Amongst Women: Faber Modern Classics

This novel is reasonably short and takes place in rural Ireland; focusing on the life of Michael Moran, his second wife Rosie and their four children. Told through flash backs, the story focuses on the relationship between Michael and the rest of the household as he enters the final stages of his life. Though scared of their father/husband, Rosie and the two daughters generally care and have great respect for Michael and have an ability to see his vulnerable and good-natured side however it is much harder for Michael’s two sons who both move to England and have a strained relationship with their emotionally stunted and violent father. The flashbacks allow the reader to discover how Michael met Rosie and how he struggles to cope with a loss of identity as his country changes from the one that Michael fought for as a guerrilla warfare fighter in the war of independence. The way the author portrays this allows for a juxtaposition of emotions and feelings towards him and makes for excellent reading. His eventual death is sad yet a relief to the family who now can begin a new life without the man who coerced many of their actions and was the cause of much tension. The plot is slow paced and not recommended for those who enjoy fast paced, all action literature but I strongly recommend this for those with an interest in Ireland and the human condition.

This novel works on you slowly. It opens with a brief summary of the present time on the farm with the family relations sketched in. From then it draws you deeply into their history. Each character's relationship to all the other family members is illuminated and detailed, little by little. Telling detail, subtle writing and a deep understanding of time and place (Ireland in the 50's and 60's) make this a book to read slowly and to savour. By the end, you have a deeply satisfying understanding of the power of family ties, for good and ill. The father, though in many ways a monster, is shown as a failed and unhappy man who suffers guilt. Yet, as a product of his time he is a victim too. The quality of the writing, the author's deep knowledge of human nature and the simple beauty of the writing, make this a 'great' book in the real sense of the word.

Set in Rural Ireland, Moran the patriarch rules his farm and family in his own way. Alienating some and bringing fear to those that love him. Fantastic characters. A writer of genius

As a Leitrim man myself I was very keen to check McGahern out. However while the book starts interestingly enough I feel that after about page 40 it peters out a bit, and the story is a repetitive, and there are also no really appealing characters. I can well imagine that there were many homes like this one in Leitrim in the time the book was set, indeed there probably still is, but I reckon you could get a better yarn and characters out of the area and era.

Tightly written with clear focus on the old man's grip on his daughters, at least until they leave the suffocating atmosphere of obedience and religious conformity.. The boys are less tied to the homestead. Irish traditions on display, but the concentration on the "farm" narrows the story's scope.