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The Ghost Factory
A powerful debut set in Belfast and London in the latter years of the twentieth century.
The Troubles turned Northern Ireland into a ghost factory: as the manufacturing industry withered, the death business boomed. In trying to come to terms with his father’s sudden death, and the attack on his harmless best friend Titch, Jacky is forced to face the bullies who still menace a city scarred by conflict. After he himself is attacked, he flees to London to build a new life. But even in the midst of a burgeoning love affair he hears the ghosts of his past echoing, pulling him back to Belfast, crying out for retribution and justice.
Written with verve and flair, and spiked with humour, The Ghost Factory marks the arrival of an auspicious new talent.
The Troubles turned Northern Ireland into a ghost factory: as the manufacturing industry withered, the death business boomed. In trying to come to terms with his father’s sudden death, and the attack on his harmless best friend Titch, Jacky is forced to face the bullies who still menace a city scarred by conflict. After he himself is attacked, he flees to London to build a new life. But even in the midst of a burgeoning love affair he hears the ghosts of his past echoing, pulling him back to Belfast, crying out for retribution and justice.
Written with verve and flair, and spiked with humour, The Ghost Factory marks the arrival of an auspicious new talent.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
March 20, 2019
‘Ireland was susceptible to the whispers of ghosts, and so we made more of them.’
The Night Factory is another entry in the ever-growing body of Irish literature about the Troubles. McCartney sets her debut novel during the ceasefires of the mid 1990s, subsequent to the conflict’s height in the 70s & 80s. In doing so, she focuses not on the two warring sides, but on the damage inflicted by paramilitaries on their own communities, where they instilled fear and ‘enforced’ loyalty through intimidation, meted out punishments for the smallest of infractions, ‘rompered’ suspected informants and ran protection rackets.
The narrator is Jacky, a young street-smart Belfast man who, having grown up in this climate, thinks he knows how to steer clear of danger. The percolating violence nevertheless catches up with Jacky and after a harrowing run-in with the local heavies, he seeks refuge and anonymity in London. It is not long before events draw him back to Belfast and an ill-advised confrontation. The book’s pacing varies, with long stretches of tense, foreboding calm punctuated by a few energetic and suspenseful sequences.
Part 3 of the book jumps ahead to the present day, in what serves as a protracted epilogue revealing the long, long tail of conflict – as communities remain scarred and past crimes reverberate decades later. McCartney also grapples with the way in which the world today reflects some of the same patterns of fear and tribalism. The way this section tied off loose ends (a little too comprehensively) took some of the air out of the preceding story for me.
Where this book shines is the confident writing: simple and direct, filled with wry humour and hard-won wisdom. McCartney can take anyone’s measure and serve it up to you in a few snappy lines, and she turns an equally eloquent phrase when conveying brutality or pathos. This is an impressive debut.
The Night Factory is another entry in the ever-growing body of Irish literature about the Troubles. McCartney sets her debut novel during the ceasefires of the mid 1990s, subsequent to the conflict’s height in the 70s & 80s. In doing so, she focuses not on the two warring sides, but on the damage inflicted by paramilitaries on their own communities, where they instilled fear and ‘enforced’ loyalty through intimidation, meted out punishments for the smallest of infractions, ‘rompered’ suspected informants and ran protection rackets.
The narrator is Jacky, a young street-smart Belfast man who, having grown up in this climate, thinks he knows how to steer clear of danger. The percolating violence nevertheless catches up with Jacky and after a harrowing run-in with the local heavies, he seeks refuge and anonymity in London. It is not long before events draw him back to Belfast and an ill-advised confrontation. The book’s pacing varies, with long stretches of tense, foreboding calm punctuated by a few energetic and suspenseful sequences.
Part 3 of the book jumps ahead to the present day, in what serves as a protracted epilogue revealing the long, long tail of conflict – as communities remain scarred and past crimes reverberate decades later. McCartney also grapples with the way in which the world today reflects some of the same patterns of fear and tribalism. The way this section tied off loose ends (a little too comprehensively) took some of the air out of the preceding story for me.
Where this book shines is the confident writing: simple and direct, filled with wry humour and hard-won wisdom. McCartney can take anyone’s measure and serve it up to you in a few snappy lines, and she turns an equally eloquent phrase when conveying brutality or pathos. This is an impressive debut.
