Point of View

This novel is written in an autobiographical style, from the point of view of the boy narrator. His first name is never revealed, an interesting technique, which may have been employed to play down his own importance in the storyline whilst using his perspective to tell of the family's experiences.

The personal style in which the novel is written is also an effective way of portraying the far-reaching effects of national political events on individuals, families and communities.

Although a work of fiction, the novel is heavily based on fact and the history and geography of Northern Ireland.

Setting

The story is set in Northern Ireland, mainly in the 1940s and 1950s, when the boy is in his childhood and youth. However, it spans more than 40 years as the boy recounts the history of his family in the 1920s, until the time up to his graduation...