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Citizens
Dublin 2010: Neil, twenty-six, unemployed, disaffected and disillusioned with Ireland, plans to emigrate and join his girlfriend in Canada. But having deferred his flight to attend his grandfather's funeral, he stays behind to aid his grieving grandmother.
Dublin 1916: Harry Colley is a Pathe Newsreel cameraman, recently back from London, with a Cinemachine and four newsreels ready to capture the events of Easter Week. This is his life's work: to chronicle the Irish struggle for independence and share it with the world. Neil accepts her grandmother's request to read her father's memoir. As he reads the reminiscences, he realizes that the newsreels spoken of in the text still exist. After viewing the reels, he sets off on a journey that will change his life, and the lives of all those around him, forever.
A timeless story of lost love and broken dreams that brilliantly counterpoints today's globalized generation with Ireland's nationalist revolutionaries of 1916, Citizens creates a conversation across a century in a unique novel that has echoes of Don DeLillo's Libra and Transatlantic by Colum McCann.
REVIEWS
Citizens is important for people who think it is not important. Canadians, Americans or Brits, Spaniards or Portuguese or Greeks, you may not at first see Ireland s story as your story yet given that you all have birthed youth who are afraid, youth who are unfulfilled, youth who have doubts and fears; Citizens is your story too.
San Diego Book Review February 2016
"While the novel ostensibly tells two stories, it gradually builds to brilliantly portray the human interdependency that an entire nation is built upon."
Totally Dublin
"Un-likeability in a literary character is a tricky thing to respect. An unlikeable character needs something to make the reader decide to read on and Curran achieves this by writing spiky, visual dialogue for believable and flawed characters."
HeadStuff
"*Book of the Week* Curran makes some astute observations about the personal costs of societal change. Like Harry's artistic endeavours, the writer's dual-era portrait of Dublin is cinematic in scope. Curran couples a close attention to detail with an overarching, subtle interrogation of the narratives nations are founded upon, lightened with a sharp wit."
Irish News
"A book without any likeable characters wouldn t normally work for me, but it actually plays an important part in Citizens... It does take a while for Citizens to get going, but it s worth it so stick with it. It s a good representation of a generation of Irish people who have felt let down by their country and that the only way forward is to leave."
Pure M Zine
"Citizens is not the first time Curran has succeeded in capturing the cynicism and uncertainty of his generation. His wonderful debut, Beatsploitation, likewise offered an unflattering though thoroughly refreshing view on a changing Ireland."
The Independent"
Dublin 1916: Harry Colley is a Pathe Newsreel cameraman, recently back from London, with a Cinemachine and four newsreels ready to capture the events of Easter Week. This is his life's work: to chronicle the Irish struggle for independence and share it with the world. Neil accepts her grandmother's request to read her father's memoir. As he reads the reminiscences, he realizes that the newsreels spoken of in the text still exist. After viewing the reels, he sets off on a journey that will change his life, and the lives of all those around him, forever.
A timeless story of lost love and broken dreams that brilliantly counterpoints today's globalized generation with Ireland's nationalist revolutionaries of 1916, Citizens creates a conversation across a century in a unique novel that has echoes of Don DeLillo's Libra and Transatlantic by Colum McCann.
REVIEWS
Citizens is important for people who think it is not important. Canadians, Americans or Brits, Spaniards or Portuguese or Greeks, you may not at first see Ireland s story as your story yet given that you all have birthed youth who are afraid, youth who are unfulfilled, youth who have doubts and fears; Citizens is your story too.
San Diego Book Review February 2016
"While the novel ostensibly tells two stories, it gradually builds to brilliantly portray the human interdependency that an entire nation is built upon."
Totally Dublin
"Un-likeability in a literary character is a tricky thing to respect. An unlikeable character needs something to make the reader decide to read on and Curran achieves this by writing spiky, visual dialogue for believable and flawed characters."
HeadStuff
"*Book of the Week* Curran makes some astute observations about the personal costs of societal change. Like Harry's artistic endeavours, the writer's dual-era portrait of Dublin is cinematic in scope. Curran couples a close attention to detail with an overarching, subtle interrogation of the narratives nations are founded upon, lightened with a sharp wit."
Irish News
"A book without any likeable characters wouldn t normally work for me, but it actually plays an important part in Citizens... It does take a while for Citizens to get going, but it s worth it so stick with it. It s a good representation of a generation of Irish people who have felt let down by their country and that the only way forward is to leave."
Pure M Zine
"Citizens is not the first time Curran has succeeded in capturing the cynicism and uncertainty of his generation. His wonderful debut, Beatsploitation, likewise offered an unflattering though thoroughly refreshing view on a changing Ireland."
The Independent"
- GenresIrish Literature
Paperback
Published July 15, 2016
3 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Curran
3 books1 followerKevin Curran grew up in Balbriggan, County Dublin. He has a Masters Degree in Anglo-Irish Literature from University College Dublin. He teaches in Balbriggan.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 9, 2016
I had high hopes for this novel, given both the subject matter and the author, who I know a friend has rated highly from his last novel, but I have to say that I was really disappointed by this. The characters were almost cartoonishly selfish, in both eras, and to be honest, the story was far from believable. I was on the brink of giving up on this a few times but stuck at it - unfortunately I wasn't rewarded for my patience.