November 27, 2018
“The IRA men of the 1970s heard the ghosts of the 1916 rebels whispering: the voices that said those who still dared to fight, kill and die would gain the true, whole, pure Ireland. The voices that said that there was still the North to be won, waiting for those with enough passion to seize it”.
I was fully engrossed by this impressive debut novel set in the bedevilled city of Belfast during what is always euphemistically referred to as ‘The Troubles’ – coincidentally the same territory (in both senses of the word) covered by this year’s Booker Prize winning novel.
This version of life during the civil war of attrition in Northern Ireland has a conventional style of narration, which nevertheless communicates a powerful message regarding the senselessness of the sectarian conflict.
We are drawn in by the engaging, often humorous, relating of the events which lead the narrator to flee Belfast, away from the bullying of thugs and the abuse of power by political and religious ideologues, only to return later to seek revenge and to settle old scores.
The insights provided by his personal story are not overly stressed in a moralising way but we are left with this cautionary note :
"I can feel it in the air. It’s coming at us again, this time in England and beyond, another time when the rules are shredded, when unreason starts to swagger. Voices are aggrieved and growing shrill, slicing through the old wrappings of courtesy. Everyone yells that no one else can understand them. Everyone talks more than they listen, staking out their place on Twitter and Facebook with swear words in capitals and bellowing self-righteousness. I don’t think they’ll stop it now. It’s all too exciting, until it isn’t any more, and by then it’s too late. Back home we found that out the hard way."
I was fully engrossed by this impressive debut novel set in the bedevilled city of Belfast during what is always euphemistically referred to as ‘The Troubles’ – coincidentally the same territory (in both senses of the word) covered by this year’s Booker Prize winning novel.
This version of life during the civil war of attrition in Northern Ireland has a conventional style of narration, which nevertheless communicates a powerful message regarding the senselessness of the sectarian conflict.
We are drawn in by the engaging, often humorous, relating of the events which lead the narrator to flee Belfast, away from the bullying of thugs and the abuse of power by political and religious ideologues, only to return later to seek revenge and to settle old scores.
The insights provided by his personal story are not overly stressed in a moralising way but we are left with this cautionary note :
"I can feel it in the air. It’s coming at us again, this time in England and beyond, another time when the rules are shredded, when unreason starts to swagger. Voices are aggrieved and growing shrill, slicing through the old wrappings of courtesy. Everyone yells that no one else can understand them. Everyone talks more than they listen, staking out their place on Twitter and Facebook with swear words in capitals and bellowing self-righteousness. I don’t think they’ll stop it now. It’s all too exciting, until it isn’t any more, and by then it’s too late. Back home we found that out the hard way."
June 7, 2020
A unique twist on one of my favorite historical time periods and events. Gave the experience of being there, but from a different viewpoint in a different role. Personally, it made the experience much better for me.
Interesting and well written. I loved it and would definitely read more by this author.
Interesting and well written. I loved it and would definitely read more by this author.
October 21, 2019
There is a lot of interest and talk around Irish literature at the moment, enhanced by last years Booker prize winner Milkman by Anna Burns ( a book that found little merit with me) As an expat from the green and damp bogs of Northern Ireland I am always keen to sample the delights, insights and opinions that a new book can reveal by a previously unknown author: Jenny McCartney. I need not have been concerned The Ghost Factory is a delight to read.
The novel is set post the troubles of the 1970's but Belfast is a city still scarred by its unenviable past, still lacking real investment, an economy mortally wounded. When our narrator Jacky witnesses an act of savagery upon his friend Mitch, and later is himself the recipient of a brutal beating, he is forced to flee and seek sanctuary in London. However the love of his birthland and a burning need for revenge acts as an open wound encouraging him to return to right the ways of his past.
What I loved about the author's style was her ability to bring to life the mindset of the battle weary Irish populace, the clipped hard "Ulster" speak and the dark brooding Irish humour. Highly Recommended
The novel is set post the troubles of the 1970's but Belfast is a city still scarred by its unenviable past, still lacking real investment, an economy mortally wounded. When our narrator Jacky witnesses an act of savagery upon his friend Mitch, and later is himself the recipient of a brutal beating, he is forced to flee and seek sanctuary in London. However the love of his birthland and a burning need for revenge acts as an open wound encouraging him to return to right the ways of his past.
What I loved about the author's style was her ability to bring to life the mindset of the battle weary Irish populace, the clipped hard "Ulster" speak and the dark brooding Irish humour. Highly Recommended
December 14, 2018
Irish fiction is really buzzing these days and I was delighted to get my hands on this novel from the (until recently) under-represented Northern Ireland. By a female author but written from the perspective of a young man, we follow the lead-up to his having to leave the violence of his home city of Belfast in the 1990s, the new life and love he forges for himself in the anonymity of London, then a return to lay the ghosts of his troubled past. Jenny McCartney creates a wholly sympathetic character in Jacky, haunted by his inability to protect his friends and family, and torn between starting afresh and avenging past wrongs. His musings reveal insights into his own and his country’s experiences that steer just clear of cynicism or sentimentality - ‘Ireland was susceptible to the whispers of ghosts, and so we made more of them’. Mostly, though, the story is a celebration of understanding and kindness in terrible times.
With thanks to Harper Collins 4th Estate via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
With thanks to Harper Collins 4th Estate via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
January 16, 2021
This book is everything I wanted from Milkman (and didn’t get). I found it so powerful in its descriptions of Northern Ireland during the Troubles and the impact this had on the characters in the novel. Needs to be publicized way more than it has been so far.
July 16, 2019
The Ghost Factory was chosen as one of July’s books of the month over on the Rick O Shea Book Club, and it just so happened it was available in the library, so I picked it up (aren’t libraries the best?)
Approaching The Ghost Factory I had a lot of preconceived ideas about what the book was going to be. I was completely wrong – but this is one time where I am glad to admit how wrong I was (don’t get too used to that though 😉 )
While set during The Troubles, this book takes a different turn to most, and does not focus on a character who is part of the fight. This is the story of a young man who is just trying to keep the head down, and make it through the day to day – which I found quite refreshing for a book based on this timeline.
Jacky is a fantastic character, and his sense of family is obviously quite strong, however different he may feel about it himself. His relationship with best friend Titch is incredibly important, and his protective stance towards his best friend will probably resonate with a lot of readers. Jacky’s growth as a character is brilliantly worked, but for me the transformation of other characters within the story are more important. When they are given the chance to get away from their current more restricted lives, it is easier for them to shine.
The entire book is filled with heart, and a clear knowledge and personal experience of the area during the troubles. Despite this the book is incredibly funny in places, although some of the humour may be a little dark at times.
Completely immersive from the first line until the last, and near impossible to put down – I read it over the course of only a couple of days. A striking debut, this one has rocketed up my best books of the year list. Highly recommended to all. Five big glowing stars!
Approaching The Ghost Factory I had a lot of preconceived ideas about what the book was going to be. I was completely wrong – but this is one time where I am glad to admit how wrong I was (don’t get too used to that though 😉 )
While set during The Troubles, this book takes a different turn to most, and does not focus on a character who is part of the fight. This is the story of a young man who is just trying to keep the head down, and make it through the day to day – which I found quite refreshing for a book based on this timeline.
Jacky is a fantastic character, and his sense of family is obviously quite strong, however different he may feel about it himself. His relationship with best friend Titch is incredibly important, and his protective stance towards his best friend will probably resonate with a lot of readers. Jacky’s growth as a character is brilliantly worked, but for me the transformation of other characters within the story are more important. When they are given the chance to get away from their current more restricted lives, it is easier for them to shine.
The entire book is filled with heart, and a clear knowledge and personal experience of the area during the troubles. Despite this the book is incredibly funny in places, although some of the humour may be a little dark at times.
Completely immersive from the first line until the last, and near impossible to put down – I read it over the course of only a couple of days. A striking debut, this one has rocketed up my best books of the year list. Highly recommended to all. Five big glowing stars!
June 30, 2020
The Irish 'Troubles' are even more complex than I had realised. This novel gives tender and brutal insight into the history and connects it to our present times. A strong book.
January 28, 2025
Ik mis Belfast♥️
July 5, 2019
A young Protestant talks of his life and how it was affected by the 'Troubles', a euphemism for a war of attrition which started as a battle for civil rights and, on the way to a wary peace, descended into brutality and gangsterism.
Nothing much happens in this novel and I found its narrator charmless and its events unconvincing if not entirely ridiculous. The narrator's philosophical musings are simplistic and become increasingly tiresome. The novel may have been better served by concluding at the end of Part 2. Part 3 ties up loose ends that would have been better left to the reader's imagination and appear more like padding to push the story closer to the standard 300 pages.
If you're looking for insight into Northern Ireland's civil war or to Belfast itself, look elsewhere.
Nothing much happens in this novel and I found its narrator charmless and its events unconvincing if not entirely ridiculous. The narrator's philosophical musings are simplistic and become increasingly tiresome. The novel may have been better served by concluding at the end of Part 2. Part 3 ties up loose ends that would have been better left to the reader's imagination and appear more like padding to push the story closer to the standard 300 pages.
If you're looking for insight into Northern Ireland's civil war or to Belfast itself, look elsewhere.
May 13, 2021
This is the most briliant piece of contemporary literature I have come across in a very long time.
It is deeply moving, sad, thought-provoking, gut-wretching, funny and heart-warming all at the same time.
It is about the Troubles in Norhern Ireland and about growing up and coming of age chased by the demons of the past. It is about love and hatred, fear and courage, loneliness and belonging.
One major aspect of the novel was especially significant to me - finding one´s place in the world in both emotional and geographical sense. Many times in my life I have come across evidence of the notion that no matter how old and grown-up somebody might get, emotionally they always remain in their childhood. The experiences we make in these early days, our friends and family, our gains and losses, the very place we grow up in - all this leaves visible or invisible but always perceptible marks on us for the rest of our lives.
"Here is the funny thing, though: after I left, I never cared so deeply about any city again. It was Belfast, with its broad streets and narrow furries, that held all the poetry for me. It enraged me and clasped me close like a family member. Even after everything that had happened it was still home, the only place in the world where I didn´t talk with an accent."
It is deeply moving, sad, thought-provoking, gut-wretching, funny and heart-warming all at the same time.
It is about the Troubles in Norhern Ireland and about growing up and coming of age chased by the demons of the past. It is about love and hatred, fear and courage, loneliness and belonging.
One major aspect of the novel was especially significant to me - finding one´s place in the world in both emotional and geographical sense. Many times in my life I have come across evidence of the notion that no matter how old and grown-up somebody might get, emotionally they always remain in their childhood. The experiences we make in these early days, our friends and family, our gains and losses, the very place we grow up in - all this leaves visible or invisible but always perceptible marks on us for the rest of our lives.
"Here is the funny thing, though: after I left, I never cared so deeply about any city again. It was Belfast, with its broad streets and narrow furries, that held all the poetry for me. It enraged me and clasped me close like a family member. Even after everything that had happened it was still home, the only place in the world where I didn´t talk with an accent."
August 16, 2023
Very interesting
dnf
May 24, 2019DNF @ 23%
January 28, 2024
I had no idea what to expect going into this book, since my sister got it for me for Christmas and I went into reading it a bit blind. But I found the writing super enticing and it kept me easily focused in on Jacky’s POV and story of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. I think this was a great debut novel by the author. I was deeply moved by the writing and the novel as a whole.
March 28, 2019
The Ghost Factory is the story of a young boy growing up in the chaos and senseless violence of Belfast in the 90s, and the danger that sees him flee to London. While I enjoyed the story, it is the way it is written that is very impressive. There are long, beautiful passages that reflect on senses of place and home and family, and more surprising turns of phrases and combinations of images to conjure something unexpected out of ordinary scenes, like the London restaurant the main character later works in. I feel uneasy marking pages of a book so I was happy to read this on my kindle so I could underline liberally! More than anything else I'm excited to see what McCartney does next.
May 25, 2020
The Troubles, a political and nationalistic conflict in Northern Ireland during the 20th Century, was marked by violence that impacted all levels of society - from business to families. A heightened awareness about this violent period has been highlighted by the production of the Tony award winning play, The Ferryman and the publication of Say Nothing by author Patrick Radden Keefe.
In author Jenny McCartney's novel, The Ghost Factory, we read about The Troubles and Jacky, who after his father's death, faces violence against his best friend and ultimately himself. After seeking refuge in London to avoid further attacks, Jacky returns to Belfast to seek revenge against the bullies who targeted him and his mate.
The novel was a street-view of what happened to families who crossed the powers that controlled the neighborhoods -- reminiscent of Mafia-like situations. Jacky's journey was brutal, but with moments of hope and survival. There were flashes of levity in the novel, such as Aunt Phyllis, who comes to live with Jacky after his father's death. Her warm conversations and observations about keeping the newsagent shop were quirky and needed.
As an American reader, there was a lot I missed in "translation" and not knowing my history better about this time period. I was also occasionally confused by local vernacular and dialect.
All in all, it's a novel I'm glad to have had the opportunity to read.
Thank you to Harper Collins for the advance reader's edition.
In author Jenny McCartney's novel, The Ghost Factory, we read about The Troubles and Jacky, who after his father's death, faces violence against his best friend and ultimately himself. After seeking refuge in London to avoid further attacks, Jacky returns to Belfast to seek revenge against the bullies who targeted him and his mate.
The novel was a street-view of what happened to families who crossed the powers that controlled the neighborhoods -- reminiscent of Mafia-like situations. Jacky's journey was brutal, but with moments of hope and survival. There were flashes of levity in the novel, such as Aunt Phyllis, who comes to live with Jacky after his father's death. Her warm conversations and observations about keeping the newsagent shop were quirky and needed.
As an American reader, there was a lot I missed in "translation" and not knowing my history better about this time period. I was also occasionally confused by local vernacular and dialect.
All in all, it's a novel I'm glad to have had the opportunity to read.
Thank you to Harper Collins for the advance reader's edition.
July 13, 2020
I have to be honest and say I really had no idea what I was going into when I picked this one up and I can't say I was disappointed. It is definitely different, and it DOES have humor, which seems odd given the subject of the book and some of the things that happen. I had a hard time putting it down because Jacky's character was just so interesting and not like something I've read before and I just had to know how this would shake out. I have to say I really liked the ending and it just felt really fitting.
July 23, 2021
McCartney paints a brutally honest depiction of Northern Ireland with The Ghost Factory. Whilst I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and the principal character of Jackie, this novel needed to be a bit more pacy for me.
September 20, 2025
You have to get your own back just by living😢
February 14, 2021
Very slow in the beginning, but I enjoyed it more as it went on. Really interesting reading about Belfast in the 1970's, an eye opener in many respects.
August 8, 2021
Set ostensibly during the troubles in Ireland, the ghost factory follows the story of a young barman who gets on the wrong side of the Irish paramilitary when his friend is brutally beaten in a revenge attack. In the main character of Jacky, Jenny McCartney has created a sympathetic and interesting cypher for her recounting of the terrible acts of violence and terror suffered in Belfast during the Northern Irish conflict.
November 15, 2024
This was an amazing book with an incredible story from many perspectives of how it was living in Northern Ireland during these times.
The cruelty and abuse the characters had to go through stabbed me hard. The sorrow, hope and anger they all shared but on the different sides of the politics.
Jacky’s story was a memorable one and the way he looks at and ho through life. The way Titch ended his story was heart wrenching and I wanted to give him all hope in the world for him to come back. Especially in the end when Jacky is finally okay with his life but the missing piece of Titch is missing.
It was a difficult read. The writing was on a higher level than I usually read and with many new words, I had to guess my way through many sentences.
I wanted to know what happened to Jacky’s aunt and her husband but they were never mentioned after Phyllis moved to Jacky.
I would recommend this book to everyone, I wanna shout it out how important this is for people to know their story and how people have fought with their life to not let cruelty become normal.
The cruelty and abuse the characters had to go through stabbed me hard. The sorrow, hope and anger they all shared but on the different sides of the politics.
Jacky’s story was a memorable one and the way he looks at and ho through life. The way Titch ended his story was heart wrenching and I wanted to give him all hope in the world for him to come back. Especially in the end when Jacky is finally okay with his life but the missing piece of Titch is missing.
It was a difficult read. The writing was on a higher level than I usually read and with many new words, I had to guess my way through many sentences.
I wanted to know what happened to Jacky’s aunt and her husband but they were never mentioned after Phyllis moved to Jacky.
I would recommend this book to everyone, I wanna shout it out how important this is for people to know their story and how people have fought with their life to not let cruelty become normal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2020
Really good book!
March 28, 2021
Follows a young man through his time living through the troubles in Ireland until he finally moves to London.
Well worth a read.
Well worth a read.
September 17, 2025
No, no and just no!!!!!
July 13, 2020
This debut novel begins in Belfast in 1995, at which time armed gangs in Northern Ireland had been fighting for years over the fate of the six counties. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) wanted a united Ireland, and the Loyalist Protestants wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom. As the author reports, when the two groups weren’t occupied murdering each other, they vented their frustration by deploying their well-honed violent techniques on their own. 1995, the author writes, was worse generally for “young Catholics who annoyed the IRA and young Prods who irritated the Loyalists.”
The mayhem impacts the life of the narrator, Jacky, after his best friend Titch was severely beaten by Rocky McGee, leader of the local gang of Loyalist paramilitaries. Titch was mentally a bit slow, and had a compulsion to steal sweets from the local stores. Usually Titch’s mom settled up with sympathetic local shop owners behind Titch’s back, so there would be no trouble. But then Titch stole from McGee’s father’s store, and worse yet pushed the father down when confronted. Titch was dragged out of his house by McGee and his boys armed with baseball bats, and ended up in the hospital from the vicious beating he received. Titch was always afraid after that, not even able to feel safe at home, and Jacky was incensed. When Jacky, working his shift as a bartender, heard McGee in the bar bragging about what he did to Titch, Jacky punched him. Needless to say, Jacky was next, ending up in the hospital as well, with scars inside and out that never left him. Warned to leave Belfast, Jacky left for London.
The second part of the book takes place in London, where Jacky also gets a job as barman, and there meets Eve, a girl he falls for. But the scars from the encounters with McGee have changed him. Physically, they made him stand out. As Jacky explains:
“People see your damage and aren’t sure how you got it, whether for being a bully or a victim. Either way, it makes them a little uneasy. Their eyes climb aboard the scars and travel down the tram lines.”
Psychologically, Jacky is also scared, eaten up by the way he had lied and begged for his life when he was frightened by the bullies. He remarked, “I hadn’t yet realised that one of violence’s slyest tricks is to make you feel dirty for having been on the wrong end of it.” [This is an emotion with which women who have been sexually abused often identify as well.]
Jacky begins a relationship with Eve, but the risk of love scares him as much as the gangs, albeit differently. On your own, he mused, you have nothing to lose: “You can hang on to the bare fact of nothing and feel a kind of security. Once you have something, you’re always in bloody freefall.”
He also can't move forward because his experiences in Belfast continue to obsess him. When he hears of more bad news from home, he decides it is time to put a stop to McGee and his reign of terror.
Discussion: The title refers to Belfast, which, like other cities torn by violence, becomes a factory for tit-for-tat revenge over the ghosts of the dead, consuming its inhabitants. Though Jacky has a chance to start a new life in London, he must first let go of his old life, if he only can. He gets assistance from a couple of dei ex machina at the end, making the story a bit less tragic. But one can’t help but wonder how it would have turned out without those lucky and not-at-all assured developments.
Evaluation: Books set in war-torn places with their tragic repercussions for those inheriting the fight, such as in Northern Ireland or in Israel, can be terribly depressing to read. But the author has a flair for writing, and she tells a good story. I can’t say I “enjoyed” reading this book, but I appreciated it.
Rating: 3.5/5
The mayhem impacts the life of the narrator, Jacky, after his best friend Titch was severely beaten by Rocky McGee, leader of the local gang of Loyalist paramilitaries. Titch was mentally a bit slow, and had a compulsion to steal sweets from the local stores. Usually Titch’s mom settled up with sympathetic local shop owners behind Titch’s back, so there would be no trouble. But then Titch stole from McGee’s father’s store, and worse yet pushed the father down when confronted. Titch was dragged out of his house by McGee and his boys armed with baseball bats, and ended up in the hospital from the vicious beating he received. Titch was always afraid after that, not even able to feel safe at home, and Jacky was incensed. When Jacky, working his shift as a bartender, heard McGee in the bar bragging about what he did to Titch, Jacky punched him. Needless to say, Jacky was next, ending up in the hospital as well, with scars inside and out that never left him. Warned to leave Belfast, Jacky left for London.
The second part of the book takes place in London, where Jacky also gets a job as barman, and there meets Eve, a girl he falls for. But the scars from the encounters with McGee have changed him. Physically, they made him stand out. As Jacky explains:
“People see your damage and aren’t sure how you got it, whether for being a bully or a victim. Either way, it makes them a little uneasy. Their eyes climb aboard the scars and travel down the tram lines.”
Psychologically, Jacky is also scared, eaten up by the way he had lied and begged for his life when he was frightened by the bullies. He remarked, “I hadn’t yet realised that one of violence’s slyest tricks is to make you feel dirty for having been on the wrong end of it.” [This is an emotion with which women who have been sexually abused often identify as well.]
Jacky begins a relationship with Eve, but the risk of love scares him as much as the gangs, albeit differently. On your own, he mused, you have nothing to lose: “You can hang on to the bare fact of nothing and feel a kind of security. Once you have something, you’re always in bloody freefall.”
He also can't move forward because his experiences in Belfast continue to obsess him. When he hears of more bad news from home, he decides it is time to put a stop to McGee and his reign of terror.
Discussion: The title refers to Belfast, which, like other cities torn by violence, becomes a factory for tit-for-tat revenge over the ghosts of the dead, consuming its inhabitants. Though Jacky has a chance to start a new life in London, he must first let go of his old life, if he only can. He gets assistance from a couple of dei ex machina at the end, making the story a bit less tragic. But one can’t help but wonder how it would have turned out without those lucky and not-at-all assured developments.
Evaluation: Books set in war-torn places with their tragic repercussions for those inheriting the fight, such as in Northern Ireland or in Israel, can be terribly depressing to read. But the author has a flair for writing, and she tells a good story. I can’t say I “enjoyed” reading this book, but I appreciated it.
Rating: 3.5/5
February 18, 2019
This book chronicles Jacky's experience of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. When we meet him, he is still trying to come to terms with the death of his father. He also witnesses his best friend Titch being badly beaten, having crossed swords with the wrong people. He is eager to leave this life, Belfast having changed for the worse and, after some trouble of his own, he flees to London to start again. But, just as things are starting to get good for him both workwise and on a personal level, home keeps calling him and, despite the danger returning will put him in, the lure is too strong and reluctantly he returns.
I have read a few books set in NI in the days of the Troubles but this one was a little different to them as it focused more on things going on outside of the main fighting that became more than personal to our hero Jacky. His experience and interaction with the thugs that now rule the streets. We learn of his past in flashback, drip fed in at the right moments to complement the present day narrative. How he longs for a better life and how he is forced to put those plans into action in fear of his life. But then, with the past never really being in the past, we see the sacrifices he makes to go back and try and reconcile the young man he used to be, in order for him to continue on the new life path he has tried to forge for himself.
Characterisation was brilliant. In Jacky, the author has created a very well rounded character, fleshed out by flashbacks, and very easy to connect to. I do remember hearing on the news about what happened in Ireland back in the day so I was familiar with most of the tales of the Troubles as told herein and I thought that the author's retelling was handled with great sensitivity and realism.
With what is happening in the UK at the moment, it's important to reflect on the past. I won't make my review a political rant but reading this book at this time was an eye opener for me and does, in some way, make me fear a little for the future.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
I have read a few books set in NI in the days of the Troubles but this one was a little different to them as it focused more on things going on outside of the main fighting that became more than personal to our hero Jacky. His experience and interaction with the thugs that now rule the streets. We learn of his past in flashback, drip fed in at the right moments to complement the present day narrative. How he longs for a better life and how he is forced to put those plans into action in fear of his life. But then, with the past never really being in the past, we see the sacrifices he makes to go back and try and reconcile the young man he used to be, in order for him to continue on the new life path he has tried to forge for himself.
Characterisation was brilliant. In Jacky, the author has created a very well rounded character, fleshed out by flashbacks, and very easy to connect to. I do remember hearing on the news about what happened in Ireland back in the day so I was familiar with most of the tales of the Troubles as told herein and I thought that the author's retelling was handled with great sensitivity and realism.
With what is happening in the UK at the moment, it's important to reflect on the past. I won't make my review a political rant but reading this book at this time was an eye opener for me and does, in some way, make me fear a little for the future.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
January 19, 2021
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel encouraged to keep reading. The title felt misleading and the conclusion felt like a dragged-out adult version of a children’s book whereby it must end happily. It felt like reading a very long monologue that had been recanted after a few libations. The strength of the social justice, toxic masculinity and displacement of non-toxic males stood out in a good way. I carried on through the last chapters, willing them to conclude due to their natural expiration passing.
The Good Things.
• The storyline itself, wrapped up in dramatized truths is all well and good.
• The commentary on masculinity raises some relatable questions for men.
• The book revolves around the mundane life of Jacky who in life would have been passed over as many non-toxic men are.
Things I disliked
• The author used far too many analogies. Sometimes the analogies would run off on a tangent and I would lose focus for a while.
• The title is somewhat ambiguous and there is only one reference to ‘Ghosts’ in the whole book and this I think was limited to one page.
