Old God’s Time is an extraordinary book, not least because it was not at all what I expected it to be. From the blurb on the back of the book, I was expecting a cold case mystery. And I suppose in some ways you could call it that. But not in the conventional sense of the word.
With hindsight, I should have realised that a book by Sebastian Barry wouldn’t be as mundane as a cold case mystery. And his book The Secret Scripture, which tells the story of the unforgettable Roseanne McNulty, should have given me a clue about the subject matter.
In Old God’s Time, Barry’s story is about Tom Kettle and at times it’s both mesmerising and captivating. A story where nothing is what it seems. But it’s also shocking and heartbreaking, so it’s not always an easy read.
When we meet Tom, it’s the 1990s and he’s nine months into his retirement from the Irish police force. He’s living a quiet life in an annexe to a Victorian castle in Dalkey, which is about 20 minutes by train from Dublin. His peace is disturbed by a visit from two former colleagues asking about a decades-old case.
His response is “Ah no, Jesus, no lads, not the fecking priests, no”. And so begins an unravelling of Tom’s memories. I looked up the meaning of Old God’s Time, and it’s ‘An expression indicating a period beyond memory’. So it seems that this trigger from the police officers unlocks long-buried memories. And in their unravelling, it appears that Tom’s memory is playing tricks, confusing Tom and the reader. Often leaving both unsure what is real and what isn’t.
One thing that is clearly real is that Tom and his wife June were both brought up in religious institutions where they were badly treated. They find each other in the 1960s and build a life together, including having two children, Winnie and Joe. But when the past catches up with them, it sets off a series of tragic events that take place over decades but have a clear thread.
Alongside Tom’s story being told through his memories, Barry weaves in stories about his current neighbours. One has escaped an abusive husband and asks for Tom’s help. Another shoots cormorants with a rifle mounted on a tripod on his balcony. Neither of the stories seem significant, but ultimately play a role in how the book ends.
And I have to say I wasn’t sorry when it ended. As I said earlier, it’s not an easy read. Several members of my book club found it very tough going. One immediately gave me her copy for the Oxfam shop where I’m a book volunteer and said she needed to get it out of the house!
But I’m not sorry I read it. The writing is excellent, and there is often levity to be found. One morning, Tom is buoyed by the simple act of a breakfast treat, “The change in him. Three chocolate biscuits for breakfast. Resplendent joy was his.” But more importantly, it is a very moving story about a part of Ireland’s history that can’t be forgotten.
I bought my copy of Old God’s Time from the Oxfam bookshop in Kingston upon Thames. The charity is the biggest retailer of secondhand books in Europe and has a number of dedicated bookshops. All of the regular Oxfam stores also sell books, including the one where I work as a book volunteer. You might also find it in your local library, or you could try Oxfam’s online store.
For more book reviews, including The Secret Scripture, visit the Books section of my blog.