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The Sunken Road
'Tremendous' William Boyd
A powerful and gripping novel about love, loyalty and obsession set during World War One and the Irish War of Independence.
Francie, Archie and Annie grew up playing together in the hills and rivers of Fermanagh. But in 1914, the boys are seduced by the drama of the war in Europe and leave the village to join up. Before they leave, Francie swears to Annie that he'll keep her little brother safe.
Six years later Francie is hiding out in the barn of Annie's house. He hasn't seen her since that day. He's on the run, a wanted man in the war for independence that is still igniting along the border. And the British officer who is obsessively pursuing him is his old commander from the Western Front. To reach safety Francie will need Annie's help getting over the border, and that means he'll have to confront the truth about why Archie never came back.
Powerfully gripping, Ciaran McMenamin's accomplished novel explores loyalty, love, heroism and the heartbreaking cost of violence.
A powerful and gripping novel about love, loyalty and obsession set during World War One and the Irish War of Independence.
Francie, Archie and Annie grew up playing together in the hills and rivers of Fermanagh. But in 1914, the boys are seduced by the drama of the war in Europe and leave the village to join up. Before they leave, Francie swears to Annie that he'll keep her little brother safe.
Six years later Francie is hiding out in the barn of Annie's house. He hasn't seen her since that day. He's on the run, a wanted man in the war for independence that is still igniting along the border. And the British officer who is obsessively pursuing him is his old commander from the Western Front. To reach safety Francie will need Annie's help getting over the border, and that means he'll have to confront the truth about why Archie never came back.
Powerfully gripping, Ciaran McMenamin's accomplished novel explores loyalty, love, heroism and the heartbreaking cost of violence.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published February 18, 2021
11 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 13, 2021
3.5 Stars
A deeply moving story of love and war set during the First World War and the Irish War of Independence.
Growing up together in Fermanagh, Francie, Archie and Annie are lifelong friends. However life changes with the onset of World War I and Francie and Archie join up to fight the common enemy. Francie swears to Annie that he will take care of Archie and bring him home safe. Several years later Francie is hiding out in Fermanagh and on the run. He is a wanted man in the war of Indepencece and his old commanding officer from his time fighting on the western front is hot on his heels.
This is well written historical fiction, that grabs the reader from the first page. A harrowing and moving tale of war but realistic in its telling. I love books set in the Irish War of Independence and the Sunken Road was an interesting novel for me.
This is a fast paced story and is told in two timelines which keeps works well in the novel.
While I didn't like the characters I did find them interesting and memorable.
This is my first novel by this author and I look forward to reading more of his books.
A deeply moving story of love and war set during the First World War and the Irish War of Independence.
Growing up together in Fermanagh, Francie, Archie and Annie are lifelong friends. However life changes with the onset of World War I and Francie and Archie join up to fight the common enemy. Francie swears to Annie that he will take care of Archie and bring him home safe. Several years later Francie is hiding out in Fermanagh and on the run. He is a wanted man in the war of Indepencece and his old commanding officer from his time fighting on the western front is hot on his heels.
This is well written historical fiction, that grabs the reader from the first page. A harrowing and moving tale of war but realistic in its telling. I love books set in the Irish War of Independence and the Sunken Road was an interesting novel for me.
This is a fast paced story and is told in two timelines which keeps works well in the novel.
While I didn't like the characters I did find them interesting and memorable.
This is my first novel by this author and I look forward to reading more of his books.
April 22, 2021
Well anyone who knows me will know this is my brother's 2nd novel, so full disclosure, proud big sis moment! Especially as it's dedicated to myself and my sister and a lot of it is set in Fermanagh. But this is an honest review- Also, I haven't really written a review on here before, I don't think this review has any bad spoilers but I also don't know the protocol and whether I should hide the review...(someone let me know if you think I should!) - basically if you are worried about spoilers then maybe don't read this until after you read the book.
