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A Mad and Wonderful Thing
‘You wouldn’t get involved, Johnny, would you? What about those terrible bombs? You wouldn’t do a bad thing, would you?’
In this passionate and heart-wrenching debut novel by Irish writer Mark Mulholland, we meet Johnny Donnelly — an intense young man who is in love with books, with his country, and with the beautiful Cora Flannery. But in his dark and secret other life he shoots British soldiers: he is an IRA sniper.
How can this be? As his two worlds inevitably move towards a dramatic collision, Johnny takes us on a journey through the history, legends, and landscapes of his beloved Ireland. In the end, Johnny has to make sense of his inheritance and his life, and he does so in a riveting, redemptive, and unforgettable climax.
Told in Johnny’s unique voice, and peopled by a cast of extraordinary characters, A Mad and Wonderful Thing tells its tale lightly, but pulls a heavy load. It takes us beyond the charming, familiar, and often funny experiences of everyday life to the forces that bind people together, and that set them against each other — and to the profound consequences of the choices that they make.
In this passionate and heart-wrenching debut novel by Irish writer Mark Mulholland, we meet Johnny Donnelly — an intense young man who is in love with books, with his country, and with the beautiful Cora Flannery. But in his dark and secret other life he shoots British soldiers: he is an IRA sniper.
How can this be? As his two worlds inevitably move towards a dramatic collision, Johnny takes us on a journey through the history, legends, and landscapes of his beloved Ireland. In the end, Johnny has to make sense of his inheritance and his life, and he does so in a riveting, redemptive, and unforgettable climax.
Told in Johnny’s unique voice, and peopled by a cast of extraordinary characters, A Mad and Wonderful Thing tells its tale lightly, but pulls a heavy load. It takes us beyond the charming, familiar, and often funny experiences of everyday life to the forces that bind people together, and that set them against each other — and to the profound consequences of the choices that they make.
283 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2014
13 people are currently reading
734 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 8, 2018
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A sniper for the IRA has to go about his ordinary life without being caught or killed. I was expecting some sort of noir type action novel, but I got something very different.
A sniper for the IRA has to go about his ordinary life without being caught or killed. I was expecting some sort of noir type action novel, but I got something very different.
November 25, 2018
Cora is the love of Johnny’s life but Johnny is also passionate about the landscape and ancient legends of Irish folklore. Set in the Irish border town of Dundalk during the troubles of the 1990s, this novel explores the moral paradox that makes a gifted young man chose terrorism as a way of life. The lyrical charm of the Irish vernacular and romanticism of the writing lifts it from the usual searing, relentless nature of war stories.
Reviewed for Whichbook.net
Reviewed for Whichbook.net
September 23, 2015
I really enjoyed the character, even if he did have his dark side. The story was 'mad and wonderful' with elements of gaiety, sadness, adventure, philosophy and confrontation. Laughed, cried, cheered and cringed. Did not expect Bob in the beginning, but looked forward to his chats later in the book.
August 20, 2016
When traveling I enjoy stopping into a local bookstore and looking around. I found A Mad and Wonderful Thing in the Irish fiction section while shopping in a mall in Derry, Northern Ireland. Captivated by the title first and the topic of "The Troubles" second, I bought it even knowing that a book would be a rather heavy souvenir to cart home.
The story grabbed me on the first page. The prose is beautiful, emotional and scenic, all things critical to tell the story of love and war. You might say that Johnny Donnelly is a mixed up boy on the verge of manhood. On the other hand, you might say he's got it all together and his life choices are smooth and calculated. And then enters Cora Flannery, a beautiful girl wearing red boots with green laces, who steals his heart.
I didn't know much about the conflict in Ireland so visiting the country taught me a lot. I learned about potatoes, clogging and gingers, as the redheads are called. Politics however, as we well know here in the States, shine a whole different light on the inner workings of a society. War forces people to do things and think in a way that is often difficult to understand. I wished for Johnny to rise above the fray but in the end was left unsatisfied. I have to accept that because the strategy of war is something I will never personally be able to understand.
A Mad and Wonderful Thing was exactly that, mad and wonderful. I loved Johnny Donnelly and Cora Flannery but I hated the life they were forced to live in the midst of war.
