motherbooker's reviews
599 reviews

This is the kind of book that I love. It's a seemingly simple story about a seemingly simple man. However, there is far more going on than it seems at first glance. Bill Furlong is a coal merchant living in New Ross, Ireland in the 80s. He lives a comfortable enough life with his wife and daughters. He brings in an honest wage, enabling him to provide his daughters with a decent education. It's a far cry from his early years as the child of an unmarried teen mother. As it gets closer to Christmas, Bill reflects on his past and the debt he owes his mother's former employer. Without her understanding, Bill and his mother would have been cast out and he'd be living a completely different life. So, when he uncovers something about the local convent, Bill starts to re-evaluate the role of religion in his community. How strong a hold does the institution have on the lives of Bill and the people he knows and loves?

It's a common fact that religion has never really favoured women and that supposed "fallen women" have been victims for too long. What I didn't know before reading this book was that the last Magdalene laundry in Ireland closed on 25 September 1996. That's insane. The Magdalene laundries were institutions that housed fallen women. This included promiscuous women, unmarried mothers and young women without any family support. They were sent to these places and forced to work for their board. The treatment that many endured was worse than they could have expected in prison. The institutions were allowed to continue because the Irish state didn't want to interfere with religious matters, so countless women and girls suffered in silence. All of this was done in the name of God but it was intended to punish anyone who didn't conform to the status quo.

In this book, Keegan addresses the stranglehold that the church had on communities and we see people warn Bill against meddling in their affairs. The church was a powerful presence and could ruin a person in many ways. Of course, Bill can't ignore things any longer. He's a good man and it's great to see such a positive male figure in this book. He loves his daughters and champions women. He understands how strong his mother was and how lucky she was to find an understanding employer. Bill is such a fantastic presence in this book. He has a quiet and contemplative nature to him but he also has a great impact on the community. He delivers the coal and wood needed to help people throughout the festive period. He could be a passive masculine figure but, instead, he is a positive force for change and the moral compass of this book.

This is such a short book but it packs a huge punch. Like Bill it is quiet and unassuming but there is so much depth within these pages. It does a remarkable job of highlighting a horrendous part of history while retaining lightness and humanity. Keegan is a writer who knows how to do a lot with a little. Her use of language is sparse but it's filled with emotion. You get even more from what isn't said to what is said. This is only my second book by Keegan and she has surprised me both times. With this book, you know everything you need to about Bill and you understand why he makes the decisions he does. It's a story that doesn't need loads of prose to get the message across and Keegan is skilled enough to make this work so well. This was a fantastic book to read at the start of the year but it does mean it'll be harder for other books to live up to it.