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Close to Home
While growing up in West Belfast, Sean does everything he’s supposed to do. He works hard, he studies, and he―mostly―stays out of trouble. The thirty-year conflict is over, he’s told, and his future is lit with promise.
But when Sean returns home from university, he finds much of the same―the same friends doing the same gear in the same clubs; the same lost brothers and mad fathers; the same closed doors; the same silences. There are no jobs, Sean’s degree isn’t worth the paper it’s written on, and no one will give him the time of day. One night, he assaults a stranger at a party, and everything begins to come undone.
Michael Magee’s luminous debut, Close to Home , begins with this sudden act of violence and expands into a startling portrait of working-class Ireland under the long shadow of the Troubles. It’s a first novel drawn from life, written with the immediacy of thought. It’s about what happens when men get desperate, about the cycles of loss and trauma and secrecy that keep them trapped, and about the struggle to get free.
But when Sean returns home from university, he finds much of the same―the same friends doing the same gear in the same clubs; the same lost brothers and mad fathers; the same closed doors; the same silences. There are no jobs, Sean’s degree isn’t worth the paper it’s written on, and no one will give him the time of day. One night, he assaults a stranger at a party, and everything begins to come undone.
Michael Magee’s luminous debut, Close to Home , begins with this sudden act of violence and expands into a startling portrait of working-class Ireland under the long shadow of the Troubles. It’s a first novel drawn from life, written with the immediacy of thought. It’s about what happens when men get desperate, about the cycles of loss and trauma and secrecy that keep them trapped, and about the struggle to get free.
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 6, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,562 reviews
October 8, 2023
In his debut novel, Magee tells the story of 22-year-old Sean, a Belfast working class kid who graduates with a degree in English, but can't find a job due to the recession. It's 2013 and Sean is adrift, his family, friends and the whole town are haunted by what happened during The Troubles, and his class background and family trauma contribute to an atmosphere of hopelessness that our protagonist tries to fight in his own way. But it's an uphill battle: The book opens with Sean assaulting a young man after feeling diminished and ridiculed by him and his crowd at a party. Sean refuses to plead guilty and is sentenced to a high fine and 200 hours of community service, and the text covers the time it takes for him to work off his sentence while battling marginalization and coming to terms with toxic masculinity: What is his responsibility, what his agency? And how can he find a place for himself, the aspiring writer?
The organic and absorbing novel manages to negotiate various themes: There are The Troubles, which are still very much present in the biographies and conduct of many of the characters; there is the destiny of the working class, impersonated mainly by Sean's mother, an art-loving woman who fell pregnant as a teenager, is now a twice divorced mother of three and tries to get by as a cleaning lady; there are Sean's brothers who struggle with addiction and violent outbursts as well as his old mates who hardly get by and regularly escape by partying a.k.a numbing themselves; and there is Sean's struggle to fit in: He graduated in Liverpool and is now back in Belfast, torn between his old friends in the working class part of town and the Belfast college crowd, the link being his old school mate Mairéad who also crossed class lines. While it is not entirely plausible that an English graduate who supposedly chilled with the student crowd in Liverpool has now such severe habitus issues in Belfast, the feeling of being caught between class lines is in itself very well portrayed.
Much like Shuggie Bain or Trainspotting, "Close to Home" investigates a society permeated by trauma and hopelessness, and how young people cope (or don't cope) growing up in such an atmosphere - and it does so in a nuanced way: Sean is not only a victim, he is also a perpetrator and makes bad decisions. Still, as a reader, you can see where he is coming from, and you will start rooting for him (and his mother). Sean feels like no matter whether he does good and works hard or whether he fails and slacks, the outcome is the same, and there are powers that he can't overcome: Stricken by poverty so severe that he steals food to get by and repeatedly forced to change plans due to circumstance, he still decides to stay and fight, while many of his friends try to escape by leaving Belfast.
His most oppressive battle is the one against his self-loathing: Sean feels like a failure, like dirt. All the while, he is searching for his father who abandoned him, and his teenage half-sister, Aiofe - but why? He doesn't know himself, as he wants to know where his dad is, but he also hates him for the terrible things he did. Sean's worst fear though is that literature won't save him, and his terror of being right about this assumption is so severe that he hardly dares to try. The book offers quite some references to world literature, from existentialist novels over László Krasznahorkai to Marcel Proust and Milan Kundera.
This novel is definite Booker material - after Audrey Magee in 2022, Michael Magee is a must for the 2023 longlist.
Book discussion on Papierstau Podcast (in German): https://papierstaupodcast.de/allgemei...
The organic and absorbing novel manages to negotiate various themes: There are The Troubles, which are still very much present in the biographies and conduct of many of the characters; there is the destiny of the working class, impersonated mainly by Sean's mother, an art-loving woman who fell pregnant as a teenager, is now a twice divorced mother of three and tries to get by as a cleaning lady; there are Sean's brothers who struggle with addiction and violent outbursts as well as his old mates who hardly get by and regularly escape by partying a.k.a numbing themselves; and there is Sean's struggle to fit in: He graduated in Liverpool and is now back in Belfast, torn between his old friends in the working class part of town and the Belfast college crowd, the link being his old school mate Mairéad who also crossed class lines. While it is not entirely plausible that an English graduate who supposedly chilled with the student crowd in Liverpool has now such severe habitus issues in Belfast, the feeling of being caught between class lines is in itself very well portrayed.
Much like Shuggie Bain or Trainspotting, "Close to Home" investigates a society permeated by trauma and hopelessness, and how young people cope (or don't cope) growing up in such an atmosphere - and it does so in a nuanced way: Sean is not only a victim, he is also a perpetrator and makes bad decisions. Still, as a reader, you can see where he is coming from, and you will start rooting for him (and his mother). Sean feels like no matter whether he does good and works hard or whether he fails and slacks, the outcome is the same, and there are powers that he can't overcome: Stricken by poverty so severe that he steals food to get by and repeatedly forced to change plans due to circumstance, he still decides to stay and fight, while many of his friends try to escape by leaving Belfast.
His most oppressive battle is the one against his self-loathing: Sean feels like a failure, like dirt. All the while, he is searching for his father who abandoned him, and his teenage half-sister, Aiofe - but why? He doesn't know himself, as he wants to know where his dad is, but he also hates him for the terrible things he did. Sean's worst fear though is that literature won't save him, and his terror of being right about this assumption is so severe that he hardly dares to try. The book offers quite some references to world literature, from existentialist novels over László Krasznahorkai to Marcel Proust and Milan Kundera.
This novel is definite Booker material - after Audrey Magee in 2022, Michael Magee is a must for the 2023 longlist.
Book discussion on Papierstau Podcast (in German): https://papierstaupodcast.de/allgemei...
July 2, 2023
Belfast Bearings
I was blown away by this novel, a telling of a young man’s struggle to redirect the path his life has taken. Sean forged his way through school in Belfast, journeyed to Liverpool to get his degree in English Lit, and returned home only to find himself tangled up in a world without opportunity. Things get worse when he finds himself on trial for assaulting a guy at a party, his first brush with the law. The setting is Belfast after The Troubles, an era that was supposed to hold so much promise.