The story grabbed me on the first page. The prose is beautiful, emotional and scenic, all things critical to tell the story of love and war. You might say that Johnny Donnelly is a mixed up boy on the verge of manhood. On the other hand, you might say he's got it all together and his life choices are smooth and calculated. And then enters Cora Flannery, a beautiful girl wearing red boots with green laces, who steals his heart.
I didn't know much about the conflict in Ireland so visiting the country taught me a lot. I learned about potatoes, clogging and gingers, as the redheads are called. Politics however, as we well know here in the States, shine a whole different light on the inner workings of a society. War forces people to do things and think in a way that is often difficult to understand. I wished for Johnny to rise above the fray but in the end was left unsatisfied. I have to accept that because the strategy of war is something I will never personally be able to understand.
A Mad and Wonderful Thing was exactly that, mad and wonderful. I loved Johnny Donnelly and Cora Flannery but I hated the life they were forced to live in the midst of war.
September 2, 2016
Barring Tírghrá, which is a very different kind of publication, this is the best book about the Troubles I've ever read.
April 21, 2014
Thank you to Scribe Publications for the copy of this book.
A mad and wonderful thing. Sounds the best of both worlds, doesn’t it? Something exciting, something to get your heart both racing and singing… This term can be used to summarise the protagonist in A Mad and Wonderful Thing, Johnny Donnelly – he’s full of wonderful ideas, love and kindness but he also hears and does some things that could be rightfully termed as completely mad.
The majority of the books I read based in Ireland are sweet and full of warmth – think Maeve Binchy, Cathy Kelly and Marian Keyes. They’ve lulled me into a sense of security that life in Ireland is green and full of wonderful family and friends. I’d almost entirely forgotten about the Troubles and IRA until Johnny Donnelly brought it up again. Mark Mulholland’s book brings to light not only what is good about Ireland, but its darker side, reminiscent of the Kevin and Sadie books by Joan Lingard that I read at school.
Johnny Donnelly is a character who has more layers than an onion. On the surface, he seems like a sweet Irish boy doing his apprenticeship and falling in love with Cora Flannery. His speech is full of Irish sayings and he’s incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Ireland. But then more is revealed about Johnny and it’s not so good. He’s a sniper in the IRA. He talks (and sees) his dead colleague. But when trouble hits close to home, Johnny goes off the rails a little bit more…and a bit more… Suddenly life isn’t so grand and there’s payback to be had…
What I enjoyed about A Mad and Wonderful Thing is the honesty that Johnny shares with the reader. His determination to take the English out of Ireland (one by one if necessary) is borne out of an incident as a child at the border with Northern Ireland. It’s a hatred that increases as time goes on and Johnny becomes more assured as a top sniper. However, when things fall apart – when love is lost and fatal mistakes are made, we can see Johnny’s thoughts unravelling. Although his family pleads with him not to hurt anyone, Johnny gets more trigger happy (and proves he’s a crack shot). Despite the anger burning in him, Johnny has a great capacity to love. When that love is lost, he fills the void with a number of liaisons that could be very good, if only he spent more time on them. It’s an interesting portrayal of a man who kills on the side.
Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the use of Irish history and stories. I loved the references to Cuchulainn’s Castle and Tir na nOg – Mulholland’s explanations were exceptionally well done and helped to set Ireland up as a special place in the book. Johnny and Cora’s knowledge of them gave a fairy tale like feel to their love and helped make Johnny seem more human in that he can love a woman as strongly as he loves his country (however misguided you may think his intentions are). I loved the juxtaposition of Johnny’s loves – it meant I couldn’t hate him as a character, only enjoy the ride with him. The book rides a wonderful mixture of emotions, sometimes you can feel on top of the world and others be sniffling at the sadness and injustice of life.
A solid debut by Mark Mulholland and a fantastically complex character created in Johnny Donnelly.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
A mad and wonderful thing. Sounds the best of both worlds, doesn’t it? Something exciting, something to get your heart both racing and singing… This term can be used to summarise the protagonist in A Mad and Wonderful Thing, Johnny Donnelly – he’s full of wonderful ideas, love and kindness but he also hears and does some things that could be rightfully termed as completely mad.
The majority of the books I read based in Ireland are sweet and full of warmth – think Maeve Binchy, Cathy Kelly and Marian Keyes. They’ve lulled me into a sense of security that life in Ireland is green and full of wonderful family and friends. I’d almost entirely forgotten about the Troubles and IRA until Johnny Donnelly brought it up again. Mark Mulholland’s book brings to light not only what is good about Ireland, but its darker side, reminiscent of the Kevin and Sadie books by Joan Lingard that I read at school.
