PROPHET SONG

‘Prophet Song’ is a poetic and intensely moving novel about a family caught in the crossfire of war. Described as dystopian fiction and awarded the Booker Prize 2023, this recent book (now available in paperback) has a disturbing ‘wow’ factor that captures multiple stories of reality setting it apart from its genre and dividing opinion in the Den, reminiscent of a read like 'Milkman'! Written by another talented Irish writer Paul Lynch, this is a dark tale of human tragedy and a befitting Book of the Moment for November.

It’s a late wet evening in an ordinary family home in Dublin. Eilish Stack, a working mother of four, opens her door to two officers from the newly appointed secret police force. They want to speak with her husband, Larry, a trade unionist for the Teachers Union of Ireland. Ireland is in the grip of an authoritarian government that is taking a turn towards tyranny and Eilish and her family are being quickly swept into the nightmare.

Confronting her husband when he returns home, Eilish’s fear begins to take a hold and whilst Larry agrees to meet with the police there is already a sense of foreboding. And of course when Larry does not return home we feel the panic taking a hold of Eilish who is frightened, angry, scared but doing her best to keep her family together. As well as managing the everyday such as getting the children to school, Eilish is also juggling a job and looking after her elderly father, Simon, who is showing early signs of dementia.

Written in the third person and present tense, ‘Prophet Song’ tells the story from the point of view of Eilish. Mothers will recognise the domestic chaos at home, whether it is the disappearing teenager, the gamer or the cries of a hungry baby. The sentences flow in an internal monologue with no paragraph breaks or reported speech and this results in an extraordinary tension that captivates the reader and makes the tale all the more haunting, demanding and intense. As well as a sense of urgency the reader experiences claustrophobia, trapped by the writer into Eilish’s world. With no news on her husband, Eilish is offered a lifeline as her sister in Canada offers her the opportunity to leave Ireland. But can and will Eilish leave her husband and her father behind? Can she really turn around the paperwork to secure passports for 2 of her 4 children? The Republic of Ireland is slipping into a totalitarian state. As her father goes missing and rebels are rounded up liberal democracy is under attack. Emergency powers have been initiated, media has been curbed and normal life descends into an uncomfortable place - a civil war where food supplies are limited, curfews are enforced and all everyday utilities rationed. Assailed by unpredictable forces beyond her control Eilish is forced to do whatever it takes to keep her family together.

Exhilarating, terrifying and confrontational, 'Prophet Song' demands you to read its breathtaking story. Whether a parable of the present, future or the past it certainly got our attention! If you enjoyed 'Milkman' or 'The Handmaid's Tale' this is one for your book club!