Milkman
It is completely unique to me in that I have never read anything like it before. The use of language was fascinating and I found myself re-reading sentences multiple times trying to see how they were formed. It reads as an internal monologue for an 18 year old girl in a divided city. The city is in fact Belfast during 'the troubles' in the 1970s. She appears to be part of a Catholic family and has lost a brother during the political conflict. Also, non of this is explicitly stated. What is strange and brilliant in the way that it's done is that no names are given. There is maybe-boyfriend, there is tablets girl, tablets girls sister, first sister, second sister, Somebody McSomebody, third brother-in-law and first brother-in-law. There is the country 'over the border' and the country 'across the water'. There is 'our religion' and 'their religion'. I would have thought this would have made things confusing and yet it doesn't. It also is more aligned to the general thought process in most people's heads. For instance, when I'm thinking of my brother's girlfriend, I don't think of her name. I think brother's girlfriend.
The monologue has elements of political happenings whilst also being extremely impartial. This is mainly because the narrator has a detached way of thinking/ writing. There are no overly expressed emotions or thoughts about the conflict. Instead it's more stating what is happening. The main feeling that is allowed to permeate to the reader is this feeling of claustrophobic paranoia. Small town politics, exasperated by the political and religious conflict, turn into a big brother experience. Rumours are made up and circulated, the gossip mill doesn't end, townspeople are separated into the ostracised 'beyond the pales' and others. There is a sense of anger, fear and desperation towards this.
Ultimately- I don't know if this will be one of those books I carry with me and remember throughout random moments in life but I would have regretted not giving it a go.
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