The Little Red Chairs by Edna O'Brien

Parts of The Little Red Chairs made me put the book down and stare a the wall for a few minutes, wondering if I could go on reading...  In some ways  this effect itself is a good recommendation and the mark of a fine writer: to make  events seem so real and disturbing. I needed to know if things got better.

A sleepy Western Irish village is where a wanted war criminal from the Balkans arrives, setting himself up very successfully as an alternative healer: 'Dr Vlad'.  His relationship with local woman Fidelma McBride ends horrifically when his true persona  'The Beast of Bosnia' is discovered and he is arrested.

The second half of the book focuses on Fidelma's attempt to rebuild her life after she flees to London, and has poignant insights into the lives of immigrant refugees.  Fidelma is also drawn to the trail of her former lover.

The little read chairs are a commemorative installation of 11,541 red chairs in Sarajevo, one for every Sarajevo killed during the 1,425 days of the Sarajevo siege.

Dark, insightful and unforgettable.
I am now looking forward to reading O'Brien's controversial novel A Country Girl, written in 1960.

Posted by Katrina

Catalogue link: The Little Red Chairs