Arena

I enjoyed this novel immensely. It is very Irish (in a good way), set in a small town in Northern Ireland during the time of the Troubles and sectarian violence. The black humour is laugh out loud funny at times, even when dealing with the darkest of themes: sectarian extremism, terrorist acts, corruption on all sides of the political divide, social divisions between rich and poor, misogyny, and the aftermath of suicide, all have an impact on the coming of age of Maeve through whose eyes the story is told. There is a wide range of engaging characters, and their prickly relationships sometimes lead to unexpectedly heartwarming moments as unlikely friendships develop. Highly recommended. A great read.