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juliaseculture's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Colonisation
h_nn_hp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Vomit
carolyn1504's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Colonisation
bella_cavicchi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Perhaps best summed up as a book that has kept me thinking over a week since I've finished it. A good sign!
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Sexism and Toxic relationship
mmccombs's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, and War
leo14's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
deedireads's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse
yilliun's review against another edition
- 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
And when James’ paintings are left behind broke me. He deserved so much better.
Graphic: Grief, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Racism
zotty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Colonisation, and War
dwager's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Mass/school shootings