I chose this book because it was cheap. I have to admit that. But I adored it. It was such a sweet little story. The very basic storyline is a man, 41, and a woman, 40, in Ireland in 1974 each have never had a relationship with anyone. The man spent his first 10 years suffering terrible abuse and neglect in a Catholic orphanage before being adopted by a loving couple. He's feeling very alone after they die. The woman is a schoolteacher pastor's daughter and her parents were very domineering. She wishes she could find a date for a wedding (she's tired of taking her mom as her dates to these things) and is convinced by a friend to put an ad in the paper. The man is also convinced at the same time to look for a woman that way. That's all I will say. That, and that the story doesn't go the way you think it will, but the ending is still lovely. I loved this story of rural County Derry in the 1970s. In fact it only got 4 stars as the ending felt a bit rushed - I wanted a few more pages to enjoy. And I had a few unresolved guesses at the identity of the missing Mother! OK, I'll try to avoid any spoilers about the ending, even if it isn't so hard to guess anyway. This is one of those books where the destination isn't as important as the journey to get there. I've never been to N Ireland and my knowledge of it is tainted by the Troubles, but after reading this I started planning a trip. There's a very obvious love for the characters, countryside and cultures of the Province that comes through consistently in the story. A love which is in no way biased towards one or other of the communities. The dialogue often had me chuckling aloud and I really wanted the two main characters to have a happy ending! Christine McKenna also has a glorious gift for description. Her eye for detail and clever use of language support and complement her wonderful charactersOf course, it's not all fun. There are three gradually converging parallel threads here and the third one is a dark tale of child abuse on an industrial slavery scale, fueled by religious rigidity mixed with sadism and plain old greed. The "86" story is disturbing and uncomfortable alongside the bumbling comedy of Jamie and Lydia searching for modern companionship. The horror of the abusive orphanage is based on true events throughout Ireland but McKenna wisely steers away from making it too black and white. There are rare moments of kindness - the disciplinarian nun who forgives 86 his bed-wetting on seeing the wounds he has suffered; the warm smile of a farmer's wife...This being Northern Ireland, religion is a character (or maybe two) in its own right. Not just in the story of 86 suffering at the hands of the nuns who felt his illegitimacy offended God, but also in the differing names, languages, thoughts and conduct of our two lonely adults. Each has come from an opposite extreme of the green orange divide but the glory of the novel is that it shows that in the end it shows we are all much the same deep down. Neither Jamie nor Lydia actually repudiates his or her religious beliefs, instead they (and some of the glorious minor characters) actively embrace the best parts instead of the worst.
Do You like book Misremembered Man, The (2011)?
The Misremembered Manby Christina McKennaThe Positive- Interesting plot elements- A nice tribute to times past- Some good prose ... written by someone who obviously appreciates language- Not overly written for "shock" or "gore" ... PG to PG-13, which is so rare these daysThe Negative- The story moves along slowly- Adverbs abound, in tremendous numbers, and some of the writing goes a little overboard. Think opposite of Hemingway.- Hokey characters, to the point of being hard to believeOverall, it was okay, however, I almost stopped reading it because it moves slowly and I found it a little boring. For me. Maybe for you it will be great. If you prefer wholesome looks at how things were in the past, then I recommend it.
—Sam
colorfully written- in such a way as you can "see" the characters and the situations they find themselves in. each character is flawed in some way, by circumstance or by thought- which makes them all the more dear. a sense of humor surfaces throughout, and serves as some relief for the darker passages about orphanage life. this tale is a lovely reminder of the nature of life and the power of human bonds.
—Elizabeth
The first 100 pages or so were a little boring, but afterwards it picked up considerably.
—Hisako
even though I figured the plot twist too early, I loved reading about the culture.
—Daniii
A hilarious and heartbreaking story with vibrant Irish characters.
—caitlynisscool