Johnny Donnelly is a character who has more layers than an onion. On the surface, he seems like a sweet Irish boy doing his apprenticeship and falling in love with Cora Flannery. His speech is full of Irish sayings and he’s incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Ireland. But then more is revealed about Johnny and it’s not so good. He’s a sniper in the IRA. He talks (and sees) his dead colleague. But when trouble hits close to home, Johnny goes off the rails a little bit more…and a bit more… Suddenly life isn’t so grand and there’s payback to be had…
What I enjoyed about A Mad and Wonderful Thing is the honesty that Johnny shares with the reader. His determination to take the English out of Ireland (one by one if necessary) is borne out of an incident as a child at the border with Northern Ireland. It’s a hatred that increases as time goes on and Johnny becomes more assured as a top sniper. However, when things fall apart – when love is lost and fatal mistakes are made, we can see Johnny’s thoughts unravelling. Although his family pleads with him not to hurt anyone, Johnny gets more trigger happy (and proves he’s a crack shot). Despite the anger burning in him, Johnny has a great capacity to love. When that love is lost, he fills the void with a number of liaisons that could be very good, if only he spent more time on them. It’s an interesting portrayal of a man who kills on the side.
Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the use of Irish history and stories. I loved the references to Cuchulainn’s Castle and Tir na nOg – Mulholland’s explanations were exceptionally well done and helped to set Ireland up as a special place in the book. Johnny and Cora’s knowledge of them gave a fairy tale like feel to their love and helped make Johnny seem more human in that he can love a woman as strongly as he loves his country (however misguided you may think his intentions are). I loved the juxtaposition of Johnny’s loves – it meant I couldn’t hate him as a character, only enjoy the ride with him. The book rides a wonderful mixture of emotions, sometimes you can feel on top of the world and others be sniffling at the sadness and injustice of life.
A solid debut by Mark Mulholland and a fantastically complex character created in Johnny Donnelly.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
May 1, 2014
Blurb Excerpt
In this passionate and heart-wrenching debut novel by Irish writer Mark Mullholland, we meet Johnny Donnelly — an intense young man who is in love with books, with his country, and with the beautiful Cora Flannery. But in his dark and secret other life he shoots British soldiers: he is an IRA sniper.
Review
With a review like that, you can't go wrong can you? IRA sniper who is in love with books and his country? I couldn't wait to read my advance copy, but sadly, A Mad and Wonderful Thing just didn't get off the ground for me. Upon reflection, I think I can pinpoint it to one or two things in particular.
The style of dialogue used by Mulholland in this debut novel just grated on my nerves, and purely because of the overuse of character names. Here's an example from page 45:
'Just a guess.'
'Just a guess, Johnny?'
'Yes, Cora. Just a guess.'
And page 55:
'What is your plan, Johnny?'
'I don't have a plan, Cora'
People don't talk like that, and Mulholland does try to break up the repetitiveness of the Johnny and Cora dialogue by interchanging their surnames but it doesn't work. I know it's a relatively minor point but it kept distracting me and hampering my enjoyment.
Moving on. I definitely got a sense of Ireland in the novel, with many places, song lyrics, poems and Irish history mentioned throughout and lovers of Ireland will relish this. However Mulholland uses the characters to argue the case for and against the IRA in such an obvious and clunky way that I couldn't really connect with the character's standpoint.
Every now and again you come across a book with an awesome blurb that just doesn't deliver and sadly that happened for me here; but I'm just one reader. Having said that, A Mad and Wonderful Thing is rating exceptionally well on GoodReads, so if you read it and fall in love with with this debut novel from Ireland, I'd love to hear from you.
Recommended for fans of Ireland and Irish folklore.
In this passionate and heart-wrenching debut novel by Irish writer Mark Mullholland, we meet Johnny Donnelly — an intense young man who is in love with books, with his country, and with the beautiful Cora Flannery. But in his dark and secret other life he shoots British soldiers: he is an IRA sniper.
Review
With a review like that, you can't go wrong can you? IRA sniper who is in love with books and his country? I couldn't wait to read my advance copy, but sadly, A Mad and Wonderful Thing just didn't get off the ground for me. Upon reflection, I think I can pinpoint it to one or two things in particular.
