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Dowd is an author whose work I’ve been planning to read for a while. But being the sort of reader who seeks out stories based on the feeling they’re likely to evoke, the timing never quite seemed right. It was a conversation between work colleagues about the unrest in Ireland in the late 1970s which left me wanting to understand more about the conflict. Suddenly, it was the perfect time to read Bog Child, a stunning and evocative novel which is a late addition to my ‘favourites of 2014� list.

Fergus is a character you can’t help but care about. Not only is he dealing with the stress of final exams and the jitters of first crushes, he’s also been blackmailed into smuggling mysterious packages across the border and trying to keep secret the fact his brother has joined the hunger strike in prison. But while Fergus is dealing with a lot, Dowd never wallows in it. He stresses like a normal teenager, but laughs, cries and celebrates too. Quiet and unassuming, Fergus may just be one of my favourite characters.

While I was interested in learning more about Irish history, reading this did feel like jumping in the deep end at first. Dowd doesn’t explain the ins and outs of the conflict, and I did at times feel like I’d just stumbled on half the story. But I loved it. It felt authentic and real, as if I’d just stepped into Fergus� world. Truth be told, I prefer that approach to historical fiction over info dumping. Like all great storytellers, Dowd draws you into the tale regardless. But if you’re worried about going into the novel cold, even a quick google search will give you enough information about the hunger strikes and conflict of the time. On the topic of authenticity, I also adored the very real dialogue and beautiful writing. I’ve yet to go to Ireland, but I felt like I was standing on the very same windswept hill as Fergus.

My only slight problem with the novel is that I never felt fully connected to or invested in the bog child. The political conflicts between Ireland and England were, for me anyway, the far more interesting aspect of the novel. In saying that, I did really like the way Dowd intertwined the two stories. Personally, I would have loved to see even more of Owain, a British soldier from a small mining town in Wales whose only choice in ‘career� was heading down the pit or joining the army. I loved the conversations between Fergus and Owain, which perfectly illustrated of the frustrating senselessness of war.

In Bog Child, Dowd has created a story which wraps you up to the very end and characters you can’t help but care about. Powerful, poignant and compelling, Bog Child is a novel that leaves its mark.

This review and many more can be found at .