Review: Milkman

Milkman by Anna Burns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Milkman by Anna Burns


It’s difficult to describe this book, it doesn’t fit with any particular genre other than literary. It feels dystopian, but this was the real life situation in Northern Ireland during the ‘troubles’. It’s full of the awful sectarianism of the time, with what to say, where to go and even what names to give your children determined by the area you lived in or the religion you followed.

Milkman, is not an easy read, and it’s writing is at times hard to follow it does have its moments with the sarcasm and black humour, typical of the Irish. (I can say that as I have family in Belfast and I visited the city myself as a child in the late 60’s, yes I’m getting on a bit).

I can’t say I particularly enjoyed it though, but I’m glad I’ve read it for the insights to a difficult time

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