(WPF) A History of Loneliness / John Boyne - 5*****

[Book Concierge]

A History Of Loneliness – John Boyne
5*****

Father Odran Yates has spent thirty years as a teacher and librarian at a boys’ school. He has no real ambition to rise in the ranks of the Church. Although he excelled academically and even served a year in Rome as the Pope’s night attendant, he has been content “behind the high walls and closed gates of this private and erudite enclave.” But just as the scandal of predatory pedophile priests erupts, the bishop moves Odran to a local parish whose priest has been removed. That priest is Odran’s best friend from seminary. Odran must come to terms with the ugly truth of a long-term coverup by the Church, and with his own role.

What marvelous writing! Odran narrates the story, but moves from time period to time period, from 2001 back to 1964, then forward to 2010, and back to 1972, etc. Through his recollections he reveals his history of loneliness … the family tragedy that leads to his entering the seminary, the experiences there (good and bad), his obsession with a woman in a coffee shop, his conflicted feelings about his mother, sister and nephews, and his struggles to understand and embrace his Church and his country.

His final realizations about his life are painful to witness. My heart about broke for Odran, and at the same time I was appalled at his willful ignorance.

Boyne gives us characters who are conflicted and run the gamut of human behavior and emotion. Some are angry and lash out, other are cowed and submissive. Some are understanding and compassionate, others defensive and determined to hide. There are times when I just want to slap Odran, and others when I long to comfort and console him.

This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time.

UPDATE June 2022: I first read this in January 2021. I really can’t improve on my original review. BUT, I have recommended it to my F2F book club and discussion will be next month. I can hardly wait!



LINK to my review

[NancyJ]

This story has haunted me since I read it last month. This was an intimate character study, as well a story about a family, and a societal crisis. I shared your mixed feelings about Odran. The author was very skillful at showing us the inner complexity of the man. We could feel both scorn and sympathy for his weaknesses. I wonder how many priests felt guilty for complicity just for not noticing what was happening.

I don't think Boyne intended this to be an LGBT story at all. He seemed to try to distance the issues as much as possible. Odran was straight, and the abuser he was friends with was straight. He apparently had abused both boys and women. The abuser hinted that the abuse by his own father, and his own history of loneliness caused his behavior.