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Music Love Drugs War
School is almost over, and for Paddy, Liz, Christy and Kevin it's time to figure out what's next. But before they start the rest of their lives, these teenagers have the "Cave"—a place to drink, smoke, flirt and listen to punk music. Somewhere to fend off the specter of the future. Because this is Derry in 1981, and the streets outside are a war zone. So when a friend is killed, suddenly the choices of who to be and what side to be on are laid starkly before them. New loves and old loyalties are imperiled even as whole lives hinge on a single decision.
288 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 21, 2018
An authentic coming-of-age tale of a group of friends in Belfast, 1981, set against the Troubles and especially the IRA hunger strike. I found this quite uneven as the writing doesn't always flow and the characterisation is quite thin with the girls more or less dropping out of the story (apart from Liz). Some of the 'action' scenes are rendered more vividly and the writing feels more seamless in the second half. So it's worth sticking with this despite the slow start: 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley.
Thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley.
April 13, 2021
A terrific other-perspective read. I really enjoying delving into the lives of this group of young people coming of age during the North of Ireland conflict. Engaging throughout and a nice twist at the end.
January 18, 2019
Sometimes, I forget how much I love coming-of-age novels, and then a book like Music Love Drugs War comes along, and I fall in love with them all over again. Crafting the growth of characters over the course of a book, and making their development believable, is not easy to achieve, but Quigley achieves it beautifully in her novel. We see how the weight of certain choices hang heavy on characters, feel their emotions, and become invested in their lives.
Some characters win you over more than others, but, overall, I loved the dynamic of this friendship group, especially the relationship between Liz and Kevin, can their romantic relationship survive all that is to come? Also the family dynamics within the McLaughlin household was one of my favourite parts of this novel – Bernie McLaughlin, though she may not have had a huge role, along with her husband, Jim, really portrayed the parental anxieties that every parent likely experienced raising their children during The Troubles, you could tell they loved their children something fierce, and that’s something, no matter the time period, parents can relate too!
The characters mentioned in the synopsis, Paddy, Liz, Christy, and Kevin take centre stage in this novel. But, you also meet Sinéad and Orla, who fade away as the plot progresses, which was a shame, as it would have been nice to have had another central female alongside Liz; especially Orla, as she faced a very real reality of war, and while her character wasn’t completely forgotten, it may have added to this novel to have seen a closer look at her development. However, you could argue that a detailed look at four characters worked (which it did), and that maybe six would have been too much, and it would have changed the impact of the entire novel.
Quigley writes tenderly in an atmospheric manner. The way she portrayed the daily lives of these young people, and their search for purpose, was so well done – you could visualise it as you read it! It reminded me a bit of ‘This is England’, not the location or political climate, but the fact that you’re privy to the drinking, the smoking, the ‘hanging out’, but also the close friendships, and the search for self.
The plot is wrapped in a layer of unease created by the scenes of rioting, solider’s patrolling the streets, the stop and searches, the heightened anxiety and tensions of a nation. I don’t know much about The Troubles but this novel gave me a glimpse into what life was like at the time, and has me eager to read more books (fiction and non) set against this backdrop; equally, I’m looking forward to reading Quigley’s next book!
*My thanks to the publisher (Fig Tree) for providing me with a copy of this book*
Some characters win you over more than others, but, overall, I loved the dynamic of this friendship group, especially the relationship between Liz and Kevin, can their romantic relationship survive all that is to come? Also the family dynamics within the McLaughlin household was one of my favourite parts of this novel – Bernie McLaughlin, though she may not have had a huge role, along with her husband, Jim, really portrayed the parental anxieties that every parent likely experienced raising their children during The Troubles, you could tell they loved their children something fierce, and that’s something, no matter the time period, parents can relate too!
The characters mentioned in the synopsis, Paddy, Liz, Christy, and Kevin take centre stage in this novel. But, you also meet Sinéad and Orla, who fade away as the plot progresses, which was a shame, as it would have been nice to have had another central female alongside Liz; especially Orla, as she faced a very real reality of war, and while her character wasn’t completely forgotten, it may have added to this novel to have seen a closer look at her development. However, you could argue that a detailed look at four characters worked (which it did), and that maybe six would have been too much, and it would have changed the impact of the entire novel.
Quigley writes tenderly in an atmospheric manner. The way she portrayed the daily lives of these young people, and their search for purpose, was so well done – you could visualise it as you read it! It reminded me a bit of ‘This is England’, not the location or political climate, but the fact that you’re privy to the drinking, the smoking, the ‘hanging out’, but also the close friendships, and the search for self.
