Bob Quinn (1)

"There was no television to provide surrogate drama, to supply images of alternative realities, however banal, to the inescapable opinions, judgements and presence of parents and in-laws. Theirs was the children's only reality. Their tensions too."

Smokey Hollow is a fictional telling of growing up within a devout Catholic family on a rough estate on the edge of Dublin in the 1940's. This is much less gritty than Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes but nonetheless it was a tough upbringing where show more food was always limited, treats rare and family squabbles common. But it is not an upbringing without its humour and high-points which shine through the narrative and although the Toner family are fictional the story is based on fact.

The novel is in truth more of a list of vignettes but all the same it is well written and abounds with wonderful warm well drawn characters. Also IMHO it is thankfully without too much sectarian angst as it instead concentrates on the family unit and local neighbourhood. There are obvious jealousies of the larger world about them but there is a reality that this cannot be altered so they are better just making the most of what they've got rather than what they've not got. The book finishes with the narrator still in his formative years and perhaps what is best with this book is that the author never loses that youthful voice. A pleasant warming book that deserves to be more widely read. show less