During my time living in the UK, I’ve slowly picked up on the tension and tragedy of the Troubles. The Troubles is the religious and political conflict in Northern Ireland. To put it in incredibly simple terms, it’s a conflict between Protestants (wanting to remain with the UK) and the Catholics (who want a united Ireland and separation from the UK). Again, I cannot stress enough how much of a generalization this is, but you get the gist.
Patrick Radden Keefe presents a powerful history of the conflict, circling back throughout to the story of Jean McConville who was abducted from her house, in front of her children, never to be seen again.
Using the McConville case as well as other stories, Keefe details the history of the conflict, the I.R.A, the culture the Troubles created in Northern Ireland, and the effects it still has today.
Keefe does an incredible job of detailing facts in a fairly level-handed way (which, I can say from my short time in the UK, is impressive when it comes to such a sensitive subject). I felt at times it was more of a story than a history, which is a credit to Keefe’s writing style. I would highly recommend this for any history lovers or even for those looking for a good non-fiction read. I would also recommend listening to the audio book for a great Northern Irish accent.
2% Rating: 9/10
Recommend? Definitely
Re-Read? Honestly, I might. I know there’s a lot I missed the first time.
Time: 1:43