The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
mmccombs's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
A kick to the chest of a novel! Its slow, atmospheric build works to create a fraught, claustrophobic ending, revealing so much about colonization and theft and violence that lives on through generations, a cycle that never ends. This book is so multilayered without being cumbersome or overwrought, the writing is striking and expertly crafted. Simply the perfect book, I’ll be thinking about it for a long time!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, War, Colonisation, Death, and Violence
deedireads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Colony is a quietly devastating, gorgeously written book about colonization and agency set on a small Irish island during the Troubles. It has lots of layers!
For you if: You like character-driven novels, plus prose that’s poetic and a bit nontraditional.
FULL REVIEW:
After a fair amount of pre-release hype, The Colony was longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize. Having read it, I can confirm that this 100% feels like a Booker book (in a good way), and that it’s going to make for an excellent book club discussion.
The story is set on a small island off Ireland’s coast in 1979, as the Troubles raged on the mainland. The island has been somewhat sheltered from colonization, with its people still living according to their longstanding customs and speaking a traditional form of Irish. But that’s slowly changing. During this summer, two white men come to stay: an English painter named Lloyd, determined to make a name for himself painting the landscape and, eventually, its people; and a French linguist named Masson, determined to make a name for himself as the savior of their language. Throughout, we get short vignettes depicting terrible acts of violence on the mainland.
Although the plot itself is relatively quiet — simmering backdrop of violence notwithstanding — this book does and says a ton as it pertains to not only colonization and saviorism, but also agency (whose choice is it whether people need saving?). I’m particularly excited to discuss the linguist, Masson, with my book club. Without saying too much, he’s the child of a colonizer and a member of a colonized people, making his actions and motivations really fascinating.
But perhaps the most distinctive part about this book is the prose. It’s beautiful, poetic, and a little nontraditional. Magee’s decision to write this way and also not use quotation marks — especially with so many characters being bilingual — blends thought and dialogue in a way that’s effective and affecting but somehow never confusing.
I will say that I guessed how this was going to end (hoping I was wrong), but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Magee’s purpose here is equal parts clear and moving, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Colony is a quietly devastating, gorgeously written book about colonization and agency set on a small Irish island during the Troubles. It has lots of layers!
For you if: You like character-driven novels, plus prose that’s poetic and a bit nontraditional.
FULL REVIEW:
After a fair amount of pre-release hype, The Colony was longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize. Having read it, I can confirm that this 100% feels like a Booker book (in a good way), and that it’s going to make for an excellent book club discussion.
The story is set on a small island off Ireland’s coast in 1979, as the Troubles raged on the mainland. The island has been somewhat sheltered from colonization, with its people still living according to their longstanding customs and speaking a traditional form of Irish. But that’s slowly changing. During this summer, two white men come to stay: an English painter named Lloyd, determined to make a name for himself painting the landscape and, eventually, its people; and a French linguist named Masson, determined to make a name for himself as the savior of their language. Throughout, we get short vignettes depicting terrible acts of violence on the mainland.
Although the plot itself is relatively quiet — simmering backdrop of violence notwithstanding — this book does and says a ton as it pertains to not only colonization and saviorism, but also agency (whose choice is it whether people need saving?). I’m particularly excited to discuss the linguist, Masson, with my book club. Without saying too much, he’s the child of a colonizer and a member of a colonized people, making his actions and motivations really fascinating.
But perhaps the most distinctive part about this book is the prose. It’s beautiful, poetic, and a little nontraditional. Magee’s decision to write this way and also not use quotation marks — especially with so many characters being bilingual — blends thought and dialogue in a way that’s effective and affecting but somehow never confusing.
I will say that I guessed how this was going to end (hoping I was wrong), but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Magee’s purpose here is equal parts clear and moving, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse
retswerb's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Reads like a literary classic. Rare that I find a book I like so much in which I also dislike the main characters, but the writing here is just that good. Magee weaves together a variety of viewpoints into a compelling snapshot of a time and a place. Absolutely fantastic reading in the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Murder
gummistovlar's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Look, I am *very* invested in the subject matter of this novel - namely the plight of my own language and its systematic eradication by colonialism.
But I had to absolutely drag myself through this novel.
First, I cannot recover from the irony of the audiobook being narrated by a non-Irish speaker. Stephen Hogan does a good Irish accent, so he may well be Irish himself, but the fact that his intonation was incorrect for some very basic phrases leads me to believe he definitely does not speak the language. Even if you don't attain fluency (which most of us don't), we are all taught Irish from the age of 5 if you are raised in the country, and we can reliably pronounce words.
Given the novel's chosen theme, I really don't understand why they couldn't find any Irish actor who actually has basic command of the language - there are plenty available!Â
Second, reading this was just misery on misery on misery. This is why I find myself avoiding a lot of Irish writing, because it's this very particular brand of misery that seems to be rewarded on the international scale, and that to me is a facet of colonialism itself. It really bothers me. Audrey Magee is welcome to write the novel she wants to write, but it's very typical to me that this is the one that would receive recognition.
Irony again that a novel supposedly about the battle for the soul of Ireland (its language) is dry as a bone. We get maybe 3 flashes of wry humour in the whole thing, whereas the absolute characteristic of Irish people (especially on the west coast, where this seems to be set) is that a wicked sense of humour lives right alongside the misery.
I don't take issue with Magee's thesis really, especially when juxtaposed with the experience of a French/Algerian character, but I think the idea of the future of the language being debated by outsiders got a bit carried away with itself. The prose was very repetitive and I hated absolutely every character.
I also was not fond of how the conflict in Northern Ireland was treated: it felt very reductive and both sides-y, but that might require re-reading with a careful eye.
Anyway, I don't recommend that you read this if you want to experience joy, or any insight into Ireland. If you are curious about what has happened to the language itself, a short article will give you the same information and history. If you want to hear Irish, listen to the Beo Ar Éigean podcast or ring me up if you know me! 😂
Magee gets an A1 for condensing the English nation into one horrendously unlikeable character though - nailed it.
But I had to absolutely drag myself through this novel.
First, I cannot recover from the irony of the audiobook being narrated by a non-Irish speaker. Stephen Hogan does a good Irish accent, so he may well be Irish himself, but the fact that his intonation was incorrect for some very basic phrases leads me to believe he definitely does not speak the language. Even if you don't attain fluency (which most of us don't), we are all taught Irish from the age of 5 if you are raised in the country, and we can reliably pronounce words.
Given the novel's chosen theme, I really don't understand why they couldn't find any Irish actor who actually has basic command of the language - there are plenty available!Â
Second, reading this was just misery on misery on misery. This is why I find myself avoiding a lot of Irish writing, because it's this very particular brand of misery that seems to be rewarded on the international scale, and that to me is a facet of colonialism itself. It really bothers me. Audrey Magee is welcome to write the novel she wants to write, but it's very typical to me that this is the one that would receive recognition.
Irony again that a novel supposedly about the battle for the soul of Ireland (its language) is dry as a bone. We get maybe 3 flashes of wry humour in the whole thing, whereas the absolute characteristic of Irish people (especially on the west coast, where this seems to be set) is that a wicked sense of humour lives right alongside the misery.
I don't take issue with Magee's thesis really, especially when juxtaposed with the experience of a French/Algerian character, but I think the idea of the future of the language being debated by outsiders got a bit carried away with itself. The prose was very repetitive and I hated absolutely every character.
I also was not fond of how the conflict in Northern Ireland was treated: it felt very reductive and both sides-y, but that might require re-reading with a careful eye.
Anyway, I don't recommend that you read this if you want to experience joy, or any insight into Ireland. If you are curious about what has happened to the language itself, a short article will give you the same information and history. If you want to hear Irish, listen to the Beo Ar Éigean podcast or ring me up if you know me! 😂
Magee gets an A1 for condensing the English nation into one horrendously unlikeable character though - nailed it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Colonisation
katewhite77's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A Wonderfully lyrical Novel.
A beautiful meditation on colony and colonisation and mainly. but not exclusively the geopolitical Anglo-Irish iteration with a particular focus on language.Â
I would recommend the audio version of this particular book as I think this book is probably best heard than read if possible just let the words carry you across the Irish Sea.Â
This is not an easy read but an important and poetic one.
A beautiful meditation on colony and colonisation and mainly. but not exclusively the geopolitical Anglo-Irish iteration with a particular focus on language.Â
I would recommend the audio version of this particular book as I think this book is probably best heard than read if possible just let the words carry you across the Irish Sea.Â
This is not an easy read but an important and poetic one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Classism, Colonisation, and Murder
wordsaremything's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-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
How long does a bone last, anyway? A skull? Shorter or longer than a jumper?
I will start by saying I don't know much about the violent skirmishes in Ireland in the 1970s other than "they happened," so the vignettes after each chapter on the island confused me for a little while. It wasn't until Lloyd mentions the 1970s at one point that I figured it out. I'll start with the last one, because I thought about it a good deal after I closed the book: I think this final vignette is supposed to be James, in a way.The man turns on the light (that's James, trying to be an artist) but quickly turns it off because he doesn't want to be seen (that's James, keeping his anger quiet about Lloyd stealing his ideas). The man tries to return to his evening (James, wanting to leave the island) but he is killed instead (James, being left behind by Lloyd).
I found the storytelling in this fascinating. Magee's usage of run-on sentences that switch from third to first person, as well as her interspersing of poetry mid-sentence for Lloyd, made for an interesting reading experience.
I was most interested in Mairéad and the motivations behind her actions, though James/Séamus was a close second, and I enjoyed reading about him the most. Lloyd and Masson/JP were two sides of the same coin — both are outsiders who have come to the island for themselves, only Masson thinks he's doing them a kindness.
I feel like I've only understood half of this, like I needed to have read it with a book club to get everything out of it. A compelling read — I read it very quickly and found myself tense for what would happen next.
There's a colony beneath your feet, Mr Lloyd. Moving underneath without your even knowing.
I will start by saying I don't know much about the violent skirmishes in Ireland in the 1970s other than "they happened," so the vignettes after each chapter on the island confused me for a little while. It wasn't until Lloyd mentions the 1970s at one point that I figured it out. I'll start with the last one, because I thought about it a good deal after I closed the book: I think this final vignette is supposed to be James, in a way.
I found the storytelling in this fascinating. Magee's usage of run-on sentences that switch from third to first person, as well as her interspersing of poetry mid-sentence for Lloyd, made for an interesting reading experience.
I was most interested in Mairéad and the motivations behind her actions, though James/Séamus was a close second, and I enjoyed reading about him the most. Lloyd and Masson/JP were two sides of the same coin — both are outsiders who have come to the island for themselves, only Masson thinks he's doing them a kindness.
I feel like I've only understood half of this, like I needed to have read it with a book club to get everything out of it. A compelling read — I read it very quickly and found myself tense for what would happen next.
There's a colony beneath your feet, Mr Lloyd. Moving underneath without your even knowing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Colonisation, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Vomit
Graphic vignettes of deaths/murders caused by the skirmishes with the IRA in the 1970s.jennikreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, War, Misogyny, Animal death, Murder, Death of parent, and Gun violence
linguaphile412's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, War, Violence, Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail
kirstym25's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Colonisation, and Murder
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
 The Colony is a fantastic read. The more I read the more impressed I became. What starts off as a seemingly simple story about an arrogant English artist spending time on a small sparsely populated Irish island turns out to actually be a multi-faceted critique of colonialism. All the different strands of the novel - the family saga, the master-apprentice artist storyline, the conflicts between different characters, the linguistic study, and more were all cleverly woven around the core theme of colonialism. I was impressed by how many different facets of the author managed to include, most intrinsically. The interactions between the islanders and the visitors are essentially a microcosm of colonialism.
All of which makes this book sound worthy - and possibly dull. Worthy it is; dull it is not. The story is engaging and eminently readable - quite funny at times, the writing lyrical and poetic, the atmosphere often haunting, the characters memorable and in some cases, James especially, loveable. The exploration of the theme is thought-provoking, yet nuanced rather than dogmatic. All in all I highly recommend this novel and will definitely be adding Audrey Magee to the list of authors whose back lists I want to explore.Â
All of which makes this book sound worthy - and possibly dull. Worthy it is; dull it is not. The story is engaging and eminently readable - quite funny at times, the writing lyrical and poetic, the atmosphere often haunting, the characters memorable and in some cases, James especially, loveable. The exploration of the theme is thought-provoking, yet nuanced rather than dogmatic. All in all I highly recommend this novel and will definitely be adding Audrey Magee to the list of authors whose back lists I want to explore.Â
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent