caitchristina25's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kkozzz's review against another edition
5.0
An incredibly moving trio of short stories from McCann. Each, in its own way, gives a different perspective of viewing the Troubles in both the Republic and Northern Ireland. Haven't enjoyed a book as much as this in a very long time.
bgg616's review
4.0
This book contains 2 short stories and a novella. All appear to be set in Northern Ireland, which is unusual as the author was born in Dublin, and "southerners" have long been viewed as ignoring The Troubles. The 2 short stories focus on main characters who are Northern Protestants, another unusual turn for a writer from Dublin. The book is a quick worthwhile read.
btmarino84's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this as an audiobook which worked really well, I think. McCann always has a really graceful and fluid prose style, gorgeous descriptions and a lyrical voice. This book in particular is written very much in a way that reflects various Irish accents and dialects, so to hear the 3 narrators (it is made up of 2 short stories and a novella) really going all out in that style made the book come alive.
tsteffe's review against another edition
challenging
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
carrie562's review against another edition
3.0
Moving slice-of-life portrait of Irish life in the shadow of the Troubles. Lovely, poetic, haunting.
zoemig's review against another edition
3.0
Everything in This Country Must is a small collection by Colum McCann which includes two short stories and one novella. The book begins with the title story "Everything in This Country Must" which is the story of a father and daughter whose lives have been ruined by the death of the mother and daughter at the hands of soldiers. However when their best draft horse is about to drown it is soldiers which come to help them pull it out of the water, something the father is unable to make peace with. For him, he would rather the horse drown then accept their help. "Everything in This Country Must" was actually my favourite of the three stories in this collection- although at times vague and mysterious it remained touching and powerful. Even without knowing the details, you could understand the conflict of emotion the father and daughter felt.
In "Wood" a small boy helps his mother prepare wooden poles to sell for the Protestant marches in secret from his disabled father who can no longer earn a living for the family. It is definitely a short story, but McCann is able to capture the secrecy and conflict the young boy feels as well as the mystery of the night-time.
"Hunger Strike" was the novella, and at a hundred pages it was about five times as long as either short story. I would have hoped that this length would allow McCann to flesh out the characters, as opposed to the short story format. Unfortunately "Hunger Strike" was my least favourite of the three stories- although the background stories of the main characters were less mysterious than "Everything in This Country Must" and "Wood" I actually felt less emotion and compassion towards the main character, a young boy who has lost his father and whose uncle, an IRA member, is on a hunger strike as he attempts to gain political prisoner status. The novella had moments of brilliance but overall it lacked the precise, clarity and emotional strength of the other stories.
All three stories give a snapshot into Northern Ireland, a landscape McCann is definitely familiar with and in that way it felt less forced for me than This Side of Brightness. So although the two short stories are four star quality, "Hunger Strike" lost a star for how I felt about Everything in This Country Must so I can only give it three. ***
In "Wood" a small boy helps his mother prepare wooden poles to sell for the Protestant marches in secret from his disabled father who can no longer earn a living for the family. It is definitely a short story, but McCann is able to capture the secrecy and conflict the young boy feels as well as the mystery of the night-time.
"Hunger Strike" was the novella, and at a hundred pages it was about five times as long as either short story. I would have hoped that this length would allow McCann to flesh out the characters, as opposed to the short story format. Unfortunately "Hunger Strike" was my least favourite of the three stories- although the background stories of the main characters were less mysterious than "Everything in This Country Must" and "Wood" I actually felt less emotion and compassion towards the main character, a young boy who has lost his father and whose uncle, an IRA member, is on a hunger strike as he attempts to gain political prisoner status. The novella had moments of brilliance but overall it lacked the precise, clarity and emotional strength of the other stories.
All three stories give a snapshot into Northern Ireland, a landscape McCann is definitely familiar with and in that way it felt less forced for me than This Side of Brightness. So although the two short stories are four star quality, "Hunger Strike" lost a star for how I felt about Everything in This Country Must so I can only give it three. ***
vanmeers's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mimi8school's review against another edition
3.0
It's a 3.5 for me.
I really enjoyed McCann's writing. The language is so beautiful and lyrical. Perhaps it was the first Irish literature I read or I am not knowledgeable on the subject, the stories did not hit me as much as I wished them to be.
I have "Let the Great World Spin" by the same author on my shelf and I hope I will enjoy that one more.
I really enjoyed McCann's writing. The language is so beautiful and lyrical. Perhaps it was the first Irish literature I read or I am not knowledgeable on the subject, the stories did not hit me as much as I wished them to be.
I have "Let the Great World Spin" by the same author on my shelf and I hope I will enjoy that one more.
rosannevk's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the writing of this book. McCann really has a talent for writing beautiful sentences and their poetic nature always makes me smile. As always with collections of stories, I did not like all of them the same, but overall I think this book is a beautiful insight into the everyday lives touched by the Irish troubles. I am a big fan of the way McCann always manages to make the ordinary extraordinary in his writing, which makes him such a great writer.