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A review by becca_thegrimreader
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
I adored Louise Kennedy’s collection of short stories “The End of the World is a Cul de Sac,” and as soon as I found out about her debut novel I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. This book did not leave me disappointed. Kennedy’s style of writing is magical with a power to captivate you from the very beginning.
Cushla Lavery is a twenty four year old woman who splits her time between teaching and bartending at her family’s bar. Living in Northern Ireland she has witnessed and experienced the brutality of life during The Troubles. During one of her shifts at the bar Cushla meets Michael Agnew, a prominent barrister who isn’t afraid to fight against the political injustice. After a father of one of the boys in her class is savagely attacked, she works to help the boy and his family through the difficult time that follows.
This book blew me away at times, it is an unflinching and brutal portrayal of life in Northern Ireland. Kennedy does not shy away from sharing the turbulent and heartbreaking history of life during these times with daily news of beatings, murders, bombings, and so much more. To read of seven-year-olds reporting of these tragedies in school each day is deeply powerful and painful. I was devastated when I finished this book and I am still left thinking about it days later.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the copy of this book. My review is honest and unbiased.
Cushla Lavery is a twenty four year old woman who splits her time between teaching and bartending at her family’s bar. Living in Northern Ireland she has witnessed and experienced the brutality of life during The Troubles. During one of her shifts at the bar Cushla meets Michael Agnew, a prominent barrister who isn’t afraid to fight against the political injustice. After a father of one of the boys in her class is savagely attacked, she works to help the boy and his family through the difficult time that follows.
This book blew me away at times, it is an unflinching and brutal portrayal of life in Northern Ireland. Kennedy does not shy away from sharing the turbulent and heartbreaking history of life during these times with daily news of beatings, murders, bombings, and so much more. To read of seven-year-olds reporting of these tragedies in school each day is deeply powerful and painful. I was devastated when I finished this book and I am still left thinking about it days later.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the copy of this book. My review is honest and unbiased.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Death
Minor: Death of parent