The Colony

For its razor-sharp evocation of land and sea. For its trenchant insights into Irish history. For its elliptical style. But most of all, for its characters.

Magee sets her novel on a small island off Ireland’s west coast in 1979 when the Troubles were at their height in Northern Ireland. The dynamic running through the narrative involves a bitter dispute between two self-important visitors: an English painter and a French academic.

But the islanders themselves provide the emotional heart of the book, especially a teenage boy named James, who is patronized by one of the visitors and betrayed by the… show more.

The Colony is a clever and exquisitely written story of colonialism set on a remote island off the western coast of Ireland.

The plot centres on the conflict between a visiting French professor, a linguist, and a visiting English artist preparing for a major London exhibition. Each of these two visitors is exploiting the few remaining Island inhabitants in their own distinctive way.

I found this a deeply moving and evocative novel – with occasional touches of humour – and I have already listened to twice. The relationship between the local boy – learning to paint so he can get… show more.