Another read that I had been anticipating: Keegan’s novella did not disappoint. It’s a really satisfying well-paced narrative that totally transports you to its pre-Christmas atmosphere: tired, fraught, social, yet deeply reflective.
A rich and powerful tale of a man who, while delivering coal to his community around Christmas, feels himself being drawn into the dark drama of what’s happening at the local convent. The Magdalen Laundries scandal is something that’s been on my radar for a long time, and it’s always unbelievable to think what went on, and for how long.
I would have liked even more psychology, pushing out this idea of suddenly becoming disillusioned and psychologically out of step with your community. That kind of pushing through the collective hallucination would have been incredible to explore.
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