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portybelle 's review for:
From a Low and Quiet Sea
by Donal Ryan
From a Low and Quiet Sea is a book that I'm not sure I quite have the words to do justice to. It is a story about three men living in small town Ireland and is told in four parts.
Firstly we read the devastating story of Farouk, a Syrian refugee. His words brings vividly to life the reality of the danger and fears faced by those in Syria and gives it a human face. He is just a father like any father, wanting his family to be safe and risking so much to bring his wife and child to safety. Next is young Lampy who is frustrated in love. He was unceremoniously dumped by the girl he loved who perhaps regarded him as not good enough. He lives with his mother and his grandfather who is loud, foul-mouthed and somewhat embarrassing. He has never known his father. The final character is John who through an internal monologue is looking back over his life, recognising the wrongs he has done, a confession if you like. His older brother died suddenly when young and was put on pedestal that he felt he could not live up to. This loss coloured his life and influenced the person he became and the choices he made.
The three stories were all equally compelling, relating just enough to keep the reader's attention yet leaving a sense of wanting to know more. What links these three men is a sense of loss and the final part of the book brings their stories together in a most unexpected way. It has one of the most touching endings I've read in a novel, which really tugged at the emotions. The ending changed my view of one the characters who was finally able to express love. This is a book I feel I need to read again to get a deeper understanding of each character knowing what I learned from the ending.
From a Low and Quiet Sea is an epic read in a slim but powerful and beautifully crafted book.
Firstly we read the devastating story of Farouk, a Syrian refugee. His words brings vividly to life the reality of the danger and fears faced by those in Syria and gives it a human face. He is just a father like any father, wanting his family to be safe and risking so much to bring his wife and child to safety. Next is young Lampy who is frustrated in love. He was unceremoniously dumped by the girl he loved who perhaps regarded him as not good enough. He lives with his mother and his grandfather who is loud, foul-mouthed and somewhat embarrassing. He has never known his father. The final character is John who through an internal monologue is looking back over his life, recognising the wrongs he has done, a confession if you like. His older brother died suddenly when young and was put on pedestal that he felt he could not live up to. This loss coloured his life and influenced the person he became and the choices he made.
The three stories were all equally compelling, relating just enough to keep the reader's attention yet leaving a sense of wanting to know more. What links these three men is a sense of loss and the final part of the book brings their stories together in a most unexpected way. It has one of the most touching endings I've read in a novel, which really tugged at the emotions. The ending changed my view of one the characters who was finally able to express love. This is a book I feel I need to read again to get a deeper understanding of each character knowing what I learned from the ending.
From a Low and Quiet Sea is an epic read in a slim but powerful and beautifully crafted book.