Colm Toibin
1992
Around 245 pages
This is basically a retread of Amongst Women, but if the List has taught me anything, it's that every idea has been done before, and that the best we can hope for as writers is to approach old themes with a fresh take. I don't really think that happened here.
Eamon Redmond is a judge in the Irish High Court in the late 1900s. We examine his relationships with his wife and children through his life and the memories of a childhood marked by the death of his father. And once again we have an author who assumes his readers are from his home country. Which is perfectly fine, not every novel needs to be for everybody. Just makes it less enjoyable for me and my fellow Plastic Paddies.
So yes, I'm sure this is entertaining if you are interested in Irish politics of the time. This is impressive for a second novel since his voice is well-developed at this point. Not much else to say about this one, kind of a yawn.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts:
Won the 1993 Encore Award for a second novel.
Takes its title from a line from the song "Boolavogue":"a rebel hand set the heather blazing."
UP NEXT: The Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates
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