#BookReview ‘A History of Loneliness’ by @john_boyne #literary

The History of Loneliness is a depressing title – it has to be about loneliness, doesn’t it? Yes, but it’s about so much more. This novel by John Boyne is about the soul of a boy growing up in 1960s Ireland and becoming a priest, it’s about guilt and responsibility and honesty [with oneself, with others]. And, given its setting and time, it is about the Catholic church in Ireland and child abuse. John BoyneBut it is not a depressing novel. It is the story of Odran Yates’s journey from childhood to seminary to adulthood, via Rome where he serves tea to two Popes, back to Ireland where he watches from the sidelines as one then another trusted Irish priest is convicted of child abuse.
It is an unexpected page turner. Boyne drops hints at ‘things that happened’, enough to make you want to know what. He maintains the suspense by telling Odran’s story in disparate chunks – the first four chapters move from 2001 to 2006, 1964 to 1980 – answering some questions and asking new ones, and weaving in the story of Odran’s sister Hannah and her family. Some bits made me chuckle, some made me laugh out loud, others brought a lump to my throat. A favourite was the discussion with Katherine Summers, a neighbour of the Yates who cycles by wearing short skirts to the horror of all the Catholic mothers, about the naughty bits in The Godfather.
Most of all, this book tells the story of the priesthood from the 1960s when the word of the priest was God, to 2008 when a stranger spits in Odran’s face because he is a priest wearing a black suit and a white plastic collar.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK

Read my reviews of these other novels by John Boyne:-
A LADDER TO THE SKY
A TRAVELLER AT THE GATES OF WISDOM
ALL THE BROKEN PLACES
STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND THEN LEAVE
THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES

If you like this, try:-
Brooklyn’ by Colm Tóibín
Himself’ by Jess Kidd
The Pull of the Stars’ by Emma Donoghue

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
An honest, harrowing novel: A HISTORY OF LONELINESS by @john_boyne #bookreview via @SandraDanby http://wp.me/p5gEM4-1dm

13 thoughts on “#BookReview ‘A History of Loneliness’ by @john_boyne #literary

  1. Pingback: #BookReview ‘The Heart’s Invisible Furies’ by @john_boyne #literary | SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

  2. Pingback: #Bookreview ‘A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom’ by @john_boyne | SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

  3. Pingback: #BookReview ‘A Ladder to the Sky’ by @john_boyne #Ambition #Plagiarism | SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

  4. Pingback: #BookReview ‘Stay Where You Are & Then Leave’ by @john_boyne #WW1 | SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

  5. Pingback: #Bookreview ‘All the Broken Places’ by @john_boyne #literary #WW2 | SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

  6. Pat Lawrence

    Hi Sandra

    As usual I can’t sign in to reply to your review so thought I’d just write and say you’ve inspired me to get this book!

    My Catholic and Irish background draws me to this novel.

    I’ll write properly soon but just to say we’re in Spain but I haven’t a clue where you guys are now! Hope you’re both well.

    P xx

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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