December 19, 2019
Irish history written down in a new way, it excellently portrays the gap between the eldest and newest generation.
November 10, 2021
Moving. A clever social commentary written without pretentiousness.
February 15, 2016
Citizens, by Kevin Curran, captures the voice of the young, disaffected in Ireland, some of whom choose to emigrate in the hope of a better life, and juxtaposes their story with one from a century before, when their forbears rose up to fight those who were running their country for personal gain. It is unsettling in its clarity. In the contemporary timeline the elderly look to the young to stay and defend what they consider was hard won by their parents, unable to recognise that their own motives are selfish; they wish to keep their family around them for company and control. The historical chapters illustrate that a revolution is not successful or complete until a new set of oppressors consolidate their power.
Neil is twenty-six years old, unemployed, and living from weekend to weekend that he may get wasted on drink and drugs, and party with his friends. His girlfriend has recently emigrated to Canada. What was meant to be a new start for both of them has been delayed due to the death of Neil’s grandfather and the promise of an inheritance. Neil now joins his aunts and uncles in looking after his elderly grandmother while he tries to unearth what it is that he has been bequeathed.
Neil lived with his grandparents after his mother died so is close to the old lady. When he is with her she asks him to read letters from her father who, when he was Neil’s age, was a part of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin. This man, Harry Casey, captured images of the historic event on his Pathé hand cranked 35mm motion picture camera. His involvement with the insurrection is detailed in the letters Neil reads but it is believed that the film itself was lost in a fire. As the story unfolds Neil finds clues that suggest this may not have been the case. He wonders how much such rare archive footage could be worth.
We are offered the story of Neil and the story of Harry side by side. Neil believes that Ireland has let his generation down, that his country is a lost cause to which he owes nothing. He is desperate to cash in on the letters, to find the film if it still exists and sell it to the highest bidder. Harry, it would appear, had been willing to die for the betterment of his country. Neil’s grandmother believes that her children and grandchildren should feel duty bound to remain in deference to the sacrifices made by him and his peers.
The tightly woven narrative is written in a voice that is distinctly Irish. Neil’s frustration with his life, his love for his grandmother, his impatience with her ideals, emanate from each page. The greed of her children and her knowledge of this add poignancy. The aunts and uncles see an investment, not a home; valuable assets rather than treasured momentos. Their mother cannot comprehend that they do not share her experiences which are what make these possessions so valuable to her.
The supporting cast are deftly presented to provide alternative voices. Enda appears as the antithesis of Neil with his love of history and culture. Neil looks to his girlfriend, Kathy, to save him from the drudgery of his life but struggles with the price she demands. The simmering discontents within the family are razor sharp. The hubris of the politicians is all too recognisable in both eras.
A skilfully crafted montage that vividly brings to life two periods of Irish history. Whilst it does not attempt to offer answers, it will urge the reader to ponder the issues explored.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Liberties Press.
Neil is twenty-six years old, unemployed, and living from weekend to weekend that he may get wasted on drink and drugs, and party with his friends. His girlfriend has recently emigrated to Canada. What was meant to be a new start for both of them has been delayed due to the death of Neil’s grandfather and the promise of an inheritance. Neil now joins his aunts and uncles in looking after his elderly grandmother while he tries to unearth what it is that he has been bequeathed.
Neil lived with his grandparents after his mother died so is close to the old lady. When he is with her she asks him to read letters from her father who, when he was Neil’s age, was a part of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin. This man, Harry Casey, captured images of the historic event on his Pathé hand cranked 35mm motion picture camera. His involvement with the insurrection is detailed in the letters Neil reads but it is believed that the film itself was lost in a fire. As the story unfolds Neil finds clues that suggest this may not have been the case. He wonders how much such rare archive footage could be worth.
We are offered the story of Neil and the story of Harry side by side. Neil believes that Ireland has let his generation down, that his country is a lost cause to which he owes nothing. He is desperate to cash in on the letters, to find the film if it still exists and sell it to the highest bidder. Harry, it would appear, had been willing to die for the betterment of his country. Neil’s grandmother believes that her children and grandchildren should feel duty bound to remain in deference to the sacrifices made by him and his peers.
The tightly woven narrative is written in a voice that is distinctly Irish. Neil’s frustration with his life, his love for his grandmother, his impatience with her ideals, emanate from each page. The greed of her children and her knowledge of this add poignancy. The aunts and uncles see an investment, not a home; valuable assets rather than treasured momentos. Their mother cannot comprehend that they do not share her experiences which are what make these possessions so valuable to her.
The supporting cast are deftly presented to provide alternative voices. Enda appears as the antithesis of Neil with his love of history and culture. Neil looks to his girlfriend, Kathy, to save him from the drudgery of his life but struggles with the price she demands. The simmering discontents within the family are razor sharp. The hubris of the politicians is all too recognisable in both eras.
A skilfully crafted montage that vividly brings to life two periods of Irish history. Whilst it does not attempt to offer answers, it will urge the reader to ponder the issues explored.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Liberties Press.
July 27, 2016
"In the Irish altitude training of dishonesty, all you have to do is breathe and you're acclimated."
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews