Himself

by Jess Kidd

Anyone who knows me will know right away that I picked this book up because of the bee on the cover. While this ended up having little to do with the plot (lol) I still really enjoyed this unpredictable, moody, occult-y story.

Mahony arrives in the tiny village of Mulderrig to finally learn about his mother who was a teenager when he was born and gave him up as a baby. He befriends the eccentric elderly actress in town who tries to help him by prying old secrets out of the community. This is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone—and everyone’s business so it’s clear from the get-go they’re hiding something.

This novel takes place primarily in 1976 with flashbacks to the past as Mahony’s mother, Orla, was growing up. The flashbacks add context and provide a better understanding of Mulderrig as a place that people never leave. Mulderrig almost becomes a character itself, an aspect I thoroughly enjoyed. Outsiders stand out here and as such, Mahony has a hard time knowing who he can trust.

“People are born to live and stay and die here. They don’t want to go. Why would they when all the roads that lead to Mulderrig are downhill so that leaving is uphill all the way?” 

Himself, p. 5

Magical realism is a genre I love to dabble in but never feel quite at home with. In this story, Mahony can see and speak with ghosts and Mrs. Cauley, his unconventional foil, has some sort of unexplained telekinesis over her extensive book collection. At first, I found it a bit strange how these supernatural elements were accepted as facts yet only seemed to apply to a few characters. It was difficult for me to discern if this is because it was, in fact, widely accepted or if it is more ignored or explained away. 

“He has the look of someone whose soul got up and walked away in disgust a long time ago.” 

Himself, p. 133

These characters, though not particularly forthcoming when Mahony or Mrs. Cauley questioned them, were still fairly forward. They pulled few punches and often spoke their minds. Even Mrs. Cauley in her investigation took me by surprise; there wasn’t much subtlety in her questioning. The priest, Father Quinn, and his crony, Annie Farelly, are particularly deplorable and their devious intentions are often obvious and shameless.

The writing was a blend of something chilling and serious with dry humour and borderline silliness mixed in. There’s a darkness that is balanced well by characters that get what is coming to them (sometimes in ridiculous ways). Kidd is obviously a very talented and imaginative writer. Her prose is lyrical and descriptive, and her exploration of the paranormal is bold and creative. Learning that this was her debut novel was a surprise but I will certainly be seeking out more of her work!