Grace

Grace by Paul Lynch History books tell us most of our Irish ancestors fled to America in the late 1800s because a fungus-like organism ruined three-quarters of the island’s food supply. More than a million starved to death and another million sailed away. If you want to know more about that event you need to read Grace by Paul Lynch, a Dublin native. That’s for the history lover. I am also a word lover, and as such, I’m compelled to underline any surprising or thought-provoking turn of phrase. But I had to put my pen aside for this book. My hand got tired. Lynch’s lines are magic. They reach out to grab your brain and plunk it in a character that will take you on a terrifying and fascinating journey. If you are a man you will become a girl. If you are a woman, you will understand men a wee bit more. You will learn to read without the assistance of quote marks, and it is most freeing. But the real joy of this book is Lynch’s indigenous and tangible language. For a few hours you will BE in the Irish countryside in the 19th century. It’s a quick read in the best sense because every line is infused with meaning…so much so that you will want to read many lines twice to see more clearly what he is showing you and pondering those lines will only spur you on. Warning: Toward the end of the book you’ll find four black pages. It’s not a printing error. Turn them slowly. You will need them to catch your breath before ending the adventure.