What a beautiful world this will be
What a glorious time to be free – Donald Fagen
Sean is having difficulty keeping even the most menial job, faces eviction from his dilapidated flat, and is having a hard time imagining a future beyond the vodka-and-cocaine-filled nightly parties. His best friend Ryan is urging Sean to escape with him to Australia. His love interest, Mairéad, may be seeing someone else and is planning her own escape– to Berlin. Everyone’s option is escaping– traditionally the only alternative in Irish culture.
Recently, in reviewing plotlines of Irish works such as this one, or Donal Ryan’s “Queen of Dirt Island,” or Colin Barrett’s “Homesickness,” I realize they may sound bleak and filled with desperation. Each of these books, however, are fueled with tremendous humor and hope. “Close to Home” presents us with a young man determined to take accountability for his actions and formulate his own future.
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and to NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Michael Magee, in his first novel, for giving a portrayal of post-Troubles Belfast. #CloseToHome #NetGalley
I was blown away by this novel, a telling of a young man’s struggle to redirect the path his life has taken. Sean forged his way through school in Belfast, journeyed to Liverpool to get his degree in English Lit, and returned home only to find himself tangled up in a world without opportunity. Things get worse when he finds himself on trial for assaulting a guy at a party, his first brush with the law. The setting is Belfast after The Troubles, an era that was supposed to hold so much promise.
What a beautiful world this will be
What a glorious time to be free – Donald Fagen
Sean is having difficulty keeping even the most menial job, faces eviction from his dilapidated flat, and is having a hard time imagining a future beyond the vodka-and-cocaine-filled nightly parties. His best friend Ryan is urging Sean to escape with him to Australia. His love interest, Mairéad, may be seeing someone else and is planning her own escape– to Berlin. Everyone’s option is escaping– traditionally the only alternative in Irish culture.
Recently, in reviewing plotlines of Irish works such as this one, or Donal Ryan’s “Queen of Dirt Island,” or Colin Barrett’s “Homesickness,” I realize they may sound bleak and filled with desperation. Each of these books, however, are fueled with tremendous humor and hope. “Close to Home” presents us with a young man determined to take accountability for his actions and formulate his own future.
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and to NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Michael Magee, in his first novel, for giving a portrayal of post-Troubles Belfast. #CloseToHome #NetGalley
May 28, 2023
Amazing debut…..
A reminder that adolescent boys who cannot healthily express their emotions are more likely to participate in bullying, physical assault, and verbal abuse.
The different expectations for being a man can leave a growing guy lost and confused about how they should act.
Such toxic masculinity…..
There were elements of this book that reminded me of the movie ‘Good Will Hunting’ …. But the heartbreaking issues go even deeper in this ‘man-up’ story — with poverty, violence, addiction, class, friendship….and the reality that growing up is hard to do.
“Ryan turned to me and said, Look at Sean. He went to Liverpool and got his degree, and fair play to you, there’s no chance I could do that. But like you thought that it was it, you got your education and all, but sure what difference does it make? And it’s shite because you did well, and I’m not trying to be a dick here, you got further than any of us could. But you’re no better for it. You’re exactly where we are, and sure where the fuck are we?”
“Nowhere, I said”.
“Exactly, so what chance do we have?”
The recession hit and Ryan
was laid off from his plasterer job.
“Sometimes when his head was melted about how things had turned out, he talked about going to Australia. Loads of our mates were over there, having the time of their lives, and we were stuck in Belfast, working in a nightclub four nights a week, with no prospects, and no chance of anything better coming our way. The flat was good though. Not having to pay rent was a dream. But it was no Bondi Beach. It was no. Gold Coast. It was a stroke of luck we made the most of every night we had enough cash for a bottle of vodka, but it was getting old. There’s only so much partying you can do, and when there are fewer and fewer people to party with, it starts to feel like there’s nowhere else to go. You’re stuck in this hole with the same three or four faces for the rest of your life, drinking, taking gear, hanging around the local until there’s no one left to talk to.”
This is a thought-provoking powerful - devastating- urgent - tender - profound - beautifully written debut.
It’s brave and astonished me.
Is exposes the brutal realities of life and cruelty.
Congrats to author Michael Magee — he’s very talented— an author to remember (and read his next book).
A reminder that adolescent boys who cannot healthily express their emotions are more likely to participate in bullying, physical assault, and verbal abuse.
The different expectations for being a man can leave a growing guy lost and confused about how they should act.
Such toxic masculinity…..
There were elements of this book that reminded me of the movie ‘Good Will Hunting’ …. But the heartbreaking issues go even deeper in this ‘man-up’ story — with poverty, violence, addiction, class, friendship….and the reality that growing up is hard to do.
“Ryan turned to me and said, Look at Sean. He went to Liverpool and got his degree, and fair play to you, there’s no chance I could do that. But like you thought that it was it, you got your education and all, but sure what difference does it make? And it’s shite because you did well, and I’m not trying to be a dick here, you got further than any of us could. But you’re no better for it. You’re exactly where we are, and sure where the fuck are we?”
“Nowhere, I said”.
“Exactly, so what chance do we have?”
The recession hit and Ryan
was laid off from his plasterer job.
“Sometimes when his head was melted about how things had turned out, he talked about going to Australia. Loads of our mates were over there, having the time of their lives, and we were stuck in Belfast, working in a nightclub four nights a week, with no prospects, and no chance of anything better coming our way. The flat was good though. Not having to pay rent was a dream. But it was no Bondi Beach. It was no. Gold Coast. It was a stroke of luck we made the most of every night we had enough cash for a bottle of vodka, but it was getting old. There’s only so much partying you can do, and when there are fewer and fewer people to party with, it starts to feel like there’s nowhere else to go. You’re stuck in this hole with the same three or four faces for the rest of your life, drinking, taking gear, hanging around the local until there’s no one left to talk to.”
This is a thought-provoking powerful - devastating- urgent - tender - profound - beautifully written debut.
It’s brave and astonished me.
Is exposes the brutal realities of life and cruelty.
Congrats to author Michael Magee — he’s very talented— an author to remember (and read his next book).
May 16, 2023
This was...underwhelming. Frankly I'm struggling to say much about it because it just didn't leave much of an impression on me. The biggest issue for me here is that this book sorely lacks a sense of interiority. We follow our protagonist, Sean, as he goes to work, makes friends, visits his mother, navigates his court case, etc., but throughout all this there is so little sense of what's actually going on inside his head. That's fine; not every novel has to be deeply introspective, but if I'm not going to get introspection, I want really strong character development work, and I didn't get that here either. I liked the interactions between Sean and his childhood girlfriend/best friend, Mairéad, but beyond that I wasn't really gripped by any of the characters or their dynamics. I don't know, this was just a very lackluster read for me.
Thank you to FSG for providing me with an eARC of this via NetGalley!
Thank you to FSG for providing me with an eARC of this via NetGalley!
July 28, 2023
A coming of age story.
Sean has gotten a degree in literature from an English college.. returns home to northern Ireland and there are no job prospects here ... there’s a recession.
He gets into some trouble hanging with old friends.. moving in and out of his mother’s small house.. things are just very bleak for everyone.
However, I liked it… I enjoyed reading about his family and his longtime female friend who is one of the people who shows him there is hope, as she went to university and made new friends, and found a better life.
There are some heavy topics that are dealt with here..poverty,drugs, trauma, and effects of childhood abuse.
Sean has gotten a degree in literature from an English college.. returns home to northern Ireland and there are no job prospects here ... there’s a recession.
