Historical Fiction | Book Chatter

Small Things Like These
By Claire Keegan
Grove Press, #9780802158741, November 2021, 128 pp.

The Short of It:

Brief, but powerful.

The Rest of It:

“It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man faces into his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church.” ~ the publisher

This is a fictional account of an actual event in history when fallen young girls were set to convents in Ireland. Disguised as a home for girls, it was actually a cruel, abusive place called a Magdalen laundry. These women often lost their babies. The numbers of children lost, in the thousands.

In this story, Bill delivers coal to the convent and discovers a young girl, locked away. She begs for help. He’s not sure how to respond and can’t under watchful eyes. So he returns home, to his wife and five daughters as they prepare for the Christmas holiday.

There’s cake making. Gift wrapping, the merry sounds of a happy family but Bill cannot forget that young girl at the convent. He mentions it to his wife Eileen and she reminds him that the convent is very good to them. They pay on time and often include a Christmas bonus, which they did. She tells him to forget the incident. That everyone knows what goes on there but that it’s none of their business.

This doesn’t sit well with Bill. His mind keeps going back to that young girl, her name is Sarah and as he gazes upon his own girls, he is unwilling to let it go.

This is a marvelous read. Short. Very short. I had no idea how short it was when I was looking for a book to read on Hoopla. A mere 128 pages but each page is so rich with detail. There are no extra words here. Every word bears weight. The heavy story line against the joys of Christmas is a stark juxtaposition but it works so well here. As brief as it is, it would be a good discussion book for a club.

Recommend. It was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

James
By Percival Everett
Double Day Books, 9780385550369, March 2024, 320 pp.

The Short of It:

Nothing short of remarkable.

The Rest of It:

Have you read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? I ask because James is a re-imagined Huck Finn but from Jim’s point of view. While I was reading this, I was surprised at how many people I know who have not read Finn, so let’s begin there.

In the The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck flees from his abusive father with a slave named Jim. The two run for their lives, loot for what they can and have “adventures” on the river. Jim and Huck are very close which is unique in that a young white boy’s attachment to a black slave does raise eyebrows.

In James, Jim is the one fleeing because he desperately wants freedom and his entire goal is getting his wife and daughter out of slavery. But Huck is not having it. He finds himself by Jim’s side. They fish for their food, steal boats and canoes as needed and head down the river hoping to hit a free state, whatever that means. But a white boy and a black man cannot easily navigate those waters without raising suspicion.

Things happen. Crimes are committed.

As they continue their journey, the bond between the two strengthens and often these moments are beautifully shared. Huck is a smart boy, and he loves Jim. Everything he does is out of respect for Jim. The threats they encounter along the way highlight the difficulties that such a relationship brings.

Everett is a wonderful storyteller. I first read Telephone for book club a few months back and it was a very unique story. After that discussion I knew I would read him again and sure enough, James was chosen for this month’s club discussion. We met the other night to discuss it and it was a very good discussion.

Highly recommend.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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