The style of dialogue used by Mulholland in this debut novel just grated on my nerves, and purely because of the overuse of character names. Here's an example from page 45:
'Just a guess.'
'Just a guess, Johnny?'
'Yes, Cora. Just a guess.'
And page 55:
'What is your plan, Johnny?'
'I don't have a plan, Cora'
People don't talk like that, and Mulholland does try to break up the repetitiveness of the Johnny and Cora dialogue by interchanging their surnames but it doesn't work. I know it's a relatively minor point but it kept distracting me and hampering my enjoyment.
Moving on. I definitely got a sense of Ireland in the novel, with many places, song lyrics, poems and Irish history mentioned throughout and lovers of Ireland will relish this. However Mulholland uses the characters to argue the case for and against the IRA in such an obvious and clunky way that I couldn't really connect with the character's standpoint.
Every now and again you come across a book with an awesome blurb that just doesn't deliver and sadly that happened for me here; but I'm just one reader. Having said that, A Mad and Wonderful Thing is rating exceptionally well on GoodReads, so if you read it and fall in love with with this debut novel from Ireland, I'd love to hear from you.
Recommended for fans of Ireland and Irish folklore.
June 15, 2016
‘What a text! It is complex and rich. It explores uncomfortable questions and leaves you to examine all of the viewpoints it puts forth; to reach your own conclusions. This novel is full of scars that are ripped wide open so that you may explore their painful and horrifying realities, no matter how uncomfortable. A clever approach to its dark subject matter in that it places judgement firmly within the reader’s hands.’ So says Contrary Reader in a review and I can’t do better than that. That’s exactly what I thought. I have read that Mulholland used his brother’s IRA story for the novel. I have snooped around and see that this is rejected by the writer in his ‘novel notes’ on his own website where he states he only took his brother’s early commitment to a cause to revisit an earlier work. Mulholland suggests that some have criticised the work for the young start, suggesting it’s ‘unbelievable’ and that twelve is too young. The writer insists it isn’t, that he was there, and that he knows others who also committed early. It isn't an age of action, Mulholland says, but it can be an age of decision. Mulholland goes on to reference a BBC documentary film, produced after the book, in which Peter Taylor interviewed a twelve year old boy, Sean McKinley, in Belfast in 1974 who says he will join the IRA and fight the British. The boy says that he will fight and die for Ireland. The BBC revisits Sean, by then a fifty-two year old man, forty years later in 2014. And yes he joined and fought and was jailed for life for killing. The documentary film is ‘Who Won The War.’ It is available online. If you have read the book, the film is well worth a look.
November 30, 2014
Based on the author's brother who was jailed as an IRA terrorist, Mark Mulholland's novel, A mad and wonderful thing, explores why good people do bad things. Part love story, part thriller, this is a story that will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
It is quite difficult to describe this book or to put it into a category. It is a most original story and put simply, it is a very Irish story. Set in Dundalk, a town very close to the border of Northern Ireland, this book follows Johnny Donnelly. Johnny is a young Irishman who is passionate about his country and dedicates his life to this Irish cause by becoming a sniper for the IRA.
A central theme in the book is the question of cause - what makes makes people do certain things; in extreme cases kill for a cause.
As well as a tale of war and the fight for Ireland, A mad and wonderful thing is a love story. A story about falling in love with a girl, in this case, the charismatic Cora Flannery. This is also a story about a love for Ireland. Irish language, folklore & scenery.
It is quite difficult to describe this book or to put it into a category. It is a most original story and put simply, it is a very Irish story. Set in Dundalk, a town very close to the border of Northern Ireland, this book follows Johnny Donnelly. Johnny is a young Irishman who is passionate about his country and dedicates his life to this Irish cause by becoming a sniper for the IRA.
A central theme in the book is the question of cause - what makes makes people do certain things; in extreme cases kill for a cause.
As well as a tale of war and the fight for Ireland, A mad and wonderful thing is a love story. A story about falling in love with a girl, in this case, the charismatic Cora Flannery. This is also a story about a love for Ireland. Irish language, folklore & scenery.