He gets into some trouble hanging with old friends.. moving in and out of his mother’s small house.. things are just very bleak for everyone.
However, I liked it… I enjoyed reading about his family and his longtime female friend who is one of the people who shows him there is hope, as she went to university and made new friends, and found a better life.
There are some heavy topics that are dealt with here..poverty,drugs, trauma, and effects of childhood abuse.
October 12, 2024
Interesante novela. La primera de Michael Magee, ha sido premiada en algunos eventos británicos y se le ha puesto el cartel de joven promesa. Sin duda es un autor a seguir.
Año 2013, Sean Maguire, un joven norirlandés de 22 años regresa a su Belfast natal tras pasar unos años estudiando en Liverpool, solo para darse cuenta que la mierda está en el mismo sitio. Narrada en primera persona por el propio Sean, nos hace un retrato de su barrio en la zona obrera donde reina el desempleo, las drogas, el alcohol, la violencia y un futuro muy gris. Nos habla de su padre que los abandonó, de su hermano mayor que está muy lejos de ser un ejemplo a seguir y de la precariedad del mundo laboral. Ya os hacéis una idea.
❝La basura se hunde de nuevo en el lodo y el barro.❞
Un drama contemporáneo que nos cuenta el día a día de Sean. Aquí no hay una trama a seguir, ni giros inesperados ni un final para cerrar la historia. La novela es una crítica social ubicada en un barrio humilde de Belfast pero aplicable a cualquier barrio obrero de cualquier ciudad. Hay momentos que me recordaba a Trainspotting o a las películas de Ken Loach, salvo que en estas ultimas había un atisbo de esperanza.
❝Mi sensación es que no hay nada después, solo una gran oscuridad, un gran apagón de la luz.❞
El estilo de Magee me ha gustado, es directo, descripciones concisas y como se suele decir, sin una coma de más. Lo que no me ha gustado tanto, al menos al principio hasta que te acostumbras, es que mete los diálogos en medio de la narración, no hay líneas de dialogo. Esto igual tiene un nombre técnico pero lo desconozco.
Los personajes me han encantado. Sobre todo Sean, un chico sencillo con el que es fácil sentirse identificado.
Muy interesante también la continua presencia del conflicto norirlandés durante toda la novela, lo arraigado que está en la sociedad. Menciones a los murales de Bobby Sands, de la pequeña Carol Ann Kelly. Incluso algún personaje colaboró directa o indirectamente con el IRA.
No sé hasta que punto el autor nos narra sus propias vivencias. Él nació en Belfast y en el mismo año al que nos transporta la novela tenía la edad que nuestro protagonista, incluso Sean va a Liverpool a estudiar Literatura, demasiadas coincidencias.
4⭐ para una buena novela, compleja y personal. Difícil recomendarla a alguien que solo busca novelas que enganchen y con ritmo trepidante. Son de estas que depende mucho del momento que le leas. Por mi parte la he disfrutado.
April 9, 2023
really fell for this!! though I have reservations about the main character (he has an english degree but had never been to poetry readings or seen a foreign film??)
April 23, 2023
Life is not turning out as well as Sean Maguire had hoped. Having returned to Belfast after completing a literature degree in Liverpool, his prospects look bleak. He lives in a moldy flat with his friend Rob and earns a meagre wage as a bartender in a grotty nightclub. Barely able to afford the rent, he ends up stealing groceries to stay fed. Rob is a hellraiser, a bad influence on Sean, and they roll from one cocaine binge to another. Sean is also being investigated by the police for a violent assault at a party. The one chink of light in his grim existence is Mairead, an old girlfriend who dreams of a better life in Berlin. However, at the moment he feels trapped. He knows he can do better than this, but the way out of it is unclear.
I've heard this book described as Belfast's version of Shuggie Bain. To me it feels closer to Gabriel Krauze's Who They Was, another semi-autobiographical story about a young working-class man of literary prowess, who finds it hard to escape his circumstances. It taps into many fascinating themes - the pressures of masculinity, the friendships that can be self-destructive, the family wounds that will never heal. Even though the story is set 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement, the scars of the Troubles still linger and haunt every family, including Sean's. I didn't find myself underlining many sentences but the strength of this tale lies in its authentic characters, and its perceptive take on the aimless struggle that many young people feel nowadays. It's a strong, confident debut from Michael Magee - I look forward to reading more of his work.
I've heard this book described as Belfast's version of Shuggie Bain. To me it feels closer to Gabriel Krauze's Who They Was, another semi-autobiographical story about a young working-class man of literary prowess, who finds it hard to escape his circumstances. It taps into many fascinating themes - the pressures of masculinity, the friendships that can be self-destructive, the family wounds that will never heal. Even though the story is set 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement, the scars of the Troubles still linger and haunt every family, including Sean's. I didn't find myself underlining many sentences but the strength of this tale lies in its authentic characters, and its perceptive take on the aimless struggle that many young people feel nowadays. It's a strong, confident debut from Michael Magee - I look forward to reading more of his work.
January 8, 2023
I'm afraid this didn't work for me. I was seduced by the cover and description but neither the writing nor the plot drew me in. It feels like this is trying to be a Who They Was for Belfast but without the style or ferocious energy of Gabriel Krauze. There's a lot of competition in this space of working class white masculinity, and Northern Ireland, but this didn't have an impact on me and feels forgettable.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley
June 6, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust:
Let me never be put to confusion.”
- Psalm 71:1
When I spotted this debut book based set Belfast I had to read it. Without sounding cheesy, personally, this book felt very close to home as I live near Belfast. I also love to support a book written by local author.
Sean is back in Belfast after studying English Lit at Liverpool university. Back to Belfast means back to his old habits. Bar work, all nighters, borrowed cash, missed rent. He is scrapping by until one night out, he makes a big mistake…
This book is SO real and to the point, and I can honestly say I don’t think anyone living outside of this small country could ever have written this incredibly insightful novel.
As soon as I began reading the book I could instantly hear the West Belfast accent in my head; the characters were perfectly portrayed from start to finish. As Sean gets onboard the train at “Central Station, El Divino was across the road.” - Magee had got the location spot on, right up to the club across the road from the station. It pleased me to read about such a familiar place. Furthermore, the language Magee used was so typical of Belfast, I couldn’t help but smile and wonder how other readers would react to this…” there was a wee black pug sitting at his feet. Isn’t he class? Aye, brilliant.” 😂 I don’t live in Belfast itself but this was as sharp as a knife and excellently observed.
Not thinking too much about that night a few weeks back when he had thrown a few punches at some guy. It was nothing to him, just a dog-tired night out that ended badly. But when he suddenly he’d found himself in the middle of a court case things were about to change.
It’s so entertaining reading a book about exactly where you live. My mum and I were genuinely laughing our heads off 🤣 I think my favourite/funniest part of the whole book is when they accidentally get on the wrong train and instead of Balmoral, they end up going towards Holywood (closer to where I’m from) and Sean says “we may as well have got off the train in a different country, it was like a holiday resort up there, with the promenade and the waterfront and the beautiful houses overlooking the lough.” I’m probably the only one reading this that is from my area by the thing you should know about NI is that it only takes 5 minutes in a different direction and you may as well be in a completely different world. For a small area, we pack a lot in. I also found it really funny hearing what the ‘city kids’ think of the rest of us.
