From a Low and Quiet Sea – Donal Ryan (2018) 181 pages
Last year I read The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan for NADIM and was so impressed by his writing. From a Low and Quiet Sea has absolutely confirmed this view. He is such an understated, sensitive and evocative writer, he’s fast becoming a real favourite.
The story begins with Farouk, and his decision to take his family and leave his homeland after the political situation becomes intolerable.
“He’d measured the weights of his conflicting duties carefully, he’d told his friend in the letter, and he’d measured and measured again, and he’d mourned the time when such duties weren’t in conflict one against the other but were all part of a good life and all given to the same end, but this was now how the world was, and he was left with no choice to get his daughter and his wife to safety.”
Unfortunately Farouk’s story plays out in a way that we would expect from watching the news. Ryan shows the devastation of political violence for this family without ever being mawkish or sentimental. It is unquestionably a tragedy, and it is insane that such tragedy has become predictable. Farouk’s PTSD is captured with tenderness and compassion:
“And late one evening he walked from the camp to the water’s edge and he stood beneath the smirking moon and looked out across the sea, and he wondered at the stillness of it, as though its breath were held, as though it were too ashamed to reveal anything of itself to him, to admit the violence latent in it, to the things it held”
The narrative then shifts perspective to that of Lampy, a young man living with his mother and grandfather. He is nursing a broken heart after the love of his life goes off to Dublin to study at Trinity:
“Twenty-three years old, in the name of God, and still being babied. His mother would be twisting a tea-towel in her hands, back and forth, as though trying to wring some peace from it, some way of settling herself.”
Lampy is somewhat lost. He never knew his father and doesn’t quite fit in with his family at home. His mother and grandfather adore him but are cut from very different cloth:
“His grandfather was wicked; when he was in form his tongue could slice the world in two.”
Lampy’s story is ordinary, but in his own way he is quite desperate, and this is the power of his story. Ryan demonstrates the deep pain that can lie behind the people we meet every day, leading routine lives.
Finally, John is reflecting on his past: his family’s grief for a brother who died suddenly, the bullying of his younger brother, and his life of violence and disappointment.
“My little brother Henry, who came along behind us as an afterthought, a tiny, soundless incarnation of a short renaissance in my parents’ feelings for one another. He was always scared, his smallness and his way of slinking about unseen, inhabiting the background like a soft hiss of white noise behind the ceaseless hum and hubbub of life.”
John is not likable, and nor is he meant to be. It is his story, of a man that causes disruption and disintegration wherever he goes, that brings all three men together.
Its extraordinary that in a short novel split into the three parts, the characterisation of Farouk, Lampy and John is so well developed and fully realised. The way the strands tie together is believable and not at all clunky.
From a Low and Quiet Sea is a stunning novella, perfectly crafted and intelligently written. Unflinching yet beautiful.
Totally agree with you that for such a short story, it is so full of all the things that make a story memorable.
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Yes, it’s a really remarkable achievement.
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I adored this book too. Donal Ryan writes so beautifully and I felt the story had much more depth than many full-length novels!
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Absolutely! It’s amazing what can be conveyed in the short space of a novella, especially when the writing is as good as it is here.
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I love DR’s writing. I really enjoyed this and The Spinning Heart (which coincidentally is included in my 6 degrees post today). I see that he has another book coming out later this year which will be one to look forward to. 😀
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I didn’t know he had a new book coming out – I’ll really look forward to it!
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I agree, absolutely, with your verdict on this one. Loved it! So skilfully executed, compassionate and beautifully expressed
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A perfect summary Susan! He’s such a talented writer.
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I have only read The Spinning Heart so far and loved it. This sounds equally good. I will have to put this on a wish list. It’s true that one never knows what heartbreak people we meet endure. It sounds like a very compassionate book.
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It is compassionate, without being sentimental. If you liked The Spinning Heart I think you’ll like this Caroline.
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Another one on the wish list! This is going to be a great month.
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That’s great Emma! He’s a wonderful writer.
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Well, this does sound impressive – especially to get so much into such a short work!
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It’s hugely impressive – he’s not afraid to tackle big themes in a small space and still manages excellent characterisation too. I’m a confirmed fan!
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Loved this one and his previous novel All We Shall Know was tremendous. I loved the way he brought the three strands together in this book.
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Sometimes when multi-stranded novels tie together it feels a bit clunky, but I thought it was done really well here. I’ve not All We Shall Know yet but it’s definitely on the list!
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Still not tried Donal Ryan, although All We Shall Know has been sitting in my TBR for several years now. I should probably read it before adding more, no matter how tempting you make this sound…
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I’ve not read that one, but based on the two of his I’ve read I think you’d really like him, FF. Economical style but not at the expense of character or plot. Definitely give him a try!
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I have heard such good things about Donal Ryan, both this and The Spinning Heart sound lovely. It is the sign of a good writer that he manages to navigate these three narratives so well.
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He’s really a wonderful writer Ali, I think you’d like him.
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He’s an author I’ve been meaning to try as well. I love stories with multiple threads that either echo or connect. (I’m just now starting to catch up with reading your daily posts for novella reading. But I did finish my third novella over the weekend, and I have two more lined up for the month. If I pay attention, I might actually be ready to properly participate NEXT May. LOL)
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He’s really wonderful, I hope you get to him.
You’ve properly participated this year! Thanks so much for joining in 😊
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