This is a fantastic read which grips you right from the start, with Francie having to go on the run with the British after him in the midst of the Irish war of independence. It skilfully goes back and forward in time - I absolutely love the flashbacks to childhood and teenage years with Francie making friends with Archie (protecting him right from the start), and Archie's sister Annie - and the three of them are thick as thieves from then on. Francie and Annie fall in love.
But everything changes when Archie signs up to fight for King and country in WW1 - and Francie can't let him go by himself... even though he is the only Catholic in the regiment; a fact which is duly pointed out by his commander Crozier, who turns out in my opinion to be one of the best "baddies" ever... something happens out there in France to make Crozier hate Francie all the more, and he pursues him relentlessly back home but now on opposing sides.
Annie ends up on the run (reluctantly) with Francie - but why has she not seen him for six years, and what has happened to Archie? The narrative shifts back and forward in time between Fermanagh, Donegal, and France; and we as the reader know we're going to find out what happened. We're rooting for Francie and Annie, yet he's changed... he's become hardened, traumatised- can their love survive? As the war Francie's in now intensifies and Crozier tightens the net, we also are gradually learning what happened in France and to Archie. The ending of the novel really delivers and all I will say is that I cried - a lot!
Annie is a fantastic character, I just loved her. I loved Francie too, but he is so damaged and has done some brutal things since he came back. It's understandable and ultimately this book is very anti-violence (you've got the brutality of the Black and Tans, and on the other hand it certainly doesn't romanticize the IRA who also are depicted commiting awful acts of violence). The historical fiction aspect of it is excellent, and so well researched. It's came out coinciding with one hundred years since the Irish War of Independence and is from such an interesting perspective -someone fighting in the trenches with the British and then fighting against them only a few years later - which of course did happen to a lot of men. But I think it also has something so important to say about World War 1, I won't say more about it as I don't want to spoil the story.
You don't have to be a history buff or into "war" books to get into this book as everyone will appreciate the themes of friendship, love, loyalty and revenge. Be warned it is brutal in places, but also contains much tenderness. It should make an amazing film. 10 out of 10 and extra points for making me emotional - it's a rare book that manages that.
This is a fantastic read which grips you right from the start, with Francie having to go on the run with the British after him in the midst of the Irish war of independence. It skilfully goes back and forward in time - I absolutely love the flashbacks to childhood and teenage years with Francie making friends with Archie (protecting him right from the start), and Archie's sister Annie - and the three of them are thick as thieves from then on. Francie and Annie fall in love.
But everything changes when Archie signs up to fight for King and country in WW1 - and Francie can't let him go by himself... even though he is the only Catholic in the regiment; a fact which is duly pointed out by his commander Crozier, who turns out in my opinion to be one of the best "baddies" ever... something happens out there in France to make Crozier hate Francie all the more, and he pursues him relentlessly back home but now on opposing sides.
Annie ends up on the run (reluctantly) with Francie - but why has she not seen him for six years, and what has happened to Archie? The narrative shifts back and forward in time between Fermanagh, Donegal, and France; and we as the reader know we're going to find out what happened. We're rooting for Francie and Annie, yet he's changed... he's become hardened, traumatised- can their love survive? As the war Francie's in now intensifies and Crozier tightens the net, we also are gradually learning what happened in France and to Archie. The ending of the novel really delivers and all I will say is that I cried - a lot!
Annie is a fantastic character, I just loved her. I loved Francie too, but he is so damaged and has done some brutal things since he came back. It's understandable and ultimately this book is very anti-violence (you've got the brutality of the Black and Tans, and on the other hand it certainly doesn't romanticize the IRA who also are depicted commiting awful acts of violence). The historical fiction aspect of it is excellent, and so well researched. It's came out coinciding with one hundred years since the Irish War of Independence and is from such an interesting perspective -someone fighting in the trenches with the British and then fighting against them only a few years later - which of course did happen to a lot of men. But I think it also has something so important to say about World War 1, I won't say more about it as I don't want to spoil the story.