The plot is wrapped in a layer of unease created by the scenes of rioting, solider’s patrolling the streets, the stop and searches, the heightened anxiety and tensions of a nation. I don’t know much about The Troubles but this novel gave me a glimpse into what life was like at the time, and has me eager to read more books (fiction and non) set against this backdrop; equally, I’m looking forward to reading Quigley’s next book!
*My thanks to the publisher (Fig Tree) for providing me with a copy of this book*
January 23, 2021
coming of age book based in 1981 Derry with the troubles in the background
March 15, 2019
“one day, you turn your head and see that some people have been lost along the way. The truth of the matter is, some of you never did move forward. Some of you stopped and turned off in completely different directions. They didn’t think to say that the hurt was different for them, that they couldn’t move past it. And what you thought was forever, you now know was built on very little”
Liz, Sinéad and Orla are best friends. They hang out at a dive bar, The Cave, with Liz’s brother Paddy and his mates, Christy and Noel. Liz is dating a slightly older guy, Kevin. Orla gets together with Peter. The group drink their pints, smoke too much weed and debate the merits of popular music. Other than Noel, who has his own tatty place, they still live with their parents. Liz and Christy are preparing to sit A’ levels. With few employment opportunities, the others are mostly on the dole.
Opening on St Patrick’s Day 1981 this could be any group of working class young people at the time. They are on the cusp of the rest of their lives. But this is Derry, a tinderbox of sectarian violence with the added fuel of the Maze prison hunger strikers. The British army man the checkpoints and barricades. They stalk the streets with their guns and blackened faces. Their armoured vehicles rumble through the housing estates while military helicopters buzz overhead, watchful and threatening.
Drink, drugs, music and making out distract from the reality of living in a city at war. The violence rendered is physical and emotional but also the only life these teenagers have known. The English are despised yet an escape to England is considered a pathway to a better way of living. The future beckons but choices made in the present will inexorably shape its direction.
Rioting intensifies as the hunger strikers start to die, martyrs to a cause in which these young people show little interest. Then some of the group, intoxicated by the collective fear and excitement on the streets, start to join in. One of them is killed setting off a chain reaction that will mark each of them forever.
The story plays out over an intense six month period during which friendship and loyalties are tested to their limits. Actions reverberate through wider family circles. Granting favours can be dangerous.
The author has captured the voice, the time and the place, telling a tale that explains why certain young men joined the IRA. For those of us who lived through these times the memories kindled are as much of the fashions, music and close friendships that later melted away as of the terrible events and experiences that formed the backdrop to adolescent dreams.
This is a masterful coming of age story but also a depiction of the impact of the Troubles on the generation who were born and raised during the years of conflict. As nostalgic as it is powerful, the story serves as a timely reminder of the importance of the Good Friday Agreement. It is also a damn fine read.
Liz, Sinéad and Orla are best friends. They hang out at a dive bar, The Cave, with Liz’s brother Paddy and his mates, Christy and Noel. Liz is dating a slightly older guy, Kevin. Orla gets together with Peter. The group drink their pints, smoke too much weed and debate the merits of popular music. Other than Noel, who has his own tatty place, they still live with their parents. Liz and Christy are preparing to sit A’ levels. With few employment opportunities, the others are mostly on the dole.
Opening on St Patrick’s Day 1981 this could be any group of working class young people at the time. They are on the cusp of the rest of their lives. But this is Derry, a tinderbox of sectarian violence with the added fuel of the Maze prison hunger strikers. The British army man the checkpoints and barricades. They stalk the streets with their guns and blackened faces. Their armoured vehicles rumble through the housing estates while military helicopters buzz overhead, watchful and threatening.
Drink, drugs, music and making out distract from the reality of living in a city at war. The violence rendered is physical and emotional but also the only life these teenagers have known. The English are despised yet an escape to England is considered a pathway to a better way of living. The future beckons but choices made in the present will inexorably shape its direction.
Rioting intensifies as the hunger strikers start to die, martyrs to a cause in which these young people show little interest. Then some of the group, intoxicated by the collective fear and excitement on the streets, start to join in. One of them is killed setting off a chain reaction that will mark each of them forever.
The story plays out over an intense six month period during which friendship and loyalties are tested to their limits. Actions reverberate through wider family circles. Granting favours can be dangerous.
The author has captured the voice, the time and the place, telling a tale that explains why certain young men joined the IRA. For those of us who lived through these times the memories kindled are as much of the fashions, music and close friendships that later melted away as of the terrible events and experiences that formed the backdrop to adolescent dreams.
This is a masterful coming of age story but also a depiction of the impact of the Troubles on the generation who were born and raised during the years of conflict. As nostalgic as it is powerful, the story serves as a timely reminder of the importance of the Good Friday Agreement. It is also a damn fine read.
October 20, 2022
3,5/4? Först svårt att komma in i det och sen svårt att lägga undan
January 19, 2021
this was fantastic from start to finish. i would love to read more fiction or non fiction about the troubles. i would also love to see this made into a TV series. so well written and i cared about every character wholeheartedly.
only criticism is i wish it was longer as i didn’t want it to end
only criticism is i wish it was longer as i didn’t want it to end
October 3, 2020
Love Music Drugs War is a book set in Ireland during the height of the troubles. It is about the disaffected nature of youth coupled with the onset of punk music and how easily people can slip through the net to become involved in situations much bigger and scarier than they can comprehend.
Quigley cleverly juxtaposes the relationships at the centre of the story alongside the threat of war with the mundanity of everyday life. She shows how the troubles in Ireland were just so normalised that you couldn’t separate them from your formative years in this backdrop.
Love Music Drugs War is an interesting fictional social document but works best when showing Ireland during this period rather than the focus on the relationships of fictions characters.
Love Music Drugs War by Graldine Quigley is available now.
Quigley cleverly juxtaposes the relationships at the centre of the story alongside the threat of war with the mundanity of everyday life. She shows how the troubles in Ireland were just so normalised that you couldn’t separate them from your formative years in this backdrop.
Love Music Drugs War is an interesting fictional social document but works best when showing Ireland during this period rather than the focus on the relationships of fictions characters.
Love Music Drugs War by Graldine Quigley is available now.
May 27, 2019
Wow, this was so good. Realistic portrait of life in Derry circa 1981. I’m about the same age as the characters and reading about the music they were into really took me back. So glad I read this while in Northern Ireland.
April 11, 2020
Video review dissecting why I think this is badly written (though no necessarily a bad story) https://youtu.be/mnQtW-LjSjs
January 25, 2019
Utterly terrifying read currently. I have young adults in my family who will shortly be in a similar situation, post Brexit The Troops will be back on the streets in Northern Ireland and this time in Scotland too!
Scary times ahead, off to read something about psychopaths or serial killers, we have the power to stop them, unlike an extra right wing Tory Government!
Scary times ahead, off to read something about psychopaths or serial killers, we have the power to stop them, unlike an extra right wing Tory Government!
December 18, 2018
Review to follow...
February 16, 2020
3.5
Group of kids growing up in '80's Derry and the lure of the IRA.
Group of kids growing up in '80's Derry and the lure of the IRA.
September 5, 2021
Music Love Drugs War is set in 1980s Northern Ireland, and combines the usual tribulations of boyfriends and leaving school with the Troubles of that time. In between drinking and drugs, there’s IRA activity that affects the whole friendship group. While the story is interesting, I found it difficult to distinguish between the characters at times and the epilogue confused me.
A group of friends get together in Derry for drinking, drugs and fun. Some are still at school, others are older and seem to be on the dole. They are bored and also curious about the war raging around them in Derry. It’s not uncommon to walk into a riot or see cars or shops burning. (In fact, some of the characters see a group trying to set a shop on fire – again – and just note that they aren’t doing it in a way where the fire is going to take off). For Paddy and Christy, throwing a few rocks is a bit of fun. But it all ends badly when Orla’s boyfriend dies in a riot and makes the characters question what they are doing with their lives. This is where the focus on the girls (Liz, Orla and Sinead) drops off and moves to Paddy and Christy, who decide to join the IRA. For Liz’s boyfriend Kevin, that’s not something he wants to go back to. It creates friction between the friends and their families as Paddy and Christy start getting in trouble, but run to Kevin for help. Who will make a new future for themselves?
I found it quite difficult to distinguish between the characters, particularly for the first half of the book. I couldn’t remember who was going out with who and Orla and Sinead didn’t really have a distinguishing feature between them. It’s really only when the focus moves on to the IRA that it becomes easier to tell Paddy, Christy and Kevin apart. This is to the detriment of the female characters who take a back seat for most of the second half (and poor Orla and Sinead don’t really get another look in). And what happened to Noel, the only one of the group with their own flat? He seemed to disappear too.
