dylankakoulli's review against another edition
2.0
The Green Road is a rather blasé story, all about a rather boring and basic (at least in cliche character troupe terms) family -The Madigan’s.
Split in two, the first part focuses on the early years of the family, within the walls of their “troubled” Irish home. A home in which, at the heart, lies the strong minded matriarch Rosaleen, raising her four snovelling and spoilt (at least one in particular) children.
Then in part two we return to house many years later, only to find three of the children have long since flown the nest, and set up homes and families elsewhere across the world. All except one, who remains on Irish soil to oversee the ‘care’ of her much older and slightly frail mother. Though not frail in ol’ mindset or attitude I might add! As the ever matriarchal Rosaleen certainly likes to “kick the hornets nest” and what better way to cause a stir, than announces the sudden selling of the family home!
Flooding the children (now adults supposedly) back to a place and time, that no amount of distance -geographical or otherwise, can keep apart.
Now usually I LOVE a good family saga, unfortunately for me, this was more dinner with the Dursley’s, than waking up with the Weasley (?) basically this was a very boring account, of a very boring, working-middle class family.
Sure Enright's writing is easy to read, with an almost conversational style tone that I usually enjoy. Though in this instance, I found it incredibly difficult to ever fully immerse or engage myself in the family’s lives.
That said, the one element I did enjoy (and wish there was more of), was the all too brief thread documenting her eldest son, Dan’s growing up. Head of the family since the fathers absence, the mothers undeniable favourite, and initially as a young lad, all set out for a life of priesthood. We now discover, some years later, is very much headed in the opposite direction. Battling his newfound -though still “hush hush” sexuality, against the rise of the AIDs crisis in America, during the early 90s.
As I say, though the multiple perspectives were interesting, and I appreciated the variety of topics Enright attempts to cover in such a short book. It only ever felt like she was scratching the mere surface, and I was constantly left wanting more detail and in some instances closure, to what events would as soon appear as quick as they’d disappear.
I mean, flipping heck Ann, I just wanted some answers!
2.5 stars
Split in two, the first part focuses on the early years of the family, within the walls of their “troubled” Irish home. A home in which, at the heart, lies the strong minded matriarch Rosaleen, raising her four snovelling and spoilt (at least one in particular) children.
Then in part two we return to house many years later, only to find three of the children have long since flown the nest, and set up homes and families elsewhere across the world. All except one, who remains on Irish soil to oversee the ‘care’ of her much older and slightly frail mother. Though not frail in ol’ mindset or attitude I might add! As the ever matriarchal Rosaleen certainly likes to “kick the hornets nest” and what better way to cause a stir, than announces the sudden selling of the family home!
Flooding the children (now adults supposedly) back to a place and time, that no amount of distance -geographical or otherwise, can keep apart.
Now usually I LOVE a good family saga, unfortunately for me, this was more dinner with the Dursley’s, than waking up with the Weasley (?) basically this was a very boring account, of a very boring, working-middle class family.
Sure Enright's writing is easy to read, with an almost conversational style tone that I usually enjoy. Though in this instance, I found it incredibly difficult to ever fully immerse or engage myself in the family’s lives.
That said, the one element I did enjoy (and wish there was more of), was the all too brief thread documenting her eldest son, Dan’s growing up. Head of the family since the fathers absence, the mothers undeniable favourite, and initially as a young lad, all set out for a life of priesthood. We now discover, some years later, is very much headed in the opposite direction. Battling his newfound -though still “hush hush” sexuality, against the rise of the AIDs crisis in America, during the early 90s.
As I say, though the multiple perspectives were interesting, and I appreciated the variety of topics Enright attempts to cover in such a short book. It only ever felt like she was scratching the mere surface, and I was constantly left wanting more detail and in some instances closure, to what events would as soon appear as quick as they’d disappear.
I mean, flipping heck Ann, I just wanted some answers!
2.5 stars
mslaura's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.25
fern17's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mhairimc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.25
andrew61's review against another edition
3.0
The opening chapter of this book introduces us to the Madigan family in the early 1980's and the popes visit to Ireland is referenced. we meet Hanna , the youngest of four children who goes with her father to visit her gran , and to her uncle the local pharmacist for some medication for her mothers nerves, her mother Rosaleen having retired to bed after Dan the oldest chid has announced he is going to become a priest. It is a domestic picture that suggests that this is a family with external divisions between maternal and paternal side but a mother who is an emotional strain on the whole family group.
Thereafter the book shows us each individual child over the next 30 years with snapshots of their lives and relationships before the final part has the whole family gathering in their old home for Christmas after Rosaleen now widowed and cantankerous threatens to sell the house with the main burden of her care falling on Constance who lives locally and is going through her own emotional upheavals. The story of Dan particularly as a gay man in 1980's and 1990's New York at the height of the aids crisis was well done and certainly evoked time and place well.
It is an interesting picture of how a family fractures over the years and the impact that a mother can have on her children especially one so self absorbed and the picture of a family reverting to type in their roles at Christmas was well done. I felt that the only character that was not filled out was Hanna and as the book came to its end I wondered why the child who was the crux of the opening chapter almost became a throwaway character at the end whilst the majority of the middle of the book had given substantial focus on Dan and emmet , I wanted more about Hanna's journey. As a consequence whilst the book was very readable it only ended up being for myself an average book which did not stand out unlike the other two books of hers that I have read including The Gathering and The Forgotten waltz.
Thereafter the book shows us each individual child over the next 30 years with snapshots of their lives and relationships before the final part has the whole family gathering in their old home for Christmas after Rosaleen now widowed and cantankerous threatens to sell the house with the main burden of her care falling on Constance who lives locally and is going through her own emotional upheavals. The story of Dan particularly as a gay man in 1980's and 1990's New York at the height of the aids crisis was well done and certainly evoked time and place well.
It is an interesting picture of how a family fractures over the years and the impact that a mother can have on her children especially one so self absorbed and the picture of a family reverting to type in their roles at Christmas was well done. I felt that the only character that was not filled out was Hanna and as the book came to its end I wondered why the child who was the crux of the opening chapter almost became a throwaway character at the end whilst the majority of the middle of the book had given substantial focus on Dan and emmet , I wanted more about Hanna's journey. As a consequence whilst the book was very readable it only ended up being for myself an average book which did not stand out unlike the other two books of hers that I have read including The Gathering and The Forgotten waltz.
smbla's review against another edition
4.0
Anne Enright’s most recent novel The Green Road is an engaging and punishing narrative. You meet the Madigans an Irish family from County Clare at a critical moment-an announcement is made at a Sunday dinner. You then are given a glimpse into their lives and meet them all together again as they grudgingly reconvene at a Christmas dinner some 25 years later. What was particularly interesting to me was that when you meet the Madigan children-Dan (the ex- Priest ?), Constance(the home maker), Emmet(the missionary) and Hanna(the would be actress) you are introduced to only the potentially pivotal moments in their lives - they have reached the point of change, a decision must be made or potentially tragic moment overcome. I thought this would be disconcerting since it wasn’t a straight narrative but just a captured moment albeit one that included depth but I realized I had a very clear picture of who they were, the choices they made and the approval sought.
The Christmas get together is relatable on so many levels-the childhood alliances, the festering resentments, the miscommunications, the manipulations and the glue that binds them all together as the Madigans. Here the narrative thread is continued and even though many of the scenarios are unresolved they felt complete.
To me Enright is one of those writers that makes you wince and laugh at the same time. She is clear and concise and always seem to hit it out of the park each time she publishes.
The Christmas get together is relatable on so many levels-the childhood alliances, the festering resentments, the miscommunications, the manipulations and the glue that binds them all together as the Madigans. Here the narrative thread is continued and even though many of the scenarios are unresolved they felt complete.
To me Enright is one of those writers that makes you wince and laugh at the same time. She is clear and concise and always seem to hit it out of the park each time she publishes.
lazygal's review against another edition
2.0
So many wonderful reviews of this book, and yet... for me it was close to a DNF. It wasn't just the family saga part (I knew that going in, and was in some ways looking forward to a potentially new version of that genre), or the multiple narrators (although that's becoming annoying), but the fact that it was difficult for me to care about any of the characters. For example, Mom's taking too her bad after Dan announces going into the priesthood plays a largeish role, but it doesn't feel as though it does nor does she really take to her bed. Dan's decision and her reaction didn't make sense, so I started wondering what I'd missed out on. But by the end of Constance's first section, I'd ceased to really care and flipped through the books, skipping whole chunks.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
mazza57's review against another edition
2.0
This just felt like hard work. Simply a network of chapters that really said nothing and then a weird christmas gathering.
hokiejo's review against another edition
1.0
I couldn't get through it. The story was disjointed and hard to follow. I had high hopes, but not so much...