Take a photo of a barcode or cover
borborygmus 's review for:
The Green Road
by Anne Enright
Looking back, I see that in 2008 I gave Enright's The Gathering 5 stars. So what's different this time?
Well, the family is now based, not in Dublin, but on the west coast of Ireland - although the kids have fluttered to Dublin, USA, Canada and Africa from there, returning all to the family home for the conclusion. But this remains a quintessentially Irish novel. Riding hard through the book is the failed homosexual candidate priest, the endearing rural ways, and the Celtic Tiger which takes over - brought back to the bygone green road. The children are conflicted, confused, desperate to be worthy, stuck in rut, frustrated, and alcoholic - so a normal family, then, at least for an Irish novel.
Enright is a superb writer:
Family is strong - strong enough to bring everyone home eventually, despite their desperate escapes.
I liked this book, partly because I have visited that part of Ireland many times over the timeframe of the story, and I think I have some understanding of the changes wrought during it. Enright seems to find the whole thing a bit of an unsalvageable tragedy. I am not sure I fully agree, but then, I'm not from County Clare, and nevertheless I think she has a point.
This is 4.5 from 5, so I'll round that up. If you are interested in contemporary Irish fiction, and the vogue of Sally Rooney is anathema, then this is recommended.
Well, the family is now based, not in Dublin, but on the west coast of Ireland - although the kids have fluttered to Dublin, USA, Canada and Africa from there, returning all to the family home for the conclusion. But this remains a quintessentially Irish novel. Riding hard through the book is the failed homosexual candidate priest, the endearing rural ways, and the Celtic Tiger which takes over - brought back to the bygone green road. The children are conflicted, confused, desperate to be worthy, stuck in rut, frustrated, and alcoholic - so a normal family, then, at least for an Irish novel.
Enright is a superb writer:
Billy looked Isabelle over, when they moved through the double doors for coffee: the unreliable little ribcage, with a pair of those flat little triangular breasts like flesh origami: also lumpy bits from waist to hip where her underwear was a bit too pragmatic – she would look better without, he thought, though Isabelle was not the sort of girl who would ever go without. The most surprising thing about her were the shoes, which were black to match the rest of the outfit, but with fabulous, bloody red soles. She walked in them like a child playing dress-up.
Family is strong - strong enough to bring everyone home eventually, despite their desperate escapes.
Even now, he wondered at the home movie of his memory. His father shrugging him away on Fanore beach – the slow motion feel to it. Who had pressed the mute button on his childhood? His father’s hands were wet and cold. His mother was foolish. His grandmother had three hats. And, yet, everywhere he looked, the house held memory and meaning that his heart could not. The house was full of detail, interest, love.
I liked this book, partly because I have visited that part of Ireland many times over the timeframe of the story, and I think I have some understanding of the changes wrought during it. Enright seems to find the whole thing a bit of an unsalvageable tragedy. I am not sure I fully agree, but then, I'm not from County Clare, and nevertheless I think she has a point.
This is 4.5 from 5, so I'll round that up. If you are interested in contemporary Irish fiction, and the vogue of Sally Rooney is anathema, then this is recommended.