NPC's Reviews > The Colony

“The ‘culture’ that the intellectual leans towards is often no more than a stock of particularisms. He wishes to attach himself to the people; but instead he only catches hold of their outer garments. And these outer garments are merely the reflection of a hidden life, teeming and perpetually in motion.”
– Frantz Fanon

Well-written novels that engage with Hot-Button Social Issues always win prizes, and The Colony is sure to be no exception. This is a book that flaunts its “Post-Colonial Novel” badge proudly. Magee’s characters clearly exist primarily as a means of exploring ideas about imperialism in Irish history and the politics surrounding the Gaelic language.

The danger with books like this is that the grand political themes can end up stifling the human element or sapping the life out of the characters. Thankfully, for the most part, Audrey Magee does a wonderful job of conveying her characters with empathy and authenticity. The nagging cynicism I felt at first (that this was going to be a giant piece of pontificating Booker-prize-bait) eventually faded away.

The prose is understated and beautiful, precise and measured without seeming too artificial. The occasional broken lines of stream-of-consciousness are quite effective, and Magee obviously has a great affection for the history and culture of the book’s setting.

Ultimately, what she offers here is a deconstruction of the simplistic idea that a culture (or language) should be “preserved” by isolating it from the forces of the outside world. Instead, as Magee shows us, it is by engaging with the world that the bearers of that culture can express themselves and forge their own identities. This is certainly not a new idea (see Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth from 1961), but Magee explores it quite beautifully in the Irish context. If I could give half-stars I'd probably give this book a 4.5 but it's certainly one of the most impressive 2022 releases I have read so far!

For those who enjoyed The Colony I would recommend Peig: The Autobiography of Peig Sayers of the Great Blasket Island and The Aran Islands.