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Meike's Reviews > Prophet Song
Prophet Song
by
by
Now Winner of the Booker Prize 2023
in an overall rather disappointing year
Take current public debates centering on the rise of right-wing authoritarianism through elections in Europe, project the worst case into the future and, voilà, this is the result. It's certainly a worthwhile political dystopia, but surprising, innovative or unusual it is not, it's more like a mixture of 1984 and It Can't Happen Here, but make it Irish.
Our protagonist is microbiologist Eilish Stack whose husband Larry, a trade unionist, is abducted by the secret police of the new authoritarian Ireland, leaving Eilish to care for the four children and her father who is suffering from dementia. The family, perceived as traitors as Larry was organizing workers and was thus opposing authority, comes under increasing duress, topics like the loss of objective reality and truth are discussed (after all, Eilish is a scientist), and the aging father works like an oracle, constantly speaking from the depths of his slipping mind but knowing that Eilish should never underestimate the ruthlessness of people and thus the system they have built. The children show different reactions to their loss of freedom, and have to face different consequences.
To me, the most interesting aspect was how Eilish struggles to be just in this impossible situation: She wants to stand up to the system and demand her husband back - but will that kill him, if he isn't already dead? Also, is she a bad mother if she fights political injustice, as she puts her children in danger? Should she flee and maybe save her children, but leave her severely ill father alone, a man who is already threatened by the state?
The language and style of this novel was much praised, alas, I cannot find the specific beauty in these run-on sentences, these deserts of text (as we say in German when the pages are crammed with letters). I see that there's a punchy rhythm going on, a bleakness that fits the narrative, but it didn't really reach me.
So while "Prophet Song" certainly has some things going on for it, it does seem a little conventional for me.
You can now listen to our Booker Special (in German) here: https://papierstaupodcast.de/allgemei...
(More Booker title reviews on our Steady-Page)
in an overall rather disappointing year
Take current public debates centering on the rise of right-wing authoritarianism through elections in Europe, project the worst case into the future and, voilà, this is the result. It's certainly a worthwhile political dystopia, but surprising, innovative or unusual it is not, it's more like a mixture of 1984 and It Can't Happen Here, but make it Irish.
Our protagonist is microbiologist Eilish Stack whose husband Larry, a trade unionist, is abducted by the secret police of the new authoritarian Ireland, leaving Eilish to care for the four children and her father who is suffering from dementia. The family, perceived as traitors as Larry was organizing workers and was thus opposing authority, comes under increasing duress, topics like the loss of objective reality and truth are discussed (after all, Eilish is a scientist), and the aging father works like an oracle, constantly speaking from the depths of his slipping mind but knowing that Eilish should never underestimate the ruthlessness of people and thus the system they have built. The children show different reactions to their loss of freedom, and have to face different consequences.
To me, the most interesting aspect was how Eilish struggles to be just in this impossible situation: She wants to stand up to the system and demand her husband back - but will that kill him, if he isn't already dead? Also, is she a bad mother if she fights political injustice, as she puts her children in danger? Should she flee and maybe save her children, but leave her severely ill father alone, a man who is already threatened by the state?
The language and style of this novel was much praised, alas, I cannot find the specific beauty in these run-on sentences, these deserts of text (as we say in German when the pages are crammed with letters). I see that there's a punchy rhythm going on, a bleakness that fits the narrative, but it didn't really reach me.
So while "Prophet Song" certainly has some things going on for it, it does seem a little conventional for me.
You can now listen to our Booker Special (in German) here: https://papierstaupodcast.de/allgemei...
(More Booker title reviews on our Steady-Page)
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Reading Progress
November 11, 2023
–
Started Reading
November 12, 2023
– Shelved
November 12, 2023
– Shelved as:
2023-booker
November 12, 2023
– Shelved as:
ireland
November 12, 2023
–
Finished Reading
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Adina (way behind)
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Nov 12, 2023 05:31AM
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I love dystopian and political novels, why is this so boring, Adina?! Argh!
Maybe because nothing happens?
Ruben wrote: "Maybe because nothing happens?"I feel like quite a lot happens, but it's so foreseeable...
Your last sentence kind of sums up the entire Booker shortlist for me. Each of them seem to have some interesting elements, but they also seem so conventional. Thus, I haven't been able to convince myself to pick up any of them. Nice review.
Dax wrote: "Your last sentence kind of sums up the entire Booker shortlist for me. Each of them seem to have some interesting elements, but they also seem so conventional. Thus, I haven't been able to convince..."Thank you, Dax! And yes: This list is way too conventional, and ironically, this came about because the judges did their most to ignore all novels that were deemed likely to make an appearance on the list.
I have added 'desert of text' to my vocabulary, thanks Meike.
Left Coast Justin wrote: "I have added 'desert of text' to my vocabulary, thanks Meike."It's "Textwüste" in German, Justin! :-)
The biggest failure of this book to me is that the author seemingly doesn’t know the women and yet he is portraying one as a mother, that looks weak and incapable of protecting her children under impossible circumstances
Darina wrote: "The biggest failure of this book to me is that the author seemingly doesn’t know the women and yet he is portraying one as a mother, that looks weak and incapable of protecting her children under i..."Your statement is a little contradictory, Darina: If the circumstances are impossible (and I agree with that notion), how could she possibly be a hero? I think that's part of the point Lynch is trying to make here.
Well, she didn't seem a hero to me, because of some decisions and choices Lynch made her taking. I had similar issues with Colm Tóibín' s Nora Webster. Maybe I am too extreme and I simply dislike some male authors' approach of portraying women.
Darina wrote: "Well, she didn't seem a hero to me, because of some decisions and choices Lynch made her taking. I had similar issues with Colm Tóibín' s Nora Webster. Maybe I am too extreme and I simply dislike s..."So you feel that she could have made morally perfect decisions in these circumstances?
I totally agreed, Meike. Disappointing. I should have listened to you in the first place. Bah!
AC wrote: "I totally agreed, Meike. Disappointing. I should have listened to you in the first place. Bah!"There was a decent chance you'd like it more than me, AC, so I'm glad you tried!
Jeez, I have to give up on it... After two chapters I was thinking the same, I am not sure I want to invest many hours into something that is most likely not going to say anything new...
If you try again, may I suggest the audiobook. There is where you will find the run on sentences ratcheting up the anxiety, tension, and dread.
Katalin wrote: "Jeez, I have to give up on it... After two chapters I was thinking the same, I am not sure I want to invest many hours into something that is most likely not going to say anything new..."No, there really is nothing new in there, Katalin - which would be less of a problem if the aesthetic concept was more intriguing...
Donald wrote: "If you try again, may I suggest the audiobook. There is where you will find the run on sentences ratcheting up the anxiety, tension, and dread."I will certainly not try again, Donald! Too many other books that seem more relevant to me.