August 23, 2017
This is an amazing book. The central character, Johnny, is a charismatic, funny, intelligent young man who also happens to be a sniper, killing on behalf of Ireland against the English. The story intersperses his family and romantic life with his alter killing life. Johnny discusses ancient Irish stories, sayings, politics, the settlement of Ireland and who it genuinely belongs to, not in a dry way, but thought provoking so that the reader can see this is a complex issue with a myriad of viewpoints. The author cleverly introduces a close friend of Johhny, a father like mentor who has passed on, who appears throughout the story and has conversations but maybe this is Johnny's conscience? This is a debut book by Mark, what a stunner! Brilliantly written, the characters are life like. My book of the year.
June 2, 2014
A charming and intriguing novel that follows a young Irish man who is passionate about life, his country, and a beautiful girl. But he has a secret: he is also IRA sniper. A dramatic turn of events makes him question everything.
Weaving a work of fiction through Irish folklore, history, politics, and landscape this novel takes on a fantastical journey through the blurred lines of right and wrong.
And the writing is poetic, and powerful.
A Mad and Wonderful Thing is a story about why we do the things we do, the choices we make, the consequences they have, and finding redemption when all seems lost.
It is a great read. More please from this writer.
Weaving a work of fiction through Irish folklore, history, politics, and landscape this novel takes on a fantastical journey through the blurred lines of right and wrong.
And the writing is poetic, and powerful.
A Mad and Wonderful Thing is a story about why we do the things we do, the choices we make, the consequences they have, and finding redemption when all seems lost.
It is a great read. More please from this writer.
November 11, 2014
I received this book as a Goodreads winner. I found this book really easy to get through which means to me it was a great read. Having a Godson named Cuchulain and ancestors from County Clare in Ireland I related to this book a lot. A bit of romance, a bit of soul searching and a bit of action is what you'll find in this book.
December 28, 2018
This is a well-written book from an interesting period of history but my God the main character is awful! I quickly got fed up with nearly all his interactions with the women in the story, far too many of them just seemed to randomly fall into bed with him *rolls eyes* I found the ending slightly distasteful, seemed to trivialise events.
September 7, 2014
Lovely lyrical writing - you can hear the Irish intonation and turn of phrase as you read it. A Greek tragedy from the first page, you know things will not turn out for this young man. But then, he is an IRA sniper. A good read and a good book club discussion.
March 26, 2014
What a great book. Could not wait to get home and continue the story. Wonderful writing and an original story.
December 25, 2019
Melodramatic
Sentimental
Implausible
Sentimental
Implausible
July 4, 2017
Some absolutely wonderful writing here. I hope we'll see more from this author. Definitely recommend for those with even a passing interest in The Troubles or Northern Ireland.
"I used to enjoy calling on Frank. Teenage Frank moved with a kind of bounce, and he spoke with energy as if he was trying to throw his words over some kind of height."
"But martyrdom is a cloaked jester. It pushes as many as it pulls. It allures and deceives, it wears many forms., and to its charms many fall."
"That's great news John. No man ever wore a cravat as beautiful as his own child's arm around his neck."
"I used to enjoy calling on Frank. Teenage Frank moved with a kind of bounce, and he spoke with energy as if he was trying to throw his words over some kind of height."
"But martyrdom is a cloaked jester. It pushes as many as it pulls. It allures and deceives, it wears many forms., and to its charms many fall."
"That's great news John. No man ever wore a cravat as beautiful as his own child's arm around his neck."
January 17, 2018
Again, a book I would not have chosen myself. I grew up with reports of shootings and bombings relating to 'The Troubles' almost every day and have no time for any of the perpetrators. However once I began this book I was hooked and it is a tribute to the writing that I was able to enjoy the story despite it being about an IRA sniper.
Everyday life and loves of a young man living on the south side of the border is described sympathetically and a creditable attempt is made to describe what makes him tick as a Republican sniper.
Everyday life and loves of a young man living on the south side of the border is described sympathetically and a creditable attempt is made to describe what makes him tick as a Republican sniper.
May 19, 2019
A very strong narrative voice that immediately captures attention and draws you in. Johnny is a regular guy in a small town in Ireland, falls in love with a girl and has a secret life. The story is mostly about his secret life and how he lives with himself or tries to escape himself. Haunting, philosophical, and intriguing!
Lyrical writing that pays attention to colour and has a strong sense of place.
Lyrical writing that pays attention to colour and has a strong sense of place.
November 27, 2021
It’s been a long time since I read a novel as beautifully written as this. A brilliant debut and a very tough act to follow, this lyrical work is an ode to Ireland. The main protagonist, Johnny Donnelly, like Ireland, is a bundle of contradictions: charismatic and charming, poetic, romantic, introspective yet violent, steely eyed and unforgiving of the perceived enemy. Powerful and thought-provoking storytelling indeed. I do hope Mr Mulholland gifts us with another gem such as this.