You don't have to be a history buff or into "war" books to get into this book as everyone will appreciate the themes of friendship, love, loyalty and revenge. Be warned it is brutal in places, but also contains much tenderness. It should make an amazing film. 10 out of 10 and extra points for making me emotional - it's a rare book that manages that.
April 7, 2022
The story unfolds in alternating chapters moving between the trenches of France in 1915/16 and Ireland in 1922 during the Irish War of Independence. I’ll admit the latter is not something I knew much about prior to reading this book. What I learned can perhaps be summed up by one character’s observation, ‘The North, the South, the British, the Specials, the Free State Army, the IRA. It’s a right fuckin’ mess up here’.
The author has an actor’s ear for dialogue and the rhythm of Irish speech. The book’s vivid, punchy language accentuates the black humour of Frankie and his comrades. Apart from drink, it’s their only shield against the memories of the terrible scenes they have witnessed and the senseless loss of life. The madness of war is exemplified by a trench raid which is hailed a success despite it yielding no results apart from the death of a highly regarded officer, awarded a posthumous DSO. ‘For conspicuous gallantry, in action… There is nothing conspicuous about him now. Apart from his fucking absence.’
The Sunken Road is not a book for the faint-hearted as it includes harrowing scenes depicting the realities of trench warfare in France and Belgium during the First World War. ‘There is a uniformity to men’s voices when they choke on their own blood while begging for their mother’s tit. A million shells from thousands of guns for hundred of hours.’ It is during his time serving with the British army that Frankie first encounters the man who will become his nemesis – a man who is a bully, a coward and a hypocrite.
It is only in the final chapters of the book that Annie – and the reader – discover the tragic circumstances surrounding Archie’s failure to return from the war. The author resists the temptation to end the book on an uplifting note (echoes of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) although you could say that a kind of justice is served.
I thought the writing was superb and the characters of Frankie, Archie and Annie beautifully realized. There’s Archie, the gentle dreamer who believes it is his ‘destiny’ to liberate Europe, Frankie, the loyal friend tormented by guilt, and Annie, the feisty young woman torn between love and an unwillingness to forgive. Although not an easy read, I found the book incredibly moving, immersive and utterly gripping.
The author has an actor’s ear for dialogue and the rhythm of Irish speech. The book’s vivid, punchy language accentuates the black humour of Frankie and his comrades. Apart from drink, it’s their only shield against the memories of the terrible scenes they have witnessed and the senseless loss of life. The madness of war is exemplified by a trench raid which is hailed a success despite it yielding no results apart from the death of a highly regarded officer, awarded a posthumous DSO. ‘For conspicuous gallantry, in action… There is nothing conspicuous about him now. Apart from his fucking absence.’
The Sunken Road is not a book for the faint-hearted as it includes harrowing scenes depicting the realities of trench warfare in France and Belgium during the First World War. ‘There is a uniformity to men’s voices when they choke on their own blood while begging for their mother’s tit. A million shells from thousands of guns for hundred of hours.’ It is during his time serving with the British army that Frankie first encounters the man who will become his nemesis – a man who is a bully, a coward and a hypocrite.
It is only in the final chapters of the book that Annie – and the reader – discover the tragic circumstances surrounding Archie’s failure to return from the war. The author resists the temptation to end the book on an uplifting note (echoes of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) although you could say that a kind of justice is served.
I thought the writing was superb and the characters of Frankie, Archie and Annie beautifully realized. There’s Archie, the gentle dreamer who believes it is his ‘destiny’ to liberate Europe, Frankie, the loyal friend tormented by guilt, and Annie, the feisty young woman torn between love and an unwillingness to forgive. Although not an easy read, I found the book incredibly moving, immersive and utterly gripping.
