Plot Overview
Title: Grace after Henry.
Author: Eithne Shortall.
Publication: 2018, Corvus.
Length: 417 pages.
Grace after Henry is essentially a romance; it is certainly not a book that I would ordinarily pick up off a shelf, but that does not necessarily mean that I did not enjoy it. Much of its plot is revealed by the book's blurb, which leaves its readers with no doubt as to what this book is about:
"Grace sees her boyfriend Henry everywhere. In the supermarket, on the street, at the graveyard. Only Henry is dead. He died two months earlier, leaving a huge hole in Grace’s life and in her heart. But then Henry turns up to fix the boiler one evening, and Grace can’t decide if she’s hallucinating or has suddenly developed psychic powers. Grace isn’t going mad – the man in front of her is not Henry at all, but someone else who looks uncannily like him. The hole in Grace’s heart grows ever larger. Grace becomes captivated by this stranger, Andy – to her, he is Henry, and yet he is not. Reminded of everything she once had, can Grace recreate that lost love with Andy, resurrecting Henry in the process, or does loving Andy mean letting go of Henry?"
In the very first chapter of this novel, we witness the death of Henry Walsh. His partner, Grace, then takes control of the narrative and reveals to us her sorrow as she struggles through the bereavement process. She cannot imagine a life without Henry, such was the intensity of their relationship.
Yet, as the blurb reveals, Grace's emotional upheaval does not end with the death of Henry. It is common, after a bereavement, to imagine seeing your loved one in the streets, shops, and everywhere you go. Andy Cunningham is not a mere hallucination, though. He is real flesh and blood and looks exactly like Henry.
*** If you want to avoid plot spoilers, I suggest skipping the rest of this section, as I give a lot of the story away! ***
Andy doesn't just look like Henry; he seems to hold a part of him inside of himself. This is because, as Grace soon discovers, Andy is Henry's biological twin, for Henry, although he never knew this, was adopted.
The rest of the story follows the complex relationships forged before and after Henry's death, which are all bound by the controversy regarding Irish adoption and abortion laws. It may seem a little cliqued in parts, but this story is one of pure emotion. As readers, we come to really understand Grace, appreciating the confusion that is caused by Andy's appearance. This is a story of love, heartbreak, and a sense of homelessness, themes which are tied together by Eithne Shortall's powerful writing techniques.
Going Deeper into the Novel…
There's a lot of emotion in Grace after Henry, yet most of this derives, not from the initial loss of Henry, but by the flashbacks methodically placed throughout the narrative, and by the issues surrounding pregnancy in Ireland.
The Flashbacks
The majority of Grace after Henry is written in a chronological style. One event follows another from the beginning of the book to its end. Yet separating this chronology, there are some rare glimpses into conversations had between Grace and Henry. At first, I believed these flashbacks to be future moments - perhaps in an afterlife - where the couple became reunited. As I read on, however, I realised that they were flashbacks.
These interjections into the main story provide important insights to both the relationship between Grace and Henry, and to the bereavement process. At first, Grace only remembers the positive things about Henry. She remembers the moment that he first told her he loved her, and how they used to cycle through the park together.
When she meets Andy, however, this harmony is disrupted. Grace now remembers the arguments they had, associating Henry with anger. Then she thinks of real moments that they shared, not unpleasant, but not idealised, either. She remembers the brutal moments they went through together, re-experiencing the intensity of it all.
Towards the end of the book, these flashbacks become less and less frequent as Grace appears to reach a state of peace. Although she will always miss being around Henry, she no longer craves him. For me, this really mirrors the journey of the narrative and helps to build a stronger impression of Grace, as well as her thoughts. When she first loses Henry, she remembers only the good, and then accepts the bad, and then, finally, seems able to move on. These flashbacks thus bring a kind of emotion to the narrative that complement the main, linear story of Grace after Henry.
Pregnancy in Ireland
There are certain Irish laws and practices that have always been a source of controversy. Grace after Henry does not exactly challenge these traditions, but it does examine them, indicating that they could be a source of serious injury amongst parents and children alike.
So, for those of you who don't know, having an abortion was, in Ireland, illegal (at least when this book was written). Pregnant women who were unwilling to raise their children could therefore either travel to England for an abortion (a practice that was deeply frowned upon by a lot of people), or they could have their child in secret, where it could be adopted. Their reputation remained intact, and no laws were broken.
"I imagined all of Ireland's lineage written out in perfect sets of family trees - only when a magic marker was rubbed over the chart, all these secrets were exposed and unseen lines started to fly across the board making connections between relatives entirely unknown to each other."
- Grace after Henry, Eithne Shortall.
Without giving too much away about the novel, the latter of these practices is explored in great depth as Eithne Shortall considers the pain it can provoke. This is mainly revealed by Andy, who fights against the secrecy of the tradition as he attempts to discover where he came from. Yet the adoptive parents' points of view are also considered as they refuse to admit that they have become a part of the controversy. They claim that their adoption was different, because the brutality of other adoption schemes was "unthinkable".
My Conclusion
When I first read this book's blurb, I really did not think that it would be something that I would enjoy. Romances - even the classics - always seem too slow for me. I like things with a little more action (and a few more Gothic castles). Grace after Henry did manage to surprise me, though, because, although I cringe whenever I consider the implausibility of the story, the novel makes it more believable by admitting its strangeness. Grace is constantly telling herself how ridiculous it all is, and how impossible it is that Andy even exists. I think that this incredulity makes the book far more manageable, for although the story is extremely unlikely, the fact that it admits this, makes it easier to enjoy.
It's an interesting book, both due to its links to Irish controversy and due to this unusual acceptance of its own implausibility. It's biggest strength, though, is, in my opinion, how it deals with the bereavement process. The emotion in this book is almost tangible; it is slow, methodical and honest in how it deals with Grace's emotions. Everything seems so honest that, when Andy arrives, it becomes difficult to realise just how unlikely the story really is. This emotion is enhanced by the other characters, as well as by the flashbacks Eithne Shortall uses to separate the main events in the novel.
It is heartwrenching, exciting, and - perhaps most surprisingly - thrilling. Grace's character was so well developed that I soon found myself speeding through its coveted short chapters, desperate to know what happened next and, ultimately, what her decision was: does Andy's appearance give her another chance of love, or does he remind her too much of Henry? The entire book leads up to this one question, and if you want to know the answer, you'll just have to give this book a read!
Title: Grace after Henry.
Author: Eithne Shortall.
Publication: 2018, Corvus.
Length: 417 pages.
Grace after Henry is essentially a romance; it is certainly not a book that I would ordinarily pick up off a shelf, but that does not necessarily mean that I did not enjoy it. Much of its plot is revealed by the book's blurb, which leaves its readers with no doubt as to what this book is about:
"Grace sees her boyfriend Henry everywhere. In the supermarket, on the street, at the graveyard. Only Henry is dead. He died two months earlier, leaving a huge hole in Grace’s life and in her heart. But then Henry turns up to fix the boiler one evening, and Grace can’t decide if she’s hallucinating or has suddenly developed psychic powers. Grace isn’t going mad – the man in front of her is not Henry at all, but someone else who looks uncannily like him. The hole in Grace’s heart grows ever larger. Grace becomes captivated by this stranger, Andy – to her, he is Henry, and yet he is not. Reminded of everything she once had, can Grace recreate that lost love with Andy, resurrecting Henry in the process, or does loving Andy mean letting go of Henry?"
In the very first chapter of this novel, we witness the death of Henry Walsh. His partner, Grace, then takes control of the narrative and reveals to us her sorrow as she struggles through the bereavement process. She cannot imagine a life without Henry, such was the intensity of their relationship.
Yet, as the blurb reveals, Grace's emotional upheaval does not end with the death of Henry. It is common, after a bereavement, to imagine seeing your loved one in the streets, shops, and everywhere you go. Andy Cunningham is not a mere hallucination, though. He is real flesh and blood and looks exactly like Henry.
*** If you want to avoid plot spoilers, I suggest skipping the rest of this section, as I give a lot of the story away! ***
Andy doesn't just look like Henry; he seems to hold a part of him inside of himself. This is because, as Grace soon discovers, Andy is Henry's biological twin, for Henry, although he never knew this, was adopted.
The rest of the story follows the complex relationships forged before and after Henry's death, which are all bound by the controversy regarding Irish adoption and abortion laws. It may seem a little cliqued in parts, but this story is one of pure emotion. As readers, we come to really understand Grace, appreciating the confusion that is caused by Andy's appearance. This is a story of love, heartbreak, and a sense of homelessness, themes which are tied together by Eithne Shortall's powerful writing techniques.
