Welcome to Litsy!

Short book that puts you into a certain kind of atmosphere in no time. I don‘t know whether I got the clues quickly or the author just wants me to think I got them quickly…

January #readingrecap #bookhaul .. Lanny, Travelling in a strange land, Love in the time of cholera, Shuggie Bain and Purple Hibiscus were my favourites in a month of great books!

Happy St. Patrick‘s Day from #NorthernIreland .

A local independent bookshop has put together a great list of books about Ireland, North and South. Happy reading!

https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/happy-st-patrick-s-day

The book I‘ve tagged here is from one of my favourite Northern Irish authors, David Park.

A father sets off on a journey in a snow-covered landscape from Belfast to Sutherland to collect his ailing son from University for Christmas, facing haunting memories en route.

#Snowstorm #NamasteNovember @Eggs

A beautiful, spare novel. David Park evokes a snow-bound atmosphere which cleverly mimics Tom‘s mind as he journeys to collect son Luke but is thinking about his other son, Daniel. As he gradually faces his memories, the snow recedes & the story picks up pace. The writing is well-observed, clear & true, pared back so the emotions hit hard. The ending is sublime. 😭❤️ We did this for ep 50 of the podcast, up now! #booksonthego

In the studio this morning! 😄🎤📚 #booksonthego

A father travels through snowy roads to get his son, but it‘s really his inner journey thinking about his other son Daniel. Strong, assured writing, propelling us firmly onwards even in slower parts. At first the endless snow frustrated me but I think it‘s the father‘s foggy state: he looks at the snow rather than confront his memories. It picks up & becomes a very moving, honest portrayal of parents at a loss over their son. Beautiful ending.

This book gave some valuable insight into regret and how difficult it can be raising children, and trying to do your best by them. The realisation and reminder that we have no control is quite scary, particularly with the challenges and pressures the youth face now.

However, I regret that this book was very slow for my liking and I felt I was just waiting the entire time for it to begin. The story was not rich or developed enough for my liking

This book feels like a pilgrimage. The author skillfully twists together the here and now with the solitary musings of the main character - initially on broad topics ranging from politics to remembered romances but increasingly fixated on the recent history of his eldest son. I felt it lost a bit of its drive at the very end, but I really enjoyed this contemplative and deeply personal story.

'I do this a lot - try to create pictures and let them pave the way to some future happiness, but they are short-lived, almost fading away as soon as they've been printed...' p.124

'...time no longer stays ordered and chronological like the photographs I took of his growth into childhood and instead jumps back and forward, later events supposedly signalled by earlier ones to which I was oblivious at the time because what I'm always seeking is a pattern to impose on the chaos. And there's a kind of attempted internal photoshopping with something deliberately erased because it stings like a paper cut...' p.106

Thanks so much for sending this my way, @DeborahSmall !

It was so kind of you to remember how much I love this #NorthernIrish author. 🍀

#LittensAreTheBest
#BookMailIsTheBest