Ulster Alien

by Stephen Birkett

Meet Matthew Woodhead -- a sensitive child with his beloved best friend Danny; an awkward teenager struggling to fit in with the gang; a young gay man on the brink of coming out. But in Northern Ireland everything is more complicated. Matthew's journey to adulthood takes place against a background of civil rights protests, terrorist bombings, and the SaveUlster From Sodomy campaign. A world where young lives are destroyed by murder, and young minds by sectarian bigotry. Closely modeled on his own experience, Stephen Birkett portrays a world where the bonds of male friendship are strong, but a gay identity is that much harder to attain.

Genres: LGBT, Gay Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

Reviews

[Asphodel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The story spans 20 years of the main character's, Matthew, life as he grows up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. This book does kind of require some research at times to learn about some of Ireland's history, which I didn't really mind.

You get to know Matthew quite well, alongside the cast of characters introduced, some of which are with you throughout the entirety of the book. You get to see everyone's growth and how they evolve throughout the years. I wasn't left with a sense of wanting more from any one other character.

One of my complaints though is that I wish there were dates to accompany each chapter because suddenly from one chapter to another months to a year could have passed and you don't know what age anybody is anymore.

To keep it simple, it's a story about self discoverability and growing up gay and trying to navigate one's life in world of highly religious and bigoted people. But it's not all letdowns, as Matthew gets support from many of his peers, albeit in different ways.

I don't know why I'm finding it hard to put my thoughts into words for this one. I really did like it.

[Peregrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly what I have wanted every Irish queer coming of age novel I've read this semester to be. Nailed it. 4.5 stars

[Al · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some books stand out not because of the writing, but because they provide a unique perspective to a time and place; Stephen Birkett's "Ulster Alien" is a good example. On the surface, it's a run-of-the-mill coming of age, coming out novel, but it stands apart because it covers a climatic time during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The novel follows Matt, part of the Protestant majority, from his childhood to adulthood as a high school biology teacher. His internal strife is compounded by his fears of coming out in a country where Protestants and Catholics seem united on only one thing--their rejection of gay people. As the title suggests, he feels alienated in his own country. The prose may be unpolished, but it all seems authentic. (For comparison and well worth reading is "A Son Called Gabriel," which explores the same time period in Northern Ireland with a young Catholic boy.)