October 16, 2021
A really enjoyable novel, with two narratives told in alternative chapters on the western front in 1916 and in and around Petigo on the Irish border in 1922. Each of the two narratives maintain their tension until the end - the links between them, and the appalling wartime conditions and brutality in France and Ireland are all too believable. As well as the pace and tension, the characters are well developed and multi dimensional.
August 20, 2025
Read in one day couldn’t put it down wow
February 20, 2025
I wish wish wish the ending had been different!! The denouement,however, is in fact perfectly reasonable and in some ways may even be more effective in the long term but those who read this will know what I mean. Historical novels are my favourite genre and this is a brilliant novel comparing the horrors of war with the brutality of the conflict for Irish independence. I have read a few books which describe the atrocities of the First World War but the accounts of the raids on the opposite trenches really do allow the reader to understand the fear of the men and the futility of such conflicts. I shall definitely be reading Mcmenamin’s first book. A very high bar has been set.
April 7, 2021
I loved Skintown so was eager to get my hands on this sophomore effort. It took me a while to get into as it tells the tale of Francie, his best friend Archie and Archie's sister Annie from the time they grew up at either side of religious divide in the North of Ireland. The two boys go to fight in World War 1 but Francie returns from fighting for Britain to fight for Ireland. A story that reads like a Boys Own adventure at times but is exquisitely written so much so that I'd rate Mcmenamin as the best Irish writer alive now. I fully invested in the characters and the story and the ending is powerful and made me realise just how much I cared for them. By the way, the most horrible villain I've experienced in a book is right here!! Highly recommended.
January 28, 2025
After reading McMenamin's debut book Skintown with my book club I was keen to see if he was a one trick pony or how he would handle a historical novel based on true events. Now I've finished it, if anything I would say the Sunken Road is even better than Skintown.
Despite the temporal difference between the two books the themes are similar: the unique religious and political divide of Northern Ireland - and how the constraints of it shift and bend depending on who or where you are - and friendship, the brotherhood of young men, fish out of water who have nothing but each other.
McMenamin's writing is unmistakably Irish, full of familiar turns of phrase and black humour but also evocative and warm descriptions of the characters and scenery. I think the thespian in him comes through in the dialogue and the descriptions of each scene, like it was written to be made into a film.
Normally I stay away from audio looks but I listened to this one read by the author and it was a real treat.
Despite the temporal difference between the two books the themes are similar: the unique religious and political divide of Northern Ireland - and how the constraints of it shift and bend depending on who or where you are - and friendship, the brotherhood of young men, fish out of water who have nothing but each other.
McMenamin's writing is unmistakably Irish, full of familiar turns of phrase and black humour but also evocative and warm descriptions of the characters and scenery. I think the thespian in him comes through in the dialogue and the descriptions of each scene, like it was written to be made into a film.
Normally I stay away from audio looks but I listened to this one read by the author and it was a real treat.
July 12, 2025
Ciarán McMenamins författarskap upptäckte jag när jag läste den oerhört intensiva och roliga Skintown. Det är en skildring av författarens ungdom på 90-talet. Jag uppskattade den mycket. Skintown finns översatt till svenska och utgiven av Modernista. Den skall nu bli film vilket jag ser fram emot.
När McMenamin kom med sin nästa bok The Sunken Road 2021 köpte jag den men den har sovit i min bokhylla. Nu är den äntligen läst och jag är mycket glad för det.
The Sunken Road är något helt annat än Skintown. Det är en historisk roman om första världskriget och det irländska frihetskriget. Skickligt växlar McMenamin de olika tidsplanen i denna mycket kraftfulla roman.
Vi möter Francie, katolik, hans bästis Archie, protestant och Archies syster Annie. Annie och Francie blir varandras stora kärlek. Pojkarna dras med i den nationalistiska yran och går 1915 ut i första världskriget för att försvara Storbritannien. Francie lovar Annie att skydda den tafflige Archie och se till att han kommer tillbaka. Vi lär oss snart att det inte blev fallet.
Francie, som ju är katolik, blir en katt bland hermelinerna. Det ställer till det. Han möter sin nemesis, ett befäl vid namn Crozier, som gör allt för att göra livet svårt för Francie.
I det andra tidsplanet är vi på Irland 1922 under frihetskriget. Francie är en jagad man, Han är med i IRA och har många liv på sitt samvete. Hans nemesis jagar honom fortfarande. Under Francies spännande flykt undan engelsmännen och Crozier vävs hans och Annie liv ihop igen och romanen tar sig vägar som vi inte anade till det oväntade slutet.
Jag kan förstå att denna bok inte översatts till svenska. Första världskriget påtagligt i Storbritannien moderna historia, skildrat i många romaner och dikter, är inte något stort ämne i Sverige. Inte heller konflikten på Irland som är lika levande nu som då. Det är synd. McMenamin är en så skicklig författare som skapar trovärdiga personer som jag engagerar mig i. Som den skådespelare han är har ett mycket bra öra för dialog.
Skildringen av kriget i skyttegravar, och vad det gör med soldaterna, blir så nära att de kryper in under skinnet. Men har kan också skiva fint om naturen i Nordirland, mycket känsligt om den spirande vänskapen och kärleken mellan Francie, Archie och Annie. Och om sorgen efter Archie.
McMenamin som främst verkar som skådespelare hemma på Nordirland och har inte publicerat något efter The Sunken Road. Tyvärr, då det är en författare jag gärna skulle läsa mer av. The Sunken road är stark roman om vänskap kärlek i skuggan av fruktansvärda krig. Det vore synd om hans penna tystnar.
The Sunken Road var nominerad till det prestigefyllda The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction
Rekommenderas varmt.
När McMenamin kom med sin nästa bok The Sunken Road 2021 köpte jag den men den har sovit i min bokhylla. Nu är den äntligen läst och jag är mycket glad för det.
The Sunken Road är något helt annat än Skintown. Det är en historisk roman om första världskriget och det irländska frihetskriget. Skickligt växlar McMenamin de olika tidsplanen i denna mycket kraftfulla roman.
Vi möter Francie, katolik, hans bästis Archie, protestant och Archies syster Annie. Annie och Francie blir varandras stora kärlek. Pojkarna dras med i den nationalistiska yran och går 1915 ut i första världskriget för att försvara Storbritannien. Francie lovar Annie att skydda den tafflige Archie och se till att han kommer tillbaka. Vi lär oss snart att det inte blev fallet.
Francie, som ju är katolik, blir en katt bland hermelinerna. Det ställer till det. Han möter sin nemesis, ett befäl vid namn Crozier, som gör allt för att göra livet svårt för Francie.
I det andra tidsplanet är vi på Irland 1922 under frihetskriget. Francie är en jagad man, Han är med i IRA och har många liv på sitt samvete. Hans nemesis jagar honom fortfarande. Under Francies spännande flykt undan engelsmännen och Crozier vävs hans och Annie liv ihop igen och romanen tar sig vägar som vi inte anade till det oväntade slutet.
Jag kan förstå att denna bok inte översatts till svenska. Första världskriget påtagligt i Storbritannien moderna historia, skildrat i många romaner och dikter, är inte något stort ämne i Sverige. Inte heller konflikten på Irland som är lika levande nu som då. Det är synd. McMenamin är en så skicklig författare som skapar trovärdiga personer som jag engagerar mig i. Som den skådespelare han är har ett mycket bra öra för dialog.
Skildringen av kriget i skyttegravar, och vad det gör med soldaterna, blir så nära att de kryper in under skinnet. Men har kan också skiva fint om naturen i Nordirland, mycket känsligt om den spirande vänskapen och kärleken mellan Francie, Archie och Annie. Och om sorgen efter Archie.
McMenamin som främst verkar som skådespelare hemma på Nordirland och har inte publicerat något efter The Sunken Road. Tyvärr, då det är en författare jag gärna skulle läsa mer av. The Sunken road är stark roman om vänskap kärlek i skuggan av fruktansvärda krig. Det vore synd om hans penna tystnar.
The Sunken Road var nominerad till det prestigefyllda The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction
Rekommenderas varmt.
December 29, 2025
S Buech spelt abwechsligswiis i 1916 ide Schötzegräbe vom 1. Weltchrieg ond i 1922, a de neu zogene Grenze i Irland ondem Öbergang vom Onabhängigkeitskampf id Troubles. Ech ha vor allem de Teil i Irland bzw. Nordirland sehr spannend gfonde, welli nonig so vell dröber gwösst ha onds es sones riesigs mess gsi esch. De Teil wo währendem 1. Welltchrieg spellt esch au guet gsi, de Schribstil hed för mech mega fonktioniert zom d Brutalität ond Stompfsennigkeit izfoh. S Highlight esch aber glaubs werkli de irisch Aspekt, wie zerresse es Land cha werde. En Charakter heds beschrebe, dass wenn sech nor scho Norde ond Süde d Grende sech gegesiitig ond onderenand so ischlönd, de escher gottefroh, melded sech Oste ond Weste ned au no.
April 18, 2022
Ireland 1915. Two young men, friends, one Catholic, one Protestant go to war. Only one comes home. He then joins the IRA and we are in 1922 and he is being hunted by British soldiers in the Irish War of Independence.
There is nothing really wrong with this book but I felt I I read all this before. What I read was predicable with little spark.
Abandoned after about 50 pages. I may have jumped too early but the first 50 pages didn’t excite me.
There is nothing really wrong with this book but I felt I I read all this before. What I read was predicable with little spark.
Abandoned after about 50 pages. I may have jumped too early but the first 50 pages didn’t excite me.
October 20, 2025
A great read. It outlines the horror, the terror, and the suffering of ordinary men in the trenches in WWI. The protagonist, Francie, returns from France and Belgium psychologically damaged by his experiences there. When he takes part in the Irish civil war on the republican side, his nemesis from the Great War follows him to hunt him down. Overlapping all of it is his love of Annie and his shame over his part in her brother's demise. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction.
September 7, 2021
I was attracted to this book by the historical events in Ireland on which much of the story is based. However, overall I found the story disappointing, the plot top intricate and much of the action melodramatic
March 20, 2021
Wonderful reading.
Very interesting wonderful story, interspersed with facts and places that make me want to visit and explore. Great characters, great plot, highly recommended.
Very interesting wonderful story, interspersed with facts and places that make me want to visit and explore. Great characters, great plot, highly recommended.
May 26, 2021
Enjoyed the book very much, particularly the historical narrative as regards the First World War and the sacrifices of the Irish regiments.
June 3, 2021
Brilliant book and a very moving story, loved the style of writing actually felt a little lost when I’d finished it Think it would make a really good film
July 5, 2021
Omg why did this book not have more reviews. It deserves so so much better. Guys if you have not read this book you are seriously missing out on something
December 28, 2022
I find the Irish political history baffling, but engaging characters and raw storytelling.
May 24, 2023
Eye opening!
December 21, 2023
I literally stayed up all night reading this, I couldn’t put it down.
The ending is devastating.
The ending is devastating.
December 31, 2023
Powerful read. Well written and fascinating context of Ireland in the early 21st century.
September 29, 2024
3.5 stars. This is a compelling and heartbreaking story. Set against a backdrop of war and violence, this is at its heart, a book about love, loyalty, and friendship.
I enjoyed this novel, but, for me, it doesn't reach the heights of McMenamin's debut, Skintown.
I enjoyed this novel, but, for me, it doesn't reach the heights of McMenamin's debut, Skintown.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews