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A review by sporadic_user
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
A powerful book about awful acts of violence, in a seemingly unending cycle of retribution. Keefe masterfully conveys the inner worlds and fierce beliefs of a suprisingly small cast actors in the troubles, illustrating the many changes throughout it's beginnings, height and end.
For those normally turned off by acciuntings of history, Keefes writing style will be a welcome, gripping narrative rendition of events.
In particular, the inner motivations of the depicted are so well articulated that it can become hard hold on to an objective view oneself. Much like these real people, you can get caught up in their personal views and their cycles of violence. You can get insight into how the peace process could be reviled by the very people who wanted to stop fighting themselves. You might even find yourself condemning the very people who ended the conflict, only to realize that this exact thinking is what kept the conflict alive.
This book can be hard to read because of its subject matter, but it thoroughly demystifies the origins, staying power and legacy of the troubles.
For those normally turned off by acciuntings of history, Keefes writing style will be a welcome, gripping narrative rendition of events.
In particular, the inner motivations of the depicted are so well articulated that it can become hard hold on to an objective view oneself. Much like these real people, you can get caught up in their personal views and their cycles of violence. You can get insight into how the peace process could be reviled by the very people who wanted to stop fighting themselves. You might even find yourself condemning the very people who ended the conflict, only to realize that this exact thinking is what kept the conflict alive.
This book can be hard to read because of its subject matter, but it thoroughly demystifies the origins, staying power and legacy of the troubles.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Classism
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt