Completed: October 13, 2025
Recommendation: Highly recommended
Recommended By: I picked up the sequel without realizing that this book came first, so I had to read it.
Words for which I sought help:
craic -- fun, good times, an enjoyable atmosphere
creche -- a day nursery or full-day care center
culchie -- someone from rural Ireland
demesne -- the land attached to a country house or manor that is kept for the owner's own use, distinct from lands leased to tenants
dipsomaniac -- an alcoholic, especially one who experiences intermittent bouts of craving for alcohol
flaker -- an unreliable, eccentric, or unconventional person
mither -- fuss over or moan about something
quare -- strange, peculiar, or odd
solipsist -- a person who is very self-centered or selfish
tash -- a moustache
Review:
Oh, this was a delightfully odd book. Each character is a chapter. What develops is the community as a whole, not a single character (although there is one, Frank, who changes over the course of the book). I just enjoyed it. This is not a happy book and it is not an adventure. It is, however, a real look at a community for good or bad from the people who live in the community.
