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conanmacg 's review for:
Prophet Song
by Paul Lynch
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Heart wrenching read.
This is an emotional story, which allows the reader to empathise easier with refugees and asylum seekers from other countries. It is especially poignant and hard hitting as an Irish person.
The choice of setting was great, and really helped to nail the point home; anyone could be put in that situation, so show them some kindness. As Lynch writes near the end of the book, love will heal the world.
I appreciated the lack of pragraphs, as it fed into the drudgery and monotony, but also the chaos of the Stack family’s lives. It really felt like one constant stream of thoughts, never ending. It almost felt like I was inside Eilish’s head, after all of those nights without sleep, all those days filled with anxiety and depression.
The only problem I found with the book was the lack of speech marks, which, while fed into the above-mentioned style, took away from some of the comprehension for me. As well as this, there were quite a lot of descriptors and metaphors that ran on quite long, creating some confusion or making it harder to understand. I found myself reading some sections two or three times to fully grasp what was written. This was, however, only a minor gripe.
Overall, a great book that should be read across the board. I would particularly recommend it to those who find themselves struggling to accept immigrants or refugees into their countries. Deserving of the Booker Prize!
This is an emotional story, which allows the reader to empathise easier with refugees and asylum seekers from other countries. It is especially poignant and hard hitting as an Irish person.
The choice of setting was great, and really helped to nail the point home; anyone could be put in that situation, so show them some kindness. As Lynch writes near the end of the book, love will heal the world.
I appreciated the lack of pragraphs, as it fed into the drudgery and monotony, but also the chaos of the Stack family’s lives. It really felt like one constant stream of thoughts, never ending. It almost felt like I was inside Eilish’s head, after all of those nights without sleep, all those days filled with anxiety and depression.
The only problem I found with the book was the lack of speech marks, which, while fed into the above-mentioned style, took away from some of the comprehension for me. As well as this, there were quite a lot of descriptors and metaphors that ran on quite long, creating some confusion or making it harder to understand. I found myself reading some sections two or three times to fully grasp what was written. This was, however, only a minor gripe.
Overall, a great book that should be read across the board. I would particularly recommend it to those who find themselves struggling to accept immigrants or refugees into their countries. Deserving of the Booker Prize!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality
Minor: Pedophilia