Going Deeper into the Novel…
There's a lot of emotion in Grace after Henry, yet most of this derives, not from the initial loss of Henry, but by the flashbacks methodically placed throughout the narrative, and by the issues surrounding pregnancy in Ireland.
The Flashbacks
The majority of Grace after Henry is written in a chronological style. One event follows another from the beginning of the book to its end. Yet separating this chronology, there are some rare glimpses into conversations had between Grace and Henry. At first, I believed these flashbacks to be future moments - perhaps in an afterlife - where the couple became reunited. As I read on, however, I realised that they were flashbacks.
These interjections into the main story provide important insights to both the relationship between Grace and Henry, and to the bereavement process. At first, Grace only remembers the positive things about Henry. She remembers the moment that he first told her he loved her, and how they used to cycle through the park together.
When she meets Andy, however, this harmony is disrupted. Grace now remembers the arguments they had, associating Henry with anger. Then she thinks of real moments that they shared, not unpleasant, but not idealised, either. She remembers the brutal moments they went through together, re-experiencing the intensity of it all.
Towards the end of the book, these flashbacks become less and less frequent as Grace appears to reach a state of peace. Although she will always miss being around Henry, she no longer craves him. For me, this really mirrors the journey of the narrative and helps to build a stronger impression of Grace, as well as her thoughts. When she first loses Henry, she remembers only the good, and then accepts the bad, and then, finally, seems able to move on. These flashbacks thus bring a kind of emotion to the narrative that complement the main, linear story of Grace after Henry.
Pregnancy in Ireland
There are certain Irish laws and practices that have always been a source of controversy. Grace after Henry does not exactly challenge these traditions, but it does examine them, indicating that they could be a source of serious injury amongst parents and children alike.
So, for those of you who don't know, having an abortion was, in Ireland, illegal (at least when this book was written). Pregnant women who were unwilling to raise their children could therefore either travel to England for an abortion (a practice that was deeply frowned upon by a lot of people), or they could have their child in secret, where it could be adopted. Their reputation remained intact, and no laws were broken.
"I imagined all of Ireland's lineage written out in perfect sets of family trees - only when a magic marker was rubbed over the chart, all these secrets were exposed and unseen lines started to fly across the board making connections between relatives entirely unknown to each other."
- Grace after Henry, Eithne Shortall.
Without giving too much away about the novel, the latter of these practices is explored in great depth as Eithne Shortall considers the pain it can provoke. This is mainly revealed by Andy, who fights against the secrecy of the tradition as he attempts to discover where he came from. Yet the adoptive parents' points of view are also considered as they refuse to admit that they have become a part of the controversy. They claim that their adoption was different, because the brutality of other adoption schemes was "unthinkable".
My Conclusion
When I first read this book's blurb, I really did not think that it would be something that I would enjoy. Romances - even the classics - always seem too slow for me. I like things with a little more action (and a few more Gothic castles). Grace after Henry did manage to surprise me, though, because, although I cringe whenever I consider the implausibility of the story, the novel makes it more believable by admitting its strangeness. Grace is constantly telling herself how ridiculous it all is, and how impossible it is that Andy even exists. I think that this incredulity makes the book far more manageable, for although the story is extremely unlikely, the fact that it admits this, makes it easier to enjoy.
It's an interesting book, both due to its links to Irish controversy and due to this unusual acceptance of its own implausibility. It's biggest strength, though, is, in my opinion, how it deals with the bereavement process. The emotion in this book is almost tangible; it is slow, methodical and honest in how it deals with Grace's emotions. Everything seems so honest that, when Andy arrives, it becomes difficult to realise just how unlikely the story really is. This emotion is enhanced by the other characters, as well as by the flashbacks Eithne Shortall uses to separate the main events in the novel.
It is heartwrenching, exciting, and - perhaps most surprisingly - thrilling. Grace's character was so well developed that I soon found myself speeding through its coveted short chapters, desperate to know what happened next and, ultimately, what her decision was: does Andy's appearance give her another chance of love, or does he remind her too much of Henry? The entire book leads up to this one question, and if you want to know the answer, you'll just have to give this book a read!