The discovery of a child in a barrel lined with tinfoil in 1973, enthrals the small coastal town where the Bonnars live. Christine and Ambrose’s two-year-old is put out by the sudden appearance of this baby his parents seem so interested in, refusing to accept him as his brother when they adopt him. As the boys grow up, Brendan yearns for Declan’s acceptance, taking to wandering off and administering ‘blessings’ to the town’s less fortunate when it’s not forthcoming, while Declan seethes at tiniest example of favour from their father towards Brendan, insisting on joining Ambrose at sea despite having no wish to be a fisherman. Over the years, the family’s financial fortunes decline until a decision must be made.
Garrett Carr knows how to spin a captivating story, peppering his narrative with wryly humorous observations, while exploring themes of family ties, community and financial hardship against the background of an industrialising fishing industry. His characters are memorably drawn - Christine is the lynchpin of the Bonnar family while Ambrose is its vibrant heart, full of stories and plans, not quite understanding this scratchy relationship between the two boys both of whom he thinks of as his son. A thoroughly enjoyable, immersive novel which left me wanting more from Carr.