• The ending was far too long. The book came to what felt a natural ending at the conclusion of chapter 25. However, the book continued for another two chapters.
Overall conclusion:
I didn’t hate the book! It wasn’t what I thought it was and the plot didn’t ignite a page-turning passion. The book's commentary on male displacement and the idea of “what a man is supposed to do” is clear throughout. There is also a subtle calling out of nature and nurture, both boys, Jacky and McGee were raised by their fathers with different sets of values. I am not sure that I would recommend this as a page-turner, but I do think that if you have time for instance while travelling, this may be a good way to fill the void of time.
The Good Things.
• The storyline itself, wrapped up in dramatized truths is all well and good.
• The commentary on masculinity raises some relatable questions for men.
• The book revolves around the mundane life of Jacky who in life would have been passed over as many non-toxic men are.
Things I disliked
• The author used far too many analogies. Sometimes the analogies would run off on a tangent and I would lose focus for a while.
• The title is somewhat ambiguous and there is only one reference to ‘Ghosts’ in the whole book and this I think was limited to one page.
• The ending was far too long. The book came to what felt a natural ending at the conclusion of chapter 25. However, the book continued for another two chapters.
Overall conclusion:
I didn’t hate the book! It wasn’t what I thought it was and the plot didn’t ignite a page-turning passion. The book's commentary on male displacement and the idea of “what a man is supposed to do” is clear throughout. There is also a subtle calling out of nature and nurture, both boys, Jacky and McGee were raised by their fathers with different sets of values. I am not sure that I would recommend this as a page-turner, but I do think that if you have time for instance while travelling, this may be a good way to fill the void of time.
December 31, 2020
Favourite quotes:
"I grew up in Belfast, my beloved city, baptised in tea and drizzle, sprinkled with vinegar-sodden chips and cigarette butts." p.4
"Seconds after I walked into Titch's house I could smell the first cracklings of trouble, like something burning softly in another room." p.5
"You could relax in the expanses of Big Jacky's silence." p.18
"...pain coming from the void deep in my chest, the small hollow the size of the universe where Big Jacky had been." p.29
"For over a century, in and out of disturbances, the Crown had flung open her doors and spilled men out at night into the path of horse-drawn traps, trams, trolleybuses and finally motor cars. They were her rooaring, weeping, brawling, laughing men, their walnut brains pickled and petrified in alcohol, pushed out to confront the cold, stony pavements and their icy wives. Or maybe their women were there with them too, arm-in-arm as they both swayed home in a side-long pavement dance, bloodstreams running warm with beer and port." p.38-39
"It was a sunny day, and there was a hint of August heaviness in the air, the delinquent, late summer laziness that seeps into your bones and turns them to warm rubber." p.88
"If you died and were forced to justify your existence before God, and you told him, 'I made the flowers bloom every year in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast,' it would not sound a shabby way to have spent your whole life." p.88-89
"She loved Marks & Spencer with a quiet passion, I had noticed, always speaking of it with an unmistakable note of reverence as if it were church." p.169
"I grew up in Belfast, my beloved city, baptised in tea and drizzle, sprinkled with vinegar-sodden chips and cigarette butts." p.4
"Seconds after I walked into Titch's house I could smell the first cracklings of trouble, like something burning softly in another room." p.5
"You could relax in the expanses of Big Jacky's silence." p.18
"...pain coming from the void deep in my chest, the small hollow the size of the universe where Big Jacky had been." p.29
"For over a century, in and out of disturbances, the Crown had flung open her doors and spilled men out at night into the path of horse-drawn traps, trams, trolleybuses and finally motor cars. They were her rooaring, weeping, brawling, laughing men, their walnut brains pickled and petrified in alcohol, pushed out to confront the cold, stony pavements and their icy wives. Or maybe their women were there with them too, arm-in-arm as they both swayed home in a side-long pavement dance, bloodstreams running warm with beer and port." p.38-39
"It was a sunny day, and there was a hint of August heaviness in the air, the delinquent, late summer laziness that seeps into your bones and turns them to warm rubber." p.88
"If you died and were forced to justify your existence before God, and you told him, 'I made the flowers bloom every year in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast,' it would not sound a shabby way to have spent your whole life." p.88-89
"She loved Marks & Spencer with a quiet passion, I had noticed, always speaking of it with an unmistakable note of reverence as if it were church." p.169
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