My first Edna O'Brien book, I found this to be an easy read in the first few chapters, although horribly violent, then a bit tough to turn the pages as I tried to figure out what this book was about and who all these characters were and what the connections might be, then I couldn't put the book down until I turned the last page (which left me wanting more in a macabre way).
A scary book, the subject (schizophrenia gone dangerous, murderous) of which is not something I want more, but I'll seek O'Brien out for sure. Her writing was graphic, evocative. ( )

A novel resembling a set of linked short stories. Beautifully written, compelling, moving. Violent.

This is a disturbing novel which uses fictional characters to depict a real-life series of murders in Country Clare and Country Galway Ireland. The images are vivid and graphic.

In 1994, a young artist and her three year old son were missing and later found to be murdered near her isolated cottage. During the same time period, a priest met a similar fate at the hands of a seasoned criminal whose name was Brendan O'Donnell.

This is the backdrop for O'Brien's novel as she takes us on a journey inside the mind of a young man who not only lost his mother, but was abused by priests, his father, prison guards and was failed by a woefully inadequate, neglectful child welfare system.

The writing style reminded me of Truman Capote's famous book In Cold Blood, wherein the callous murderers of the Clutter family were examined and portrayed in a manner where the perpetrators appeared to be victims of their wretched past.

Honestly, I related more to the innocent victims that were murdered than to the murderer. ( )

I have only read the short stories of O'Brien in the past. This novel was interesting in that there were dozens of narrators all taking turns in telling their insight into the life of Michen O'Kane who becomes obsessed with a single mother, Eily who lives alone in the woods. The setting is described well as are the lives of these townsfolk who know the unfortunate circumstances of this youth gone wrong, but even those circumstances do not quite add up to the psychopathic behavior of Mich. O'Brien writes well. I enjoyed the narrative style and the portrayal of the Western Ireland country. ( )

a very enjoyable read by this accomplished British writer, a good thriller, and "very postmodern" says my English major daughter who also read it. ( )