Kidd utilizes the spectral cast of characters to add depth to the story and moments of comic relief. the story is also infused with the paranormal and has been given a strong dose of magical realism.īecause. Mystery fans should be forewarned, however. Most writers can’t even hold a candle to Gaiman, in my humble opinion.) (You should know that I don’t say this lightly. And she tells the tale in a beautiful, folkloric style that very pleasantly reminded me of Neil Gaiman.
She is extremely skilled at capturing the emotion of a scene in unique and varied ways. It’s a charming, magical tale– one that is filled with warmth, humor, and a touch of romance. So to hold myself over, I decided to read Kidd’s first novel, Himself, instead. So I really want to read Jess Kidd’s latest novel, Things in Jars. But what those people seem to forget is that Mahony has the dead on his side.Ĭentering on a small town rife with secrets and propelled by a twisting-and-turning plot, Himself is a gem of a book, a darkly comic mystery, and a beautiful tribute to the magic of language, legacy, and storytelling. What begins as a personal mission gradually becomes a quiet revolution: a young man and his town uniting against corruption of power, against those who seek to freeze their small worlds in time, to quash the sinister tides of progress and modernity come hell or high water. Cauley, and the two concoct an ingenious plan to get the town talking, aided and abetted by a cast of eccentric characters, some from beyond the grave. But who would have had reason to get rid of her for good?ĭetermined to find answers, Mahony solicits the help of brash pot-stirrer and retired actress Mrs.
It seems that his mother, Orla Sweeney, had left quite an impression on this little town-dearly beloved to some, a scourge and a menace to others. His uncannily familiar face and outsider’s ways cause a stir among the locals, who receive him with a mixture of curiosity (the men), excitement (the women), and suspicion (the pious). But when he receives a tip one night at the bar suggesting that foul play may have led to the disappearance of his mother, he decides to return to the rural Irish village where he was born to learn what really happened twenty-six years earlier.įrom the moment he sets foot in Mulderrig, Mahony’s presence turns the village upside down. “A delicious, gratifying and ageless story.” -New York Journal of BooksĪbandoned on the steps of an orphanage as an infant, Dublin charmer Mahony assumed all his life that his mother had simply given him up. “ supernaturally skillful debut.” -Vanity Fair " fast-paced yarn that nimbly soars above the Irish crime fiction genre Kidd clearly knows very well." -New York Times Book Review Published by Atria Books on March 14, 2017
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