer but determined not to grow up to be like his abusive father. The characterisation is brilliant, making it easy to root for characters, who at first glance seemed pretty unlikeable. I couldn’t help want the best for Ryan and relate to the innocent hopeful boy inside the tough and sometimes angry exterior, even when he was failing miserably to live up to his goals. The writing is vibrant, full of energy and emotion. I’m glad I listened on audio since I think it really let the author’s voice shine. The anger at the Catholic Church and at government agencies for the way they treated those on the fringes of society was palpable.
 
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