The second half of the novel has more action than the first and was paced much more evenly. It was easier to read too as the point of view of the characters didn’t jump around as much. The epilogue section was just confusing to me – it didn’t really serve a lot of purpose and seemed to raise more questions than it answered. I think the storyline is great, showing the boredom of the youth and the desperation of their parents to keep their children out of trouble while war rages. However, the confusion between characters and the slow start made it harder to want to pick up and keep reading.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
A group of friends get together in Derry for drinking, drugs and fun. Some are still at school, others are older and seem to be on the dole. They are bored and also curious about the war raging around them in Derry. It’s not uncommon to walk into a riot or see cars or shops burning. (In fact, some of the characters see a group trying to set a shop on fire – again – and just note that they aren’t doing it in a way where the fire is going to take off). For Paddy and Christy, throwing a few rocks is a bit of fun. But it all ends badly when Orla’s boyfriend dies in a riot and makes the characters question what they are doing with their lives. This is where the focus on the girls (Liz, Orla and Sinead) drops off and moves to Paddy and Christy, who decide to join the IRA. For Liz’s boyfriend Kevin, that’s not something he wants to go back to. It creates friction between the friends and their families as Paddy and Christy start getting in trouble, but run to Kevin for help. Who will make a new future for themselves?
I found it quite difficult to distinguish between the characters, particularly for the first half of the book. I couldn’t remember who was going out with who and Orla and Sinead didn’t really have a distinguishing feature between them. It’s really only when the focus moves on to the IRA that it becomes easier to tell Paddy, Christy and Kevin apart. This is to the detriment of the female characters who take a back seat for most of the second half (and poor Orla and Sinead don’t really get another look in). And what happened to Noel, the only one of the group with their own flat? He seemed to disappear too.
The second half of the novel has more action than the first and was paced much more evenly. It was easier to read too as the point of view of the characters didn’t jump around as much. The epilogue section was just confusing to me – it didn’t really serve a lot of purpose and seemed to raise more questions than it answered. I think the storyline is great, showing the boredom of the youth and the desperation of their parents to keep their children out of trouble while war rages. However, the confusion between characters and the slow start made it harder to want to pick up and keep reading.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
February 21, 2022
From the blog (vancecariaga.com):
A debut novel that frankly floored me. The story is set in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1981 – a grim year in a grim country that at the time was awash in violence, drugs, a crap economy with high unemployment, and a general air of hopelessness. It follows the lives of a group of rudderless teens who see no future in this crumbling industrial town, and spend much of their spare time getting wasted and hitting nightclubs, where they can while away the hours soaking in the punk and new wave music that dominated that era’s subculture.
In many ways they’re just regular teens with the usual crushes, hormonal urges, heartaches, boredom, and aimlessness. The difference is, the teens in “Music Love Drugs War” live in a literal war zone where riots and terrorism are commonplace, and the police operate more like occupiers than public servants.
The story is told from many points-of-view, so there’s not really a “protagonist” per se. But the heartbeat probably belongs to Liz, a 17-year-old high school student from a working-class family whose intelligence and dreams of a better life don’t hold much currency on her side of the tracks.
The plot revolves around “The Troubles.” That was the name given to the ongoing and often bloody conflict between the predominantly Catholic nationalists/republicans who wanted Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland, and the mostly Protestant unionists who wanted Northern Ireland to remain in the UK. Pinned behind all this are individual stories of love, sex, religion, family, friendship, music, and, yes, drugs and war. There are a lot of moving parts, but they’re all expertly woven together by Quigley.
“Music Love Drugs War” is an almost perfect novel to me, at least on first reading. The writing is spare, with few wasted words and none of the verbal gymnastics writers sometimes resort to as a way of showing off. The characters are so fully realized that you feel like you know them all on an intimate basis. The dialogue is pitch-perfect, as is the setting. Quigley does a masterful job of placing the reader smack inside the Derry of 1981. You can almost feel the damp air and smell the industrial rot.
The plot unravels with such a deft touch that you find yourself absorbed in it before you even realize it. The book is about 275 pages, and feels short. I honestly could read a few thousand more pages.
A debut novel that frankly floored me. The story is set in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1981 – a grim year in a grim country that at the time was awash in violence, drugs, a crap economy with high unemployment, and a general air of hopelessness. It follows the lives of a group of rudderless teens who see no future in this crumbling industrial town, and spend much of their spare time getting wasted and hitting nightclubs, where they can while away the hours soaking in the punk and new wave music that dominated that era’s subculture.
In many ways they’re just regular teens with the usual crushes, hormonal urges, heartaches, boredom, and aimlessness. The difference is, the teens in “Music Love Drugs War” live in a literal war zone where riots and terrorism are commonplace, and the police operate more like occupiers than public servants.
The story is told from many points-of-view, so there’s not really a “protagonist” per se. But the heartbeat probably belongs to Liz, a 17-year-old high school student from a working-class family whose intelligence and dreams of a better life don’t hold much currency on her side of the tracks.
The plot revolves around “The Troubles.” That was the name given to the ongoing and often bloody conflict between the predominantly Catholic nationalists/republicans who wanted Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland, and the mostly Protestant unionists who wanted Northern Ireland to remain in the UK. Pinned behind all this are individual stories of love, sex, religion, family, friendship, music, and, yes, drugs and war. There are a lot of moving parts, but they’re all expertly woven together by Quigley.
“Music Love Drugs War” is an almost perfect novel to me, at least on first reading. The writing is spare, with few wasted words and none of the verbal gymnastics writers sometimes resort to as a way of showing off. The characters are so fully realized that you feel like you know them all on an intimate basis. The dialogue is pitch-perfect, as is the setting. Quigley does a masterful job of placing the reader smack inside the Derry of 1981. You can almost feel the damp air and smell the industrial rot.
The plot unravels with such a deft touch that you find yourself absorbed in it before you even realize it. The book is about 275 pages, and feels short. I honestly could read a few thousand more pages.
September 10, 2020
Once this book found its flow about 60 pages in, I couldn’t put it down.
It’s a brilliant coming of age story filled with the usual ups and downs of friendships, young love, drink, drugs and discovering yourself as you leave the confines of school and start entering ‘the real world’. What makes this story more poignant is its setting in 1980s Derry. The impact of the Troubles on young people and their families during this volatile time is really felt in this book, as Quigley’s characters try to find themselves and define a true purpose for their lives in the context of sectarian violence and intimidation. Through it all, sometimes they just want to be normal teenagers, but this proves difficult for many of them when one of their closest friends is shot and killed in the street - an event which brings the harsh reality of the book’s setting into focus.
I particularly enjoyed the dynamics of the McLaughlin family - I was born after the time period of this book, but the parental anxieties felt by Bernie & Jim as they worried about their son’s future just felt so real to me. I also loved the relationship between Kevin and Liz. Some characters had more chance to flourish than others, but I really grew to like those two, wondering if their relationship could survive what was to come.
Honestly I just had a lump in my throat for so many parts of this story. A great read.
It’s a brilliant coming of age story filled with the usual ups and downs of friendships, young love, drink, drugs and discovering yourself as you leave the confines of school and start entering ‘the real world’. What makes this story more poignant is its setting in 1980s Derry. The impact of the Troubles on young people and their families during this volatile time is really felt in this book, as Quigley’s characters try to find themselves and define a true purpose for their lives in the context of sectarian violence and intimidation. Through it all, sometimes they just want to be normal teenagers, but this proves difficult for many of them when one of their closest friends is shot and killed in the street - an event which brings the harsh reality of the book’s setting into focus.
I particularly enjoyed the dynamics of the McLaughlin family - I was born after the time period of this book, but the parental anxieties felt by Bernie & Jim as they worried about their son’s future just felt so real to me. I also loved the relationship between Kevin and Liz. Some characters had more chance to flourish than others, but I really grew to like those two, wondering if their relationship could survive what was to come.
Honestly I just had a lump in my throat for so many parts of this story. A great read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2021
An informative and thoughtful debut novel about young adults finishing school, hanging out, listening to music, trying to have a normal life during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, specifically in Derry, during the early 1980s. The Hunger Strike is going on and heroes of the movement for Irish independence from England are dying, protests are increasing and despite the desire of many in this group to think they can live above the trouble, a friend dies in a demonstration. Some in the group become active in the IRA. Others want to escape to London. I am familiar with this movement and how life in Derry was constrained and scary for many years — it was a war zone. Despite some narrative and character development flaws I think this is a very worthwhile read and I’d recommend it.
