Adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple who remind him that he is not a real member of their family, Cyril embarks on a journey to find himself and where he came from, discovering his identity, a home, a country, and much more throughout a long lifetime.
Leo Varadkar made history when he was elected as Ireland’s prime minister by bringing down a significant barrier as the country’s first openly gay prime minister. This is all the more astonishing when one remembers that until 1993, homosexuality was illegal, creating a culture of fear and repression for many Irish citizens. From this point of view, this book is very significant because it follows a boy, Cyril, who knows he is gay in a society that hates his sexuality and will take decades to unlearn a history of crippling guilt and shame. But with all its good intent, the story felt clichéd and the tone was uneven, lurching from what felt like farce at times. I expected a broader sweep in Cyril's search for himself, but it was mostly about his life as a gay man in Ireland, the Netherlands, New York and back to Ireland again. Some Irish caricatures, probably there to keep the international readership happy. Some sermonising here and there, if I want that I'll listen to a panel discussion on the radio. Nicely written and pacy enough to get through quickly but It was trying to do too much and did not do anything wel
