The Valley of the Squinting Windows

An interesting book about revenge and it's consequences and about gossip and it's consequences. Set in the fictional village of Garradrimna, County Westmeath, it reflects Delvin, County Westmeath enough that it caused controversy, burning of the book and Brinsley MacNamara's father to lose his job. Ironic enough in that this is basically what the book is about, the way that bitterness can erode the soul of the bitter person and that this can cascade.

It's mostly the story of Nan Brennan, born Byrne, who is quite sanctimonious but hiding the fact that she had a child out of wedlock. Marrying back into where she came from her secret is known to several of the gossips in the area and they abuse they heap on her causes her to become more show more bitter (and to blackmail her). Things get complicated when her son, John, who is studying to become a priest comes home from holidays. Then a new attractive woman, Rebecca Kerr is appointed as assistant teacher and Ulick Shannon, nephew to Myles Shannon and son of the man who "disgraced" Nan, comes to visit during a holiday.

For all that it was published in 1918 (and does contain references to the Great War) it's quite a topical novel and quite interesting. While some of it felt a bit "stage Irish" I could see some of the characters I knew in my youth, only exhagerated. show less