Sean started out the novel skint but by the time we were half way through he noted that he was in scary territory. The only way he had of getting food was the sneak it through self-checkouts. Already on probation, if he was caught, he was done for. And to make matters worse, after a failed interview, he headed back to his flat to find a notice of repossession. Back to his ma’s he went…will he build a life for himself in Belfast? And how? He has a lot on his plate and fair play to him, he works hard for what he gets.
I find it astonishing that this is a debut novel. The details, the character development and story line were all so brilliantly portrayed and cleverly crafted. If you want a true insight into Northern Ireland (that’s right, I said Northern Ireland, not the North - read to find out the difference 😉) then this is a great book to start with. It is not flattering by all means but shows a true side to how many people, especially in the West and North, of the city live. I would be SO interested to hear what a non-northern Irish person thought of it. I will miss reading about this crazy bunch!
And to finish off the book with a perfect one-liner:
“Reaching out is a strength not a weakness.”
“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust:
Let me never be put to confusion.”
- Psalm 71:1
When I spotted this debut book based set Belfast I had to read it. Without sounding cheesy, personally, this book felt very close to home as I live near Belfast. I also love to support a book written by local author.
Sean is back in Belfast after studying English Lit at Liverpool university. Back to Belfast means back to his old habits. Bar work, all nighters, borrowed cash, missed rent. He is scrapping by until one night out, he makes a big mistake…
This book is SO real and to the point, and I can honestly say I don’t think anyone living outside of this small country could ever have written this incredibly insightful novel.
As soon as I began reading the book I could instantly hear the West Belfast accent in my head; the characters were perfectly portrayed from start to finish. As Sean gets onboard the train at “Central Station, El Divino was across the road.” - Magee had got the location spot on, right up to the club across the road from the station. It pleased me to read about such a familiar place. Furthermore, the language Magee used was so typical of Belfast, I couldn’t help but smile and wonder how other readers would react to this…” there was a wee black pug sitting at his feet. Isn’t he class? Aye, brilliant.” 😂 I don’t live in Belfast itself but this was as sharp as a knife and excellently observed.
Not thinking too much about that night a few weeks back when he had thrown a few punches at some guy. It was nothing to him, just a dog-tired night out that ended badly. But when he suddenly he’d found himself in the middle of a court case things were about to change.
It’s so entertaining reading a book about exactly where you live. My mum and I were genuinely laughing our heads off 🤣 I think my favourite/funniest part of the whole book is when they accidentally get on the wrong train and instead of Balmoral, they end up going towards Holywood (closer to where I’m from) and Sean says “we may as well have got off the train in a different country, it was like a holiday resort up there, with the promenade and the waterfront and the beautiful houses overlooking the lough.” I’m probably the only one reading this that is from my area by the thing you should know about NI is that it only takes 5 minutes in a different direction and you may as well be in a completely different world. For a small area, we pack a lot in. I also found it really funny hearing what the ‘city kids’ think of the rest of us.
Sean started out the novel skint but by the time we were half way through he noted that he was in scary territory. The only way he had of getting food was the sneak it through self-checkouts. Already on probation, if he was caught, he was done for. And to make matters worse, after a failed interview, he headed back to his flat to find a notice of repossession. Back to his ma’s he went…will he build a life for himself in Belfast? And how? He has a lot on his plate and fair play to him, he works hard for what he gets.
I find it astonishing that this is a debut novel. The details, the character development and story line were all so brilliantly portrayed and cleverly crafted. If you want a true insight into Northern Ireland (that’s right, I said Northern Ireland, not the North - read to find out the difference 😉) then this is a great book to start with. It is not flattering by all means but shows a true side to how many people, especially in the West and North, of the city live. I would be SO interested to hear what a non-northern Irish person thought of it. I will miss reading about this crazy bunch!
And to finish off the book with a perfect one-liner:
“Reaching out is a strength not a weakness.”
October 19, 2024
Belfast, en Irlanda del Norte, es un lugar marcado por las cicatrices a los ojos de Sean Maguire, el protagonista de esta cruda novela debut de Michael Magee. Aunque se graduó en la universidad en Inglaterra con un título en inglés, cada vez le resulta más difícil encontrar trabajo, aunque sea de baja categoría. A eso se suma un incidente en una fiesta en el que agrede a un desconocido, lo que le pone cara a cara con su lado oscuro y le obliga a cumplir una condena de servicio comunitario.
Beber, vivir al límite y vivir en Irlanda del Norte después de los disturbios no son muchas opciones para Sean. La ciudad todavía se está recuperando de muchos años de conflicto. El hermano de Sean, Anthony, es un hombre dañado con un fuerte problema de bebida y una familia, y su madre trabaja como empleada doméstica limpiando casas que solo puede soñar con tener
Contada con una voz claramente irlandesa, Michael Magee transporta al lector a un lugar destrozado en una época destrozada. El daño causado por un conflicto prolongado no se detiene cuando el conflicto termina. Se puede ver en los rostros de hombres y mujeres cansados de la batalla, el desempleo y el brusco giro hacia la bebida y las drogas cuando las opciones para mejorar son pocas.
Aunque a veces la trama de esta novela es escasa, refleja la agitada vida en la que se ha metido Sean sin un hogar real ni un trabajo viable. Los personajes están plenamente desarrollados y su comportamiento contraproducente parece realista y desgarrador a la vez.
Michael Magee ha creado una crónica de las formas en que el trauma y el conflicto generacional pueden dar forma a una vida. Sean Maguire es un hombre al borde del abismo. Close to Home es un libro sobre la supervivencia y la voluntad de un hombre de dar un paso hacia un futuro diferente.
Beber, vivir al límite y vivir en Irlanda del Norte después de los disturbios no son muchas opciones para Sean. La ciudad todavía se está recuperando de muchos años de conflicto. El hermano de Sean, Anthony, es un hombre dañado con un fuerte problema de bebida y una familia, y su madre trabaja como empleada doméstica limpiando casas que solo puede soñar con tener
Contada con una voz claramente irlandesa, Michael Magee transporta al lector a un lugar destrozado en una época destrozada. El daño causado por un conflicto prolongado no se detiene cuando el conflicto termina. Se puede ver en los rostros de hombres y mujeres cansados de la batalla, el desempleo y el brusco giro hacia la bebida y las drogas cuando las opciones para mejorar son pocas.
Aunque a veces la trama de esta novela es escasa, refleja la agitada vida en la que se ha metido Sean sin un hogar real ni un trabajo viable. Los personajes están plenamente desarrollados y su comportamiento contraproducente parece realista y desgarrador a la vez.
Michael Magee ha creado una crónica de las formas en que el trauma y el conflicto generacional pueden dar forma a una vida. Sean Maguire es un hombre al borde del abismo. Close to Home es un libro sobre la supervivencia y la voluntad de un hombre de dar un paso hacia un futuro diferente.
June 5, 2024
Me atrapó desde el primer párrafo. La voz de Sean, un chico de clase de obrera de Belfast que busca su lugar, tiene algo íntimo que agarra, algo magnético. La novela está increíblemente bien escrita. No me ha parecido que haya una trama en particular, y aun así es mucho lo que cuenta y mucho lo que llega. Me ha encantado.
March 19, 2023
A very, very promising debut from a young Irish writer who's going places.
This sits at the apex of Trespasses, Mayflies, Who They Was and Shuggie Bain and I'm sure anyone who liked those books would find so much to love in Michael Magee's writing.
Magee's novel, which I assume is largely autobiographical, spans a few months in the life of Sean, a working class Belfast lad who's back from uni in Liverpool to find the Irish economy has tanked and his degree ain't worth shit.
Bumbling from tenuous employment to tenuous employment, he is also friends with some volatile people who are dragging him in directions he probably should be avoiding. He also has a family mired in trauma, both from the hangover of the Troubles, and their own dark secrets.
Magee's characters feel fresh and alive and his writing is crisp and sharp, particularly on class (which I found incredibly relatable and real) and the inherited ghosts of those living in the North in the wake of the Troubles.
An excellent debut and someone who is only going to get better.
This sits at the apex of Trespasses, Mayflies, Who They Was and Shuggie Bain and I'm sure anyone who liked those books would find so much to love in Michael Magee's writing.
Magee's novel, which I assume is largely autobiographical, spans a few months in the life of Sean, a working class Belfast lad who's back from uni in Liverpool to find the Irish economy has tanked and his degree ain't worth shit.
Bumbling from tenuous employment to tenuous employment, he is also friends with some volatile people who are dragging him in directions he probably should be avoiding. He also has a family mired in trauma, both from the hangover of the Troubles, and their own dark secrets.
Magee's characters feel fresh and alive and his writing is crisp and sharp, particularly on class (which I found incredibly relatable and real) and the inherited ghosts of those living in the North in the wake of the Troubles.
An excellent debut and someone who is only going to get better.
July 8, 2024
I really loved this book, all the characters were layered and full of rich descriptions. I don’t want to describe what happens incase I spoil the plot but if you liked Douglas Stuart, or novels that involve a society suffering from past trauma (in this case The Troubles), poverty, substance abuse, but still lined with hopefulness you may like this debut novel. What a tender and emotive read this was, demonstrating the capacity of familial love whilst also exploring ideas of class, belonging, and toxic masculinity set in Belfast.
July 4, 2024
No me ha encantado🥺 pero creo que es porque vengo de leer dos libros que me han despertado muchas cosas y este se me ha quedado un poco “soso” de emociones
Está contado desde el punto de vista de alguien que busca huir y mejorar en un mundo precario y violento. Empatizas bastante en algunas partes, pero a mí me ha pasado que no he terminado de conectar al 100% ni con él ni con ninguno de los personajes
Aún así, me ha parecido interesante la ambientación y he aprendido cosas :)
Está contado desde el punto de vista de alguien que busca huir y mejorar en un mundo precario y violento. Empatizas bastante en algunas partes, pero a mí me ha pasado que no he terminado de conectar al 100% ni con él ni con ninguno de los personajes
Aún así, me ha parecido interesante la ambientación y he aprendido cosas :)
March 30, 2024
This is Michael Magee's debut novel!
Sean returns home to Belfast with a degree in English literature. Hoping for a promising future, not like the rest of his mates, he ends up returning to his friends doing the same (a lot of nothing), no jobs, and many silent sad faces.
One night Sean assaults a stranger and everything begins to come undone.
A story of self-discovery depicting there is always room for hope amidst what feels like never ending struggles.
Sean returns home to Belfast with a degree in English literature. Hoping for a promising future, not like the rest of his mates, he ends up returning to his friends doing the same (a lot of nothing), no jobs, and many silent sad faces.
One night Sean assaults a stranger and everything begins to come undone.
A story of self-discovery depicting there is always room for hope amidst what feels like never ending struggles.
March 13, 2023
Somewhat reminiscent of Stewart’s Shuggie Bain and Rooney’s Normal People, Magee has crafted a slow burning, moody and melancholic infused debut, exploring (or at least nodding to) themes of; class, identity, family (and possibly national) loyalty, and toxic masculinity in the heart of Ireland.
(yes I know SB was set in Scotland, I meant more the connections to class struggle with the former comparison).
A classic case of “show don’t tell” -though perhaps with less introspection than I would’ve liked, Close to Home portrays a society permeated by trauma and an unrelenting sense of despair.
Magee perfectly evokes that weird back and forth like pull, as we slowly transition into a new semblance (or false semblance) of adulthood. The desire to both move forward into a life of unknown -though hopefully one full of bountiful possibilities, yet at the same time, crippled by the pull of the past, the familiar and somewhat reliable.
Though some may not be a fan of the “uneventfulness” and lack of narrative (or even character) development within the novel, I found it remarkably relatable (ok, maybe not all the drinking, drugs, shoplifting and raving lol).
One scene in particular really made me chuckle -purely for the sheer and utter unabashed pretentiousness of the dude;
So, you're a student?
I'm a student at Queen's, yes.
What're you studying? English?
More a sub-category of English. At least, it falls under the same
school, but doesn't quite have the same theoretical rigour as your
straightforward Literature degree: Creative Writing. I'm studying
Creative Writing, if that's something one ought to admit to.
I think you just did, mate.
lol to all the connors of the world who think they’re the next Kerouac.
Magee accurately captures the lack of direction and desperation (especially financially) in life most of will -or have gone through after graduating, or even just entering the supposedly roaring 20s.
(I swear, if one more person says to me “these are the best years of your life” I’ll scream)
Sean is definitely an interesting character -battling (quite literally) not just the court case against him, his struggles to manage his alcoholic brothers erratic and wholly unpredictable behaviour, as well as the mounting financial struggle (again quite literally) on his doorstep, but he is also a young man dealing with a near constant internal battle when it comes to his own identity outside of all this.
That said, there were times when I felt as though Sean was perhaps slightly too passive in his own life choices. Feeling more like a secondary character, than our leading man.
Though perhaps that’s the point -quite literally embodying the lack of self and direction that he’s experiencing.
Although I personally would’ve admired a great deal more vulnerability and reckoning -whether to do with physical fight he found himself convicted of (why he did what he did/the lead up) or more of an internal examination into understanding his upbringing and family dynamics -especially towards his estranged father, as opposed to often relying on unhelpful vices, and a rather unsympathetic -lack of accountability attitude, to get by.
Overall though I think “aye”, a somewhat accomplished debut.
3 stars
PS ~ thanks to the publishers for sending me a copy to review!
(yes I know SB was set in Scotland, I meant more the connections to class struggle with the former comparison).
A classic case of “show don’t tell” -though perhaps with less introspection than I would’ve liked, Close to Home portrays a society permeated by trauma and an unrelenting sense of despair.
Magee perfectly evokes that weird back and forth like pull, as we slowly transition into a new semblance (or false semblance) of adulthood. The desire to both move forward into a life of unknown -though hopefully one full of bountiful possibilities, yet at the same time, crippled by the pull of the past, the familiar and somewhat reliable.
Though some may not be a fan of the “uneventfulness” and lack of narrative (or even character) development within the novel, I found it remarkably relatable (ok, maybe not all the drinking, drugs, shoplifting and raving lol).
One scene in particular really made me chuckle -purely for the sheer and utter unabashed pretentiousness of the dude;
So, you're a student?
I'm a student at Queen's, yes.
What're you studying? English?
More a sub-category of English. At least, it falls under the same
school, but doesn't quite have the same theoretical rigour as your
straightforward Literature degree: Creative Writing. I'm studying
Creative Writing, if that's something one ought to admit to.
I think you just did, mate.
lol to all the connors of the world who think they’re the next Kerouac.
Magee accurately captures the lack of direction and desperation (especially financially) in life most of will -or have gone through after graduating, or even just entering the supposedly roaring 20s.
(I swear, if one more person says to me “these are the best years of your life” I’ll scream)
Sean is definitely an interesting character -battling (quite literally) not just the court case against him, his struggles to manage his alcoholic brothers erratic and wholly unpredictable behaviour, as well as the mounting financial struggle (again quite literally) on his doorstep, but he is also a young man dealing with a near constant internal battle when it comes to his own identity outside of all this.
That said, there were times when I felt as though Sean was perhaps slightly too passive in his own life choices. Feeling more like a secondary character, than our leading man.
Though perhaps that’s the point -quite literally embodying the lack of self and direction that he’s experiencing.
Although I personally would’ve admired a great deal more vulnerability and reckoning -whether to do with physical fight he found himself convicted of (why he did what he did/the lead up) or more of an internal examination into understanding his upbringing and family dynamics -especially towards his estranged father, as opposed to often relying on unhelpful vices, and a rather unsympathetic -lack of accountability attitude, to get by.
Overall though I think “aye”, a somewhat accomplished debut.
3 stars
PS ~ thanks to the publishers for sending me a copy to review!
June 7, 2023
For anyone that lives in West Belfast, this read will get under the skin. For anyone that doesn’t, it will show you what it’s like to live there.
I always think about how West Belfast has such a specific sub-culture. When I try to explain it to anyone, I find it difficult. It’s hard not to make it a stereotype. This book, however, is able to capture it so well without looking down upon the culture or making a joke out of it.
The characters were real, and I had real attitudes towards this. I genuinely felt myself saying “DON’T BE STUPID” and “GET TO BED, SEAN. YOU HAVE WORK” and “DON’T TAKE ANOTHER KEY!” I was rooting for Sean the whole time, despite him sometimes making stupid decision that he did have control over.
As well, the book was fun! It was very entertaining to read about Sean and his friends roaming around Belfast, trying to survive the working class life that God had dealt them.
I’ll be recommending to everyone know, especially if they’re not from the West.
I always think about how West Belfast has such a specific sub-culture. When I try to explain it to anyone, I find it difficult. It’s hard not to make it a stereotype. This book, however, is able to capture it so well without looking down upon the culture or making a joke out of it.
The characters were real, and I had real attitudes towards this. I genuinely felt myself saying “DON’T BE STUPID” and “GET TO BED, SEAN. YOU HAVE WORK” and “DON’T TAKE ANOTHER KEY!” I was rooting for Sean the whole time, despite him sometimes making stupid decision that he did have control over.
As well, the book was fun! It was very entertaining to read about Sean and his friends roaming around Belfast, trying to survive the working class life that God had dealt them.
I’ll be recommending to everyone know, especially if they’re not from the West.
May 12, 2023
A great debut novel that I raced through in two sittings. It’s about growing up, masculinity, friendship/peer pressure, and making ends meet. This is an intense book, set in 2013 in Belfast, referring to personal traumas and those caused by the Troubles, and it’s full of drink, drugs and occasional violence. It’s bleak, but luckily also hopeful, and I am greatly impressed by it.
Thank you Farrar, Strauss and Giroux and Edelweiss for the ARC.
Thank you Farrar, Strauss and Giroux and Edelweiss for the ARC.
July 7, 2024
An amazing read from start to finish!! At first I thought maybe only people from Belfast but by the end I thought omg everyone NEEDS to read this. It's heavy whilst also being a really easy, enjoyable read, it touches on class, addiction and toxic masculinity, and highlights the deep rooted and complex effects that the troubles still has in on people and communities in Belfast today. I really hope this gets made into a movie!!!
April 10, 2023
As a milly who studied English lit and poetry at Queen’s I ate this up!
August 6, 2023
This is the kind of directionless literary fiction I usually avoid: set in 2013, Close To Home follows Sean, a young working-class man from west Belfast who did an English degree at Liverpool but has now returned to his home city and is searching for work. His republican mother still lives in the shadow of the Troubles, when most of the men she knew were interned by the British state, there were roadblocks at the end of all the streets and she was convinced to hide guns in her house for the cause. His older brother Anthony is sinking deep into addiction, and his old friend and now sometime-girlfriend Mairéad wants to move to Berlin, leaving him behind. Sean doesn't know why he threw a punch at a party and got into trouble with the police for the first time in his life, but now everything is even worse.
I worried this would be too much like the many millennial/Gen Z 'disaster women' novels I've read, even though it deals with a millennial man, but Michael Magee actually has some things to say about class, and how we both want to detach from, and stay attached to, the places we're from, as well as the long impact of violence on communities. While it does feature the seemingly-obligatory 'working class man scorns middle-class people talking pretentiously about art' scene, it also has plenty of more originally observed set-pieces, including an excruciating job interview at a small arts organisation, where Sean says all the right things but knows his face doesn't fit ('There was laughter, mostly from Richard, who looked at me like I had broken into his house.') This may be plotless but it's quietly compelling, and not as grim as I had expected, as Magee expertly draws out the tenderness within the misery.
I worried this would be too much like the many millennial/Gen Z 'disaster women' novels I've read, even though it deals with a millennial man, but Michael Magee actually has some things to say about class, and how we both want to detach from, and stay attached to, the places we're from, as well as the long impact of violence on communities. While it does feature the seemingly-obligatory 'working class man scorns middle-class people talking pretentiously about art' scene, it also has plenty of more originally observed set-pieces, including an excruciating job interview at a small arts organisation, where Sean says all the right things but knows his face doesn't fit ('There was laughter, mostly from Richard, who looked at me like I had broken into his house.') This may be plotless but it's quietly compelling, and not as grim as I had expected, as Magee expertly draws out the tenderness within the misery.
July 13, 2023
Sean tem 22 anos e regressa a Belfast, a sua cidade natal, depois de frequentar a universidade em Liverpool onde tirou o curso de Literatura Inglesa, um curso que dentro da conjectura económica do país "não serve para nada ".
Sean, como a maioria dos jovens irlandeses, não consegue encontrar um emprego de acordo com as suas habilitações e para sobreviver arranja um trabalho a servir bebidas numa discoteca.
A viver num apartamento degradado com o amigo Ryan e sem perspectivas de melhorar a sua vida, passa as noites de festa em festa, festas estas sempre regadas com muito álcool e com imensas drogas à disposição.
No fim de uma dessas festas Sean perde a cabeça e agride um desconhecido deixando-o inconsciente. A partir desta noite a sua vida transforma-se num completo caos.
Perto de Casa é o relato na primeira pessoa das consequências desta noite enquanto Sean tenta entender em quem se tornou e de como todos os relacionamentos que teve até esse dia, quer sejam familiares ou amorosos, o moldaram para o bem e para o mal.
Michael Magee no seu romance de estreia disseca o quê que mantém os jovens da classe média irlandeses em perigo : o desemprego, a falta de perspectivas no futuro, os vícios, os traumas de infância e a violência, quer no seio da família quer nas ruas de Belfast.
É um livro muito bem escrito e como é autobiográfico o autor conseguiu transmitir-nos como a classe social e o ambiente social molda os jovens mas também como podem ser moldados pela coragem de amar e sobreviver.
Sean, como a maioria dos jovens irlandeses, não consegue encontrar um emprego de acordo com as suas habilitações e para sobreviver arranja um trabalho a servir bebidas numa discoteca.
A viver num apartamento degradado com o amigo Ryan e sem perspectivas de melhorar a sua vida, passa as noites de festa em festa, festas estas sempre regadas com muito álcool e com imensas drogas à disposição.
No fim de uma dessas festas Sean perde a cabeça e agride um desconhecido deixando-o inconsciente. A partir desta noite a sua vida transforma-se num completo caos.
Perto de Casa é o relato na primeira pessoa das consequências desta noite enquanto Sean tenta entender em quem se tornou e de como todos os relacionamentos que teve até esse dia, quer sejam familiares ou amorosos, o moldaram para o bem e para o mal.
Michael Magee no seu romance de estreia disseca o quê que mantém os jovens da classe média irlandeses em perigo : o desemprego, a falta de perspectivas no futuro, os vícios, os traumas de infância e a violência, quer no seio da família quer nas ruas de Belfast.
É um livro muito bem escrito e como é autobiográfico o autor conseguiu transmitir-nos como a classe social e o ambiente social molda os jovens mas também como podem ser moldados pela coragem de amar e sobreviver.
January 27, 2023
Early frontrunner for my favorite novel of the year. Can't say enough about this incredible book. Readers who don't know Belfast might find the book blokey and tough, but it strikes me as sensitive and tender. Never thought I'd read a novel with scenes set in Dunmurry, Andytown, Kennedy Centre, the Bot and even No Alibis. Just an astonishing read. Highly recommended.
July 21, 2023
A depressing, but brilliant, Irish tale of intergenerational trauma as a result of The Troubles.
March 9, 2025
This is a great debut novel from an exciting talent who writes from the heart
From the outside the problems that once blighted Belfast and the north of Ireland are fixed. Paramilitary violence has declined, and the city has a prosperous air it never had before.
Yet look a little closer and you see that those communities who suffered the most from the violence have as little prospect of enjoying prosperity as they had when things were at their worst.
These communities are trapped in a world without hope and can lead desperate lives, often succumbing to mental ill health, addictions, getting into trouble with the law and enduring joblessness, extreme poverty and despair.
In our part of Ireland it has been those least affected by violence who have become beneficiaries of peace.
Now, at last, a great young writer has emerged who can articulate the despair of a community in transition. Michael Magee’s novel explores that world with great authenticity. He writes about the streets, cafes bars and clubs that everyone who knows Belfast will recognise and he gives voice to a community that can struggle to be heard.
It was obvious that sooner or later the Troubles would inspire a new generation of talented writers. We have found one in Louise Kennedy. You can now add Magee to the list.
From the outside the problems that once blighted Belfast and the north of Ireland are fixed. Paramilitary violence has declined, and the city has a prosperous air it never had before.
Yet look a little closer and you see that those communities who suffered the most from the violence have as little prospect of enjoying prosperity as they had when things were at their worst.
These communities are trapped in a world without hope and can lead desperate lives, often succumbing to mental ill health, addictions, getting into trouble with the law and enduring joblessness, extreme poverty and despair.
In our part of Ireland it has been those least affected by violence who have become beneficiaries of peace.
Now, at last, a great young writer has emerged who can articulate the despair of a community in transition. Michael Magee’s novel explores that world with great authenticity. He writes about the streets, cafes bars and clubs that everyone who knows Belfast will recognise and he gives voice to a community that can struggle to be heard.
It was obvious that sooner or later the Troubles would inspire a new generation of talented writers. We have found one in Louise Kennedy. You can now add Magee to the list.
June 1, 2024
Sean💔💔 Es una novela sobre el orgullo de clase, sobre masculinidad, sobre crecer y vivir en un mundo violento y precario, pero también sobre el deseo de huir y de mejorar, sobre el amor de todo tipo y sobre la esperanza. El trauma transgeneracional del conflicto del IRA asoma en la novela igual que lo hace en la psicología de los personajes: de forma velada pero en destellos arrolladores. Me parece un debut estupendo y creo que si os gustaron novelas como Un lugar para Mungo o The Young Team os puede molar este.
October 6, 2024
So tender, so sharp, so full-hearted. The tears poured out of me in the last quarter, and the last line did me in.
I’ve never read a book that’s so loving about Belfast and brutally honest about it too. It takes such deftness to achieve that balance between realism and hope - I’m in awe of Michael’s craft!
There were so many layers: the cycle of moving away and coming back to Belfast (and not understanding why someone from a better city like NYC would ever want to live here), awful housing, MOULD, scrabbling for rent, terrible jobs, “they kept making me talk about my past” / “I thought that was the point”, pretentious South Belfast people (I recognise versions of myself throughout this book!), and Séan trying to make all the sides of himself fit into the world(s) around him.
The core relationships with Mairéad, Anthony and Séan's mother are the tender heart of the book, and I loved them so much. God love Anthony. When this story is adapted for the screen (surely that has to be on the cards???), Anthony’s going to rip my heart out.
A stunning book that’s going to stay with me.
I’ve never read a book that’s so loving about Belfast and brutally honest about it too. It takes such deftness to achieve that balance between realism and hope - I’m in awe of Michael’s craft!
There were so many layers: the cycle of moving away and coming back to Belfast (and not understanding why someone from a better city like NYC would ever want to live here), awful housing, MOULD, scrabbling for rent, terrible jobs, “they kept making me talk about my past” / “I thought that was the point”, pretentious South Belfast people (I recognise versions of myself throughout this book!), and Séan trying to make all the sides of himself fit into the world(s) around him.
The core relationships with Mairéad, Anthony and Séan's mother are the tender heart of the book, and I loved them so much. God love Anthony. When this story is adapted for the screen (surely that has to be on the cards???), Anthony’s going to rip my heart out.
A stunning book that’s going to stay with me.
July 18, 2023
3 ⭐
i bought this in hardcover as soon as it was put out in the waterstones that i held up my whole family gathering to go into. that is how dedicated i was to getting my hands on this, because the advertising was TOP TIER and literally tailor made to reel me in. sharp authentic raw debut novel about family relationships, small towns, observations on masculinity and young adulthood?? very often compared to shuggie bain (arguably one of one of the best british literary pieces of the decade)?? there was absolutely no reason i wasn’t going to love this - but i didn’t.
this was good, don’t get me wrong, i definitely didn’t hate it. but i feel like i’d have a lot more enthusiasm for this book if it had been advertised in a way that actually demonstrated what it was going to entail. i think the heavy comparison to books like shuggie bain does both this book and those books an injustice - shuggie bain is fantastic in its exploration of class divides and its complete immersiveness into a very specific setting, and while i can see how those comparisons could be drawn because these themes are featured in close to home, i don’t think the comparisons accurately express what the book is really about. and i’m not saying that this was worse than shuggie bain, exactly, but these are two different stories entirely and the false expectation is really what let me down.
