John's Great Big Read - 100 classic books in 156 weeks...

Monday, March 14, 2011

The Story of Lucy Gault

I know I'm supposed to be writing about those Swans at Coole, but this other Irish writer was pushed under my nose. Read it in a moment. This is the first book for a long long time that I felt needed a good howl before I felt ready to close the cover for the last time. Realise it's hard to talk about it without ruining it for others and I would definitely recommend this book. Ian's book club declined it because they didn't think they were up for another harrowing despairing Irish tale. I think they made a mistake because although it is a very sad story, there is something so human about it that I was left with a sense of tenderheartedness for the lot of them, despite the tragedy. It's not unlike The Road in this respect. The time is just before the war with the troubles in Ireland escalating. Lucy's British family decide they must leave after they are threatened in the night. A series of unfortunate circumstances mean that Lucy, a 10 year old, is left behind. Her parents think that she has killed herself and they remain exiled in their own grief and guilt where no one is able to reach them. Lucy waits for them to return, she herself guilty about the circumstances that brought about the parents departure. A 20 year wait. Lucy unable to let go of the belief that her parents will come home to her. The parents, trying desperately to forget their connection to a place they can never fully leave. I wonder how much of this is the story of the Irish diaspora - families yearning for those who've gone and those gone unable to fully leave?

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