Ghosts and Lightning
- Trevor Byrne
Publisher: UK – Canongate Books
Why I picked it up: I very kindly received an advanced copy prior to release.
Back Blurb: Happy or unhappy, all families are a mystery. None more than the Cullens. Having escaped their clutches and moved across the water, Denny is just beginning to make a life for himself when a call from his sister brings him back to Dublin, city of his birth. Back to square one. As if squabbling siblings and unhelpful childhood friends weren't trouble enough, a ghost starts making appearances in the family home and Denny's life starts to get a lot more complicated.
What I thought: The story is written as if it’s all dictated through the main character completely with speaking prose – yiz knaw? I fond this a struggle to read as I was continually trying to translate it into ‘proper English’ but it did add an air of authenticity to the story. It’s set in Dublin in a family that has recently lost their mother and are struggling to cope – while none of the characters are children, they are still young and not used to the full responsibilities of adult life. They do drugs, have loud parties, drink too much and struggle to work, to live. However, I struggled to identify with any of them – I spent half the time wanting to yell at them to get off their backsides and just make an effort. It’s not a world I felt comfortable reading about and I hope that’s what the author was trying to convey. Nether-the-less I’m not sure I would read anything else by the author again.
Recommended for: Realising that their are people out there worse off than you!
Rating: 4 out of 10
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