i think what separated those incredible books from this average book was the spark that was missing. books like shuggie bain, or even like boys don’t cry - which i’d say is much more similar thematically and in setting, and which i really loved - are made so special by very tangible characterisation and setting. they’re incredibly immersive, so you really get invested in the characters and their stories to the point you (or maybe this is just me) almost struggle to pull yourself out of their head and back into your own. this seems to be where close to home falls short, because the writing is very passive, very black and white. we always know what the main character, sean, is doing - shuffling from community service to jobs to his mum’s house to another job to community service etc etc etc - but we never seem to know what he’s feeling. yes, he tells us sometimes what he’s thinking about certain things, but that’s exactly what he’s doing - telling us. we’re not in his head, we’re not him, we’re a passive observer in his story. which is fine, yeah, but it’s nothing outstanding or particularly memorable.
in terms of what i liked - interactions with childhood friend/on and off girlfriend mariéd were good, she was a well fleshed-out and interesting character although i feel like she did fall victim to the male gaze a bit (i’ll give that the benefit of the doubt and say that i'm pretty sure this was intentional and a reflection on sean as a character), i just feel like she was a little idealised? but i promise i did actually like her as a character. ALSO, i found the ending to be a really interesting choice. yes i saw it coming, there were a couple of undertones that i was worried about, and yes i was still surprised and horrified when it actually happened. i thought the uncertainty of the ending following this moment - we get maybe a page to conclude the story after it - was also very effective, and the quick passing of the moment without further mention felt like a very well executed allusion to the standard of ‘sweeping things under the rug’ that’s a repeated issue throughout the book. it was really a very good portrayal of the harmful nature of this standard, and how it leads to cycles of trauma, but i just wish this could have been explored in a more introspective manner !! because there is so much to discuss there and i feel like this absolutely had the potential to do so - though also not discussing it does further add to the message itself. thinking about it, it’s a very difficult balance to get right, but i’m don’t think this book quite did get it right. i’m not sure.
tl;dr - lots of potential, lacking in a more immersive narrative, so many themes touched on but never really explored
“So here I was, home again after all those years.”
i bought this in hardcover as soon as it was put out in the waterstones that i held up my whole family gathering to go into. that is how dedicated i was to getting my hands on this, because the advertising was TOP TIER and literally tailor made to reel me in. sharp authentic raw debut novel about family relationships, small towns, observations on masculinity and young adulthood?? very often compared to shuggie bain (arguably one of one of the best british literary pieces of the decade)?? there was absolutely no reason i wasn’t going to love this - but i didn’t.
this was good, don’t get me wrong, i definitely didn’t hate it. but i feel like i’d have a lot more enthusiasm for this book if it had been advertised in a way that actually demonstrated what it was going to entail. i think the heavy comparison to books like shuggie bain does both this book and those books an injustice - shuggie bain is fantastic in its exploration of class divides and its complete immersiveness into a very specific setting, and while i can see how those comparisons could be drawn because these themes are featured in close to home, i don’t think the comparisons accurately express what the book is really about. and i’m not saying that this was worse than shuggie bain, exactly, but these are two different stories entirely and the false expectation is really what let me down.
i think what separated those incredible books from this average book was the spark that was missing. books like shuggie bain, or even like boys don’t cry - which i’d say is much more similar thematically and in setting, and which i really loved - are made so special by very tangible characterisation and setting. they’re incredibly immersive, so you really get invested in the characters and their stories to the point you (or maybe this is just me) almost struggle to pull yourself out of their head and back into your own. this seems to be where close to home falls short, because the writing is very passive, very black and white. we always know what the main character, sean, is doing - shuffling from community service to jobs to his mum’s house to another job to community service etc etc etc - but we never seem to know what he’s feeling. yes, he tells us sometimes what he’s thinking about certain things, but that’s exactly what he’s doing - telling us. we’re not in his head, we’re not him, we’re a passive observer in his story. which is fine, yeah, but it’s nothing outstanding or particularly memorable.
in terms of what i liked - interactions with childhood friend/on and off girlfriend mariéd were good, she was a well fleshed-out and interesting character although i feel like she did fall victim to the male gaze a bit (i’ll give that the benefit of the doubt and say that i'm pretty sure this was intentional and a reflection on sean as a character), i just feel like she was a little idealised? but i promise i did actually like her as a character. ALSO, i found the ending to be a really interesting choice. yes i saw it coming, there were a couple of undertones that i was worried about, and yes i was still surprised and horrified when it actually happened. i thought the uncertainty of the ending following this moment - we get maybe a page to conclude the story after it - was also very effective, and the quick passing of the moment without further mention felt like a very well executed allusion to the standard of ‘sweeping things under the rug’ that’s a repeated issue throughout the book. it was really a very good portrayal of the harmful nature of this standard, and how it leads to cycles of trauma, but i just wish this could have been explored in a more introspective manner !! because there is so much to discuss there and i feel like this absolutely had the potential to do so - though also not discussing it does further add to the message itself. thinking about it, it’s a very difficult balance to get right, but i’m don’t think this book quite did get it right. i’m not sure.
tl;dr - lots of potential, lacking in a more immersive narrative, so many themes touched on but never really explored
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2023
Close to Home by Michael Magee is a stunning debut novel that explores the complexities of masculinity and the choices that shape us into the men we become. This novel is a beautifully crafted and deeply affecting story that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
One of the things that sets this novel apart is the author's exceptional talent for balancing what to include and what to omit. Magee has a deft hand in knowing exactly what details to reveal, creating a compelling story that keeps the reader fully engrossed, while also leaving enough space for the reader to form their own thoughts and feel a part of the narrative.
Close to Home is a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of the struggles and dilemmas faced by men in modern society. Through his portrayal of the protagonist, Magee masterfully delves into issues such as toxic masculinity, self-worth, and the search for identity.
The novel is set in post-conflict Belfast, where the main character, Sean, is grappling with the aftermath of a traumatic event that shakes his world and challenges his beliefs about what it means to be a man. As Sean navigates his way through this difficult period - and is repeatedly drawn into his older brother's struggles - we witness his growth and transformation, as he comes to understand the importance of vulnerability, empathy, and connection.
Close to Home is a powerful and affecting novel, brimming with authenticity, tenderness and humanness. With his exceptional storytelling skills, Michael Magee has created a work that is sure to resonate with readers of all backgrounds. This is a wise, brave, and thought-provoking read about the threats that can come with the place you call home and the pull of family ties. I honestly can't say enough good things. Superb.
One of the things that sets this novel apart is the author's exceptional talent for balancing what to include and what to omit. Magee has a deft hand in knowing exactly what details to reveal, creating a compelling story that keeps the reader fully engrossed, while also leaving enough space for the reader to form their own thoughts and feel a part of the narrative.
Close to Home is a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of the struggles and dilemmas faced by men in modern society. Through his portrayal of the protagonist, Magee masterfully delves into issues such as toxic masculinity, self-worth, and the search for identity.
The novel is set in post-conflict Belfast, where the main character, Sean, is grappling with the aftermath of a traumatic event that shakes his world and challenges his beliefs about what it means to be a man. As Sean navigates his way through this difficult period - and is repeatedly drawn into his older brother's struggles - we witness his growth and transformation, as he comes to understand the importance of vulnerability, empathy, and connection.
Close to Home is a powerful and affecting novel, brimming with authenticity, tenderness and humanness. With his exceptional storytelling skills, Michael Magee has created a work that is sure to resonate with readers of all backgrounds. This is a wise, brave, and thought-provoking read about the threats that can come with the place you call home and the pull of family ties. I honestly can't say enough good things. Superb.
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