![]() After being raped by her father, Mary conceives his child. Inspired by a case in Ireland, in which a 14-year-old rape victim was forbidden by the courts to leave the country to obtain an abortion, "Down by the River" is the story of Mary MacNamara. O'Brien's gifts are magnificent and terrifying, along the lines of stigmata and clairvoyance - the kind of gifts that mark you. There's no way a blessed person could have written a novel as shimmering, as ruthless and as devastating as "Down by the River": it's evidence of something more than mere talent, or even genius, at work. But to understand your own brutal, beautiful country as well as Edna O'Brien understands hers must be a bigger curse by far. They say the curse of the Irish is the drink. Just as O'Brien's short stories don't disappoint, neither does her novel. class in college, a class during which we only read her short stories. ![]() I learned of O'Brien's work through an Irish Lit. This gives the reader a chance to look at the issues from all angles, and it makes for a truly well-rounded reading experience. We also get glimpses into the mind of Mary, the victim whose unwanted pregnancy has caused such a stir. O'Brien perfectly depicts religious fanatics, stubborn Irish citizens who label a rape victim as a whore, and the community members outraged by the rape and the events caused by it. Any writer who can weave a story in such a compelling way that its characters infuriate me is a great writer in my opinion. I raced through this book in about three days, but if you're a fast reader, you could probably devour it in one sitting. This may sound annoying, but the pace of the novel is so intense and the story so riveting that I truly forgot about these "pet peeves" after awhile. ![]() As the novel goes on, more and more characters are introduced, some who are only discussed for a mere two or three pages. Sometimes, I'd find myself going back to prior chapters just to see if the character I was reading about had been introduced earlier. As some other reviewers have mentioned, it's often difficult to tell which character is speaking in this novel. Honestly, I was really put off during the first 50 pgs. ![]() I just wanted to say that this novel IS worth sticking with, even though O'Brien's style may not be for everyone. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |