Helpful Score: 1
Frank Delaney has mastered the art of storytelling - no question about it. His intimate knowledge of Ireland and the ways and mannerisms of the Irish people (including those of bygone times) brings an authenticity to this tale of love found and love lost. I enjoyed his little digressions in the story (and he tells you they are digressions) - not unlike the way we might relate details to someone to explain an account of an event in a conversation. As he says, "We Irish do this digression stunt. We're so damned pleased with our ability to talk hind legs off donkeys, that we assume people like to listen." And we do! That's the magic of a good storyteller - we are captivated and drawn in to the spell he is casting with his tale. It is not only the digressions, however, it is also the myriad of seemingly inconsequential details that he weaves into his narrative with such apparent ease that fleshes out the story and really brings it to life. It is this attention to detail that gives the story its sense of time and place. In that aspect his writing is somewhat reminiscent of James Joyce's technique (from the excerpts I've read of Ulysses). Since this is the first of a trilogy, there's more good storytelling ahead, it would appear.
Frank Delaney has given readers yet another fine story, one which takes place among the tumultuous events of his native Ireland's 20th century history. This is, of course, one of the main themes that run constantly throughout Delaney's books. This time, the action is centered on either side (before and after) of the general elections of 1932. It's okay if you know little to nothing about Irish political history; the author gives you enough background to make the time period and events understandable. Amid this political backdrop, Delaney introduces the reader to one Ben McCarthy, a young, naive 18-year old boy who little by little comes to be a man carrying the weight of his world on his shoulders. Ben's life, and that of his family, is altered forever by the entrance of Venetia Kelly and her Traveling Show. How this happens, and how it's connected to the 1932 elections is the main thrust of the story of this novel.
Beautifully written, the novel slowly draws you in, keeping you there until the very last page. Delaney starts out with introductions to the principal players of this novel: Ben McCarthy and his family, who live a better life than many of their neighbors & acquaintances; Sarah Kelly, actress and mother of Venetia Kelly; and King Kelly, Venetia's grandfather, who lives by the golden rule, which for him is "the man with the gold makes the rules." (257) Throughout the story, the author launches into "digressions," in which he gives you some of the history, folklore and other cultural bits about Ireland, all perfectly relevant to the story, and to which you should definitely pay attention. As other reviewers have noted, it starts out a bit slow and may feel a bit sloggy at first, but you will be handsomely rewarded if you continue and do not give up.Trust me on this one.
There are some wonderfully humorous moments in this book, which is also highly metaphorical in places, but Delaney does not hold back on the more frightening and sorrowful truths about the playing field of Irish politics and the lot of the poorer Irish people of the time.
This one I can definitely recommend. If you don't care about the politics, that's okay -- there are other stories at work here that will keep you reading, but do keep in mind that the whole is so much greater than its parts. Overall -- a very good read. Oh! The end was a bit over melodramatic for my tastes, but you may want to have a hanky handy as you're finishing the book.
Beautifully written, the novel slowly draws you in, keeping you there until the very last page. Delaney starts out with introductions to the principal players of this novel: Ben McCarthy and his family, who live a better life than many of their neighbors & acquaintances; Sarah Kelly, actress and mother of Venetia Kelly; and King Kelly, Venetia's grandfather, who lives by the golden rule, which for him is "the man with the gold makes the rules." (257) Throughout the story, the author launches into "digressions," in which he gives you some of the history, folklore and other cultural bits about Ireland, all perfectly relevant to the story, and to which you should definitely pay attention. As other reviewers have noted, it starts out a bit slow and may feel a bit sloggy at first, but you will be handsomely rewarded if you continue and do not give up.Trust me on this one.
There are some wonderfully humorous moments in this book, which is also highly metaphorical in places, but Delaney does not hold back on the more frightening and sorrowful truths about the playing field of Irish politics and the lot of the poorer Irish people of the time.
This one I can definitely recommend. If you don't care about the politics, that's okay -- there are other stories at work here that will keep you reading, but do keep in mind that the whole is so much greater than its parts. Overall -- a very good read. Oh! The end was a bit over melodramatic for my tastes, but you may want to have a hanky handy as you're finishing the book.
