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nineveh_ukThe new year involved going to Edinburgh, unsurprisingly being pretty tired and spending some of it extraordinarily tired, coming hope after a week, and still being tired. But I had a very enjoyable break from work, with Christmas at antisoppist's and then new year with parents, even if most of it was spent either traveling or pole-axed on the sofa. Fortunately, the new year week brought an excellent edition of the Tour de Ski so I had something enjoyable to watch when on said sofa, although I probably enjoyed the couple of races with thick snow and the one up a ski-slope more than the participants.
Otherwise, I didn't do much - no writing, unsurprisingly. But I did read an absolutely excellent book.
I bought Small Things Like These as an impulse purchase when it was on the table in the bookshop, and I liked the cover and the blurb sounded interesting and before I knew it I was flicking through it and admiring the writing. It was also a plus at the moment that it wasn't very long... I'm terrible at reviews, so will cheat with the official blurb.
It is 1985, in an Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, faces into his busiest season. As he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him - and encounters the complicit silences of a people controlled by the Church.
It's no spoiler to say that it's the story of a basically decent man slowly coming to realise the nature of the laundry at the convent on the hill, and then have to work out how he will deal with this knowledge, and an indictment of a society for a long time, didn't. The writing is terrific on a technical level*, not obtrusive, but the work of someone in absolute control of her craft, the characters and events swiftly and powerfully drawn. Above all, it's a portrait of a moment in time. Ten years later, it would be a different story.
*Though a character does let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Damn you, fandom! I will never fail to notice that sentence in any context.
antisoppist's and then new year with parents, even if most of it was spent either traveling or pole-axed on the sofa. Fortunately, the new year week brought an excellent edition of the Tour de Ski so I had something enjoyable to watch when on said sofa, although I probably enjoyed the couple of races with thick snow and the one up a ski-slope more than the participants.Otherwise, I didn't do much - no writing, unsurprisingly. But I did read an absolutely excellent book.
I bought Small Things Like These as an impulse purchase when it was on the table in the bookshop, and I liked the cover and the blurb sounded interesting and before I knew it I was flicking through it and admiring the writing. It was also a plus at the moment that it wasn't very long... I'm terrible at reviews, so will cheat with the official blurb.
It is 1985, in an Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, faces into his busiest season. As he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him - and encounters the complicit silences of a people controlled by the Church.
It's no spoiler to say that it's the story of a basically decent man slowly coming to realise the nature of the laundry at the convent on the hill, and then have to work out how he will deal with this knowledge, and an indictment of a society for a long time, didn't. The writing is terrific on a technical level*, not obtrusive, but the work of someone in absolute control of her craft, the characters and events swiftly and powerfully drawn. Above all, it's a portrait of a moment in time. Ten years later, it would be a different story.
*Though a character does let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Damn you, fandom! I will never fail to notice that sentence in any context.