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Blast Radius
In Afghanistan, Mitch saved Sean's life, but lost his own. Back home and out of the Marines for good, Sean's haunted by nightmares and guilt. And Mitch, who is with him everywhere, talking to him, cursing and criticising, following his every move.
Back in the run-down town of his childhood Sean takes a job moving second-hand furniture with other misfits. When a former schoolmate employs him to clear her late father's house at Cauldhill Farm he begins to discover uncomfortable truths. As Sean confronts the hostile spirits of his past he begins slowly to deal with them: his alcoholic mother, his absent father, his (almost) girlfriend Paula, his own fatal mistakes in Afghanistan...
...and, of course, Mitch.
Back in the run-down town of his childhood Sean takes a job moving second-hand furniture with other misfits. When a former schoolmate employs him to clear her late father's house at Cauldhill Farm he begins to discover uncomfortable truths. As Sean confronts the hostile spirits of his past he begins slowly to deal with them: his alcoholic mother, his absent father, his (almost) girlfriend Paula, his own fatal mistakes in Afghanistan...
...and, of course, Mitch.
277 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 29, 2017
Blast Radius is a book it has taken me along time to get around to reading, mostly because I misunderstood what it was about and didn't think I would enjoy it. I was wrong. I thought it was about a soldier in Afghanistan but in fact, it's about an ex-Royal Marine's experiences when he come home from the conflict. Sean's best friend Mitch saved his life in Afghanistan but in doing so, lost his own. Now back home living with his older sister in a Midlothian town, Sean is finding it hard to cope with everyday living and is 'haunted' by the voice of Mitch who chatters incessantly in Sean's deaf ear. The book follows Sean's experiences as he tries to cope with adjusting to civilian life, holding down a job and beginning to form new relationships.
A blast radius is defined as the area affected by an explosion, not just the immediate area where it takes places but the outlying area also affected. This makes Blast Radius a perfect title for the book as it looks not just as the immediate physical effects when Sean was caught up in the explosion but also the way those effects rippled out into his life. His character is so well depicted that I felt I could really empathise with what he was going through. It is hard to imagine seeing the things members of the forces must see and not being affected by them. And veterans will be affected and respond in different ways. By using a first person voice I felt that I was right there in Sean's head, experiencing the same fears and confusion, his demons if you like, but ultimately also the hope that he feels. It was interesting to read about how Sean felt when people asked about his experiences in war. They often asked in quite insensitive ways, even if it was well-meaning, but no-one really knew what it was like to be Sean.
There were many other strong and memorable characters in the book too from Billy, Sean's workmate whose personal hygiene left a lot to be desired, to Paula an old friend from school who he almost had a relationship with back then. However, the other character who I particularly liked was Sean's boss Harry. Harry was a man who was prepared to give people a chance when others would perhaps have given up on them. The employees at The Once Loved Furniture Company were a collection of 'saddos' as Sean so eloquently put it but all people Harry could see potential in. Harry was a really compassionate and wise person and his talk with Sean at a particular low point was very touching: "I see a very brave and intelligent and determined young man..... I see someone punishing himself for choices made by other people."
Blast Radius is a very moving and sensitive story which, I feel, gives a perceptive account of what it might be like to live with PTSD. Rebecca McKinney deals with a difficult subject with real insight and has written a really powerful novel about grief, guilt and hope.
A blast radius is defined as the area affected by an explosion, not just the immediate area where it takes places but the outlying area also affected. This makes Blast Radius a perfect title for the book as it looks not just as the immediate physical effects when Sean was caught up in the explosion but also the way those effects rippled out into his life. His character is so well depicted that I felt I could really empathise with what he was going through. It is hard to imagine seeing the things members of the forces must see and not being affected by them. And veterans will be affected and respond in different ways. By using a first person voice I felt that I was right there in Sean's head, experiencing the same fears and confusion, his demons if you like, but ultimately also the hope that he feels. It was interesting to read about how Sean felt when people asked about his experiences in war. They often asked in quite insensitive ways, even if it was well-meaning, but no-one really knew what it was like to be Sean.
There were many other strong and memorable characters in the book too from Billy, Sean's workmate whose personal hygiene left a lot to be desired, to Paula an old friend from school who he almost had a relationship with back then. However, the other character who I particularly liked was Sean's boss Harry. Harry was a man who was prepared to give people a chance when others would perhaps have given up on them. The employees at The Once Loved Furniture Company were a collection of 'saddos' as Sean so eloquently put it but all people Harry could see potential in. Harry was a really compassionate and wise person and his talk with Sean at a particular low point was very touching: "I see a very brave and intelligent and determined young man..... I see someone punishing himself for choices made by other people."
Blast Radius is a very moving and sensitive story which, I feel, gives a perceptive account of what it might be like to live with PTSD. Rebecca McKinney deals with a difficult subject with real insight and has written a really powerful novel about grief, guilt and hope.
March 12, 2018
A good story but I couldn't finish the book because it is written with an accent. It is too hard to figure out what the words are meant to be and totally frustrating trying to read pages of conversation in language that is written to sound like an accent but doesn't make sense even when read out loud.
January 13, 2023
Clearly a well researched novel, perhaps reflecting her training as an anthropologist. It combines the ever present pervasion of PTSD with a sympathetic portrait of just how difficult it might be to reconcile this with being back in a world where those around you have no conception of what you have been through.
June 1, 2018
An amazing first novel. Kept me compelled and made me really care about the characters. A tough but compassionate treatise on life in modern UK for the returning soldier haunted by his experiences. Recommended to all but especially to reluctant readers, thinking of teenage boys).
November 14, 2021
I didn't know what to expect from this and was a little put off by the wikipedia reference at the start but I am glad I kept going. I found the story compelling and there were times when I wanted to help the main character. Well worth reading.
December 27, 2017
It's hard to believe that this is a first novel it is so competent. I lived alongside Sean and missed him when the novel was over.
September 12, 2016
A stunning debut novel by R.L. McKinney! Fast paced and detailed, a page turner that is also an exploration into the effects and consequences of war. Set in Scotland, McKinney evokes both the landscape and everyday life of the underclass through descriptive but measured language and the judicious use of Scots. Broader UK politics frames the story of what is in the end universal themes of family, poverty, war and love. The end felt a little rushed and I wanted more - perhaps a sequel?
May 15, 2015
An intimate look into a soldier with PTSD. Incredibly written for a woman who has never served in the military nor suffered PTSD; the research that must have gone into this book is staggering to consider. With the exception of a few cliches and a voice that could be a bit more raw, Blast Radius is still a great and pretty accurate tale of the struggles of a modern soldier.
August 19, 2016
Brilliantly written book. Loved all the characters. I won't give the story away but it's very heart felt and moving. A must to read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews