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"Land," Reviewed by William Winkler
- cstucky2
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
The earliest documented habitation of Ireland dates to millennia before the Christian era. The island has been inhabited by multiple waves of cultures including mainland Europe, the Scandinavian region, and the Vikings.
Maggie O’Farrell’s recent novel, “Land,” includes references to the earliest inhabitants of the island. The book is set in the 19th century, the years that saw the great potato famine leading to the loss of 20 % of the island’s population, both to death by starvation and emigration.
Tomás, O’Farrell’s protagonist, is a native Gaelic speaker who reluctantly agrees to serve as a cartographer for the colonizing British army (the “redcoats”) in their attempts to create modern maps of the island, replacing native place names with English ones. Tomás’s skill at mapmaking, as well as his bilingual status, permits him to preserve many of the native geographic designations.
Tomás hopes to persuade his son, Liam, to follow in his footsteps. When Liam falls under the influence of the parish priest and announces his intention to enter the priesthood a previously existing rift between father and son widens to the point of impassibility.
Tomás’s other three children, all with distinct personalities, serve as branching points in the narrative.
Much of the story is told as straightforward historical fiction. Ireland, however, is a land with deep mystical tradition. This tradition is honored by the inclusion of a well-hidden deep in a secluded patch of woods, a well that affects those who drink from its depths in widely varied ways.
And O’Farrell reaches deep back into Irish history to include the story of Brith, a young girl who is the keeper of a mysterious ring which she takes with her to her grave, and which appears and reappears throughout the narrative.
“Land” is a novel of deeply lyrical prose, but not so florid as to overwhelm the multiple story arcs comprising the story of its whole. This is a book that book club discussion groups will find a rich source of discussion.