November 21, 2024
really really enjoyed this. a relatable yet informative novel about teenagers/young adults navigating their way through life living in northern ireland in the 80s during the troubles. i found i could relate to and sympathise with a lot of the characters and their struggles. how normal all the happenings seemed to them really puts in perspective how normalised these crimes were and still are, really heartbreaking. makes you think about irelands intricate history and the importance of it. would definitely reccomend this read to literally anyone, i enjoyed this so much and i really like the authors style of writing. if you're thinking about reading this, defo do 🖤
February 28, 2019
Wow. A beautifully written powerful read. I realised I knew very little of the troubles and found myself stopping every so often to google more information on what I was reading. This book was a great insight into life during this awful time, and still so relevant to this day. It really makes you realise how it’s all too easy for disillusioned people to fall victim to being radicalised into terrorism. The story was bittersweet with characters you cared for.
This is an important book, read it.
This is an important book, read it.
October 19, 2020
This was enjoyable and engaging. Structurally, it was more of a mixed bag. The start was a little chaotic, and it was only when the plot lines of the characters began to diverge the book really got going. However, at this point it really did become worth stocking with, especially when a cross generational angle was introduced.
I found the epilogue section odd. Either too short, or redundant altogether, but as it was, just unsatisfying.
I think this is a writer to keep an eye on, and I will be intrigued to see subsequent work.
I found the epilogue section odd. Either too short, or redundant altogether, but as it was, just unsatisfying.
I think this is a writer to keep an eye on, and I will be intrigued to see subsequent work.
December 20, 2020
Really enjoyed this tale of adolescence set in (London)Derry during the Troubles. Fairly simply told story of a bunch of friends and siblings undertaking that most tumultuous of life’s stages, adolescence, with the usual quota of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll but more than the usual level of danger, where high jinks are rewarded by death by rubber bullet in a street confrontation, and the temptation for revenge leads to an uninspirational liaison with the IRA. A sound piece of reminiscence about lives lived in an untenable situation, where the only means of salvation is to physically leave.
April 1, 2019
I find it dang hard to get into a coming of age story, but reading Music Love Drugs War gave me no chance to remember my prejudice against the genre. After thinking the first chapter was lukewarm, I found myself burning through the book in two sittings. Once the pace picks up after the first twenty pages, it becomes a hypnotic narrative of growing up in a world where naivety is paid for dearly.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
September 17, 2020
A story about growing up in Derry, Ireland, during the IRA period in the early 80's. A clever point of view seen trough the eyes of a group of friends who are all in their own way try to grapple with what is happening around them. It starts out with a light tone and midway through the book things get difficult for the youngsters. Each one of them has to make a choice and the choice they make will have consequences in the short or long run.
April 19, 2021
As the end of the school year approaches, a group of friends need to decide what to do with their lives. But through their local hangout, music and drugs, the future seems far away enough to not worry about.
A friend is killed and choices are made when a member of the group takes matters into their own hands.
This was a harrowing and unsettling read that was a slow burn to start with, but was extremely enjoyable!
A friend is killed and choices are made when a member of the group takes matters into their own hands.
This was a harrowing and unsettling read that was a slow burn to start with, but was extremely enjoyable!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2020
A bit of a stealthy one this. Initially I struggled to engage with it, but after about 60 or so pages it seemed to find its rhythm. An obvious labour of love and both the passion for the music of the time as well as the claustrophobic atmosphere the Troubles caused were from a place of personal experience. A deceptively deep novel told in a loose and uncluttered way.
March 18, 2019
Derry, Northern Ireland, 1981 -- It's a hard time in the history of The Troubles. Memories are long in this divided city. Nine years have passed . . .
August 7, 2019
3.5 stars. The second half had a much better pace than the first half, but lost half of its characters (only to drop in again in the last couple of pages). The characters felt a bit flat, but the story was engaging enough to overlook that.
February 10, 2022
It was alright. Interesting to read about the Troubles from the point of view of someone in the thick of it. Now older and wiser I realise the mainland news would never tell us the full story.
But to be honest it didn't really engage me and the characters didn't feel real.
But to be honest it didn't really engage me and the characters didn't feel real.
April 8, 2023
Good story - poor editing
Story is OK.. The writing could be better. There is a mistake (kindle edition anyway) without spoilers.. chapter 27 names the wrong character in one of the scenes..
Story is OK.. The writing could be better. There is a mistake (kindle edition anyway) without spoilers.. chapter 27 names the wrong character in one of the scenes..
December 25, 2024
Interesting, wpuld have liked more about the different sides and where they ended. But otherwise was really good and a cool read esp since I'm a little bit obsessed with derry girls and was interesting to learn more on derry
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews