Gerry is completely oblivious to Stella’s restlessness and ongoing spiritual ‘dark night of the soul.’Īs his drinking worsens on the trip, her faith increases, and she visits a group called the Beguines, “a Catholic sisterhood who lived alone as nuns, but without vows.” She considers joining them, but she is unable to, as they no longer exist in the place she had sought with them.Īs she and Gerry are forced to confront the truth about themselves and their relationship, they find themselves stuck in the airport as a snow storm rages around them. It was their simplicity she found so attractive.” The perfect ones would end up in a glass bowl on her table. When they were wet and glistening they seemed special but she knew that when they dried out maybe some yellow or grey would creep into their colour. Only white perfect ones would make her stoop. “She was always on the lookout for stones. Here Stella dwells on a stone, as she remembers falling in love: MacLaverty notices all kinds of details of both objects and personality traits, and describes them with relish. This novel is a masterclass in the art of understated elegance and simplicity.
So what do you do when you begin to question what your life is really all about, and whether the person sharing it with you, understands you at all? These are just a couple of issues Stella grapples with as she pounds the pavements of Amsterdam, while Gerry is either sleeping or secretly drinking. And yet, they obviously care for each other deeply. Stella has a deep spirituality and faith. Happily married, or so it seems on the surface.Īs the novel progresses, we find out that Stella was injured in a bomb blast in Belfast many years previously, and the couple moved to Glasgow. We see that they are as comfortable together as a pair of old slippers. They head off on a four week break to Amsterdam. The premise is this: Gerry and Stella are happily married. Today’s book won the Irish Winner of the Bord Gáis Novel of the Year 2017.īernard MacLaverty hails from Northern Ireland, so my interest was immediately piqued, and having heard great things about him as an author I ran out to buy the book.
I have been rather busy of late with work matters. Firstly, apologies to my few faithful followers for not posting a book review in ages!
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