The Colony - Audrey Magee

I found this to be quite unusual book on several different levels. Thematically it’s about conflict and colonialism and the titular colony is a metaphor for wider conflicts. There is an almost timeless quality to the story when Lloyd, one of the main protagonists , first sets foot on the island but it becomes clear that it is set during the times when the Troubles in Northern Ireland were at their most violent. There is reference to the death of Lord Mountbatten which makes the timescale clearer. 

The conflicts nestle within each other like matryoshka dolls; the islanders and the visitors, the visitors themselves, between the islanders themselves, between the generations, and between nations and languages.

If that sounds as if it might be a trifle heavy, fear not, for the author’s wit and expansive prose elevate the story.

Lloyd is an artist and I found the passages describing his thoughts and feelings quite unique. Somehow the writer has captured how an artist might think and feel in colours, shades and compositions with the most eloquent and poetic prose. She has skilfully captured how an artist sees everything as a potential painting. The story explores his attempts to project himself as an artist of note. Masson is a Franco/Algerian man who wishes to preserve the Irish language. His zeal borders on the obsessional.

The characters are fascinating. The islanders conduct themselves with a simple dignity. Their lives aren’t easy and yet there seems to be little in the way of complaining. It’s a contrast with the two visitors, Lloyd the artist and Masson the linguist, who seem to place somewhat petulant demands on the islanders and each other. 

The female characters have suffered profound losses yet they conduct themselves with a practical integrity. The only young person in the “cast“ was quite endearing as he accepted his heritage to an extent but had notions of escaping it. My heart broke for him at the end of the book.

It’s an absorbing read. There is little in the way of action, it’s a cerebral book that looks at how people think and feel, react and interact. And it’s all written very powerfully. The main body of the story is interspersed with news accounts of some of the atrocities in Northern Ireland. I thought it was a very potent device. It stops the reader from disappearing into a remote world but manages to keep them grounded and not lose sight of the book’s intent.

My thanks to NB magazine for a gifted copy.