A review by dylankakoulli
The Green Road by Anne Enright
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