The stories in this linked collection are set in a small village in the Northwest of Ireland in the early 1980's and 90's. A by-pass around the village has rid them of their once busy traffic. The residents feel forgotten by the world. The need to reach out and be heard is explored in every story, from the young woman who starts to have phone conversations with her husband's gay lover, to the dyslexic man who confronts his cruel teacher years later.
The collection is not only about the characters need for salvation but it is about a society that is unravelling. In Amends, we hear about the Bishop who has fathered a child. A priest is beckoned by a dying man to be mocked. The world inside and outside the village is changing. In every story the characters need to make a choice on how they might carry on.
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[BERNADETTE NOTICED THE ADDRESS BOOK ON HER WAY out of the bedroom on the floor amid her husband's crumpled clothes - THE LADY ON THE BRIDGE]***
(Fomite, 15 March 2019, 206 pages, ebook, copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed)
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I was very impressed by this linked collection of stories. I was intrigued by the premise. It's rare to find collections of stories linked in such a way so I was really looking forward to reading these stories. Each story focuses on a different character in a small village in Northwest of Ireland. The characters are, in some respects, larger than life. I liked the mix of characters which is typical of close-knit communities. I enjoyed every story in this collection. The village and the people were so real when I was reading it was like getting a peek into the lives of a family member or a good friend. The most enjoyable stories are The Sacred Heart, Blackbirds and White Trout.
