Trespasses

One of the books that make you sad when it is over. Incredibly well written, it takes you back to Belfast in the 1970s. It’s a story about violence and love, and both win in the end.

3,5/5 It is hard to put into words how I feel about this book. It is objectively well written and interesting, but some aspects just didn’t capture my attention. First and foremost, the relationship between a young woman and a married older man. This trope to me is somewhat of an old shoe. Furthermore, I was missing “flavour,” details, a certain depth, maybe a sense of ornamental language (I cannot quite put it into words); though I do understand why the book is written this way. Nevertheless, I did like the presentation of the topic, the Troubles in Ireland during the 1970s. I also liked Cushla’s portrayal, as an empathetic woman bestowed with a wide array of emotions. Kennedy definitely gave me a better understanding of the time, subject and also of the way Belfast looked back then. Additionally, the last maybe 50 pages really captured me, so I’d give them a 4,5/5. All in all I might have been most “turned off” by the character and behaviour of Michael as well as by the depiction of his “friends”, which tainted my opinion of the book though again my opinion changed slightly towards the end of the book. …Also I’m not going to lie, I miss quotation marks.

Reading tip from one of my advisors. Took a little to get used to no quotation marks. Got as well confused by all the terms for the whole Ireland conflict, as I am not so deep into the topic. But great read, couldn’t lay the book down. Hard to swallow for me that someone near my age gets stones in their way only for being empathic.