February 20, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book. The main character that could be charming & yet so focused in his political view that he appeared to be cold blooded. The right to fight for your country & freedom when it works out that we are all from the same mixing pot. I'm looking forward to read more of Mark Mullholland's novels.
June 25, 2021
Painfully slow. A collection of short chapters saturated with Irish songs and folklore. Hard not to feel like the author treated the book as a history lecture at best, a fantastical autobiography at worst with a James Bond lead character, ninja like seduction skills and he vanquishes every bully he comes across with words or fists. Avoid.
August 17, 2019
Amazing debut novel. Unusual and fascinating story, peppered with delightful and original imagery. Part romance: part tragedy. I was left with a fresh understanding of the world of the main character who is both odd and disturbingly normal.
March 10, 2018
Heartbreaking story but you come to love the charactors.
July 7, 2018
I found the pace of the first two thirds of the book too slow, but I enjoyed the last third of the book.
October 18, 2018
Probably one of the best books I have ever read
April 23, 2019
I loved this book. It had a sad feeling about it and I felt sorry for Johnny and the choices he had made in his life.
November 22, 2022
I enjoyed the first half of this so much but started to lose interest a little for second half. Still a worthwhile read, very good writing style for the most part and storyline is unique
September 28, 2025
good book
June 22, 2016
Johnny Donnelly lives in a town on the Irish border during the 1990s. He leads a double life as a charming, considerate, church-going young Irishman who is also an IRA sniper, killing in cold blood. Is Johnny a modern-day Cuchulainn fighting for his beloved country? Or just an angry young man who likes a fight?
There is some exquisite and lyrical writing in this book which takes the reader on a trip around Ireland as well as exploring Irish mythology but the book as a whole has a schizophrenic feel to it. While this mirrors the behaviour of the protagonist, I felt disappointed that the author failed to convince me that both aspects of Johnny were one and the same person, I couldn’t reconcile their differences. Or maybe it’s just that I didn’t like Johnny resorting to violence as a solution to all his issues?
Mulholland himself refers to the schizophrenia of the Irish as portrayed via the stereotype of Irish males being apparently so generous in the pub then violent at home. In Johnny we have two stereotypes of a young Irishman but as with every stereotype, the truth is more complex. No one could spend their lives being so dissonant without being troubled – and without a doubt, Johnny is a troubled man, albeit one who seems to lack a conscience.
This is a novel of contradictions – a parallel of Ireland itself with Johnny mirroring the landscape in being at once both extremely gentle and extremely violent. It’s not a comfortable read but that also is a reflection of Ireland, a country that isn’t at peace with itself. When I finished the book I felt emotionally drained – it packed such a powerful punch that I still can’t decide, days later, if I actually enjoyed it.
This is a first novel and is clearly demonstrates that Mark Mulholland fulfils another one of those Irish stereotypes – he really knows how to tell a story.
There is some exquisite and lyrical writing in this book which takes the reader on a trip around Ireland as well as exploring Irish mythology but the book as a whole has a schizophrenic feel to it. While this mirrors the behaviour of the protagonist, I felt disappointed that the author failed to convince me that both aspects of Johnny were one and the same person, I couldn’t reconcile their differences. Or maybe it’s just that I didn’t like Johnny resorting to violence as a solution to all his issues?
Mulholland himself refers to the schizophrenia of the Irish as portrayed via the stereotype of Irish males being apparently so generous in the pub then violent at home. In Johnny we have two stereotypes of a young Irishman but as with every stereotype, the truth is more complex. No one could spend their lives being so dissonant without being troubled – and without a doubt, Johnny is a troubled man, albeit one who seems to lack a conscience.
This is a novel of contradictions – a parallel of Ireland itself with Johnny mirroring the landscape in being at once both extremely gentle and extremely violent. It’s not a comfortable read but that also is a reflection of Ireland, a country that isn’t at peace with itself. When I finished the book I felt emotionally drained – it packed such a powerful punch that I still can’t decide, days later, if I actually enjoyed it.
This is a first novel and is clearly demonstrates that Mark Mulholland fulfils another one of those Irish stereotypes – he really knows how to tell a story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews