achukareviews

“I didn’t understand why he had to puke out all those words at the time, but now I’m telling you this I think I understand it a tiny, little bit. I think Rumsey just needed to say it so it wouldn’t just be locked up inside his head all the time. I was just the next step up from a smelly old rubbish bin in a school playground.”

Struggling to find a way to make sense of events that seem senseless, the novel opens with incredible pace and drama as ten-year-old Danny relates how he has thrown a brick through Grundy’s window, flattening his stuffed otter.

Through a careful series of revelations, it becomes apparent that some accident has befallen Danny’s twin Finn, leaving the former to host a range of powerful and all-encompassing emotions.

Split into three distinct parts, the first of these constitute two phases of Danny’s bereavement. The final stage, that of ‘Being’, is characterised by Danny’s meeting Nulty, a former art teacher who has endeavours to assuage his own personal grief through painting a massive mural.

Told using stream-of-consciousness, the novel is given structure as sequences of narration are themed around particular topics. Danny tells the story in the first-person, much of it is reflective, looking back on past events.

Tom Kelly’s deft humour prevents the book from becoming encumbered by the bleakness of its topic. Indeed, it is the humour, understanding and verve for life that makes this story soar, challenging readers to think about life and death and the ways in which we are able to find meaning from both.