For fans of
Gene Kerrigan wondering if the conclusion to his Dublin Triology, “The Rage,”
lives up to its predecessors “Little Criminals” and “The Midnight Choir” have
no fear. It may even surpass. Kerrigan’s
Dublin is as conflicted, corrupt and complex as before. Marie and Barbara have
both reviewed this book more than capably, so rather than try to re-write their
already great reviews I will simply tell you to check them out if you have not
yet. I will then focus on what I thought
to be the best aspects of The Rage for me.
First, the characters. Kerrigan is a master of sympathetic criminals and flawed authority figures. Maura Coady, a former nun whose role in the abuse scandals that rocked Ireland, manages with one phone call to set the gears of Kerrigan’s interconnected story in motion. Bob Tidey gives the reader the determined, if imperfect garda (cop) who finally realizes that the right thing and the legal thing are not always one and the same. Finally, the wonderfully neurotic and emotional Vincent Naylor, who is easily one of Kerrigan’s best villains. His measured, safe pacing and planning contrasted to his reaction to the fallout when those plans fall apart is fascinating to read. For those who have read more by Kerrigan, you get the bonus of seeing a few repeat characters (Garda Rose Cheney from “The Midnight Choir!”) continue to appear in “The Rage” as well.
Second, the
pacing and plotting. Back stories and motivations unfold amid a breakneck-paced
plot. The heist scene reads like a perfect steadycam shot from any film I’ve
seen. I barely had a moment to catch my breath as I read through. I was nervous
for everyone involved. “The Midnight Choir” trusted readers to follow and track
multiple storylines and characters with connections that sometimes revealed
themselves only at the tail-end of the work. “Little Criminals” followed a more
straightforward storyline. “The Rage” masterfully blends both, bouncing between
perspectives quickly without losing coherency or potency.
Third and
final, the details. I am aware that it helps a good deal that I read prior
works by Kerrigan, giving me a primer course not only on the state of Dublin in
general but also on Kerrigan’s vision of that Dublin. Nobody likes to get a
history lesson while they’re enjoying a work of fiction. Kerrigan must
understand that, because the way he interweaves the necessary information a
reader needs about Dublin is just so seamless.
His world is fully realized, from the homes and apartments where our characters
live down to the strip malls they shop.
I highly recommend
“The Rage.” As I read more Europa (I am up to 58 now!), I love the
relationships these books create when you get to read more from an author you
liked the first time. If you haven’t line up a Kerrigan streak. You won’t be
sorry you did.
