Book review: Coming of age on a West coast island

Darkly comic depiction of adolescence portrayed by an authentic teenage voice that never falters

John Patrick McHugh.

• Fun and Games 
• John Patrick McHugh 
• 4th Estate €13.99 

This is a 390-page coming-of-age novel set in the West of Ireland, featuring a 17-year-old boy as he survives the summer of 2009, between Leaving Cert and College.

It is totally brilliant and unputdownable. On the cover there is warm praise for John Patrick McHugh from Sally Rooney: “One of the most exciting writers working in Ireland today.” She is spot on.

It’s unforgettable for its darkly comic descriptions of the agonies of adolescence, its unflinching account of teenage sex and emotional immaturity, and its deceptively simple descriptions of the beauty of the West. I’m still trying to work out how he does it.

It is June 2009, and John Masterson is living on the small island where he has grown up. It is very like Achill, though it is never named. He is working full time at the local hotel, where he has a girlfriend, Amber, two years older. All his friends are from school.

He has recently survived the deep embarrassment of a topless photograph of his mother being passed around online, giving him the nickname “Tits”.

His father has moved out, while his older sister Kay is only concerned that the incident will ruin her fancy wedding.

Meanwhile, John and three friends are preparing for their first training session with the island’s senior football team.

John’s sporting ability is middling, like the rest of his achievements: “John was a good to decent player. Not gifted, but good.”

He and his friends are not surprised to be called, but a little overwhelmed.

His dad’s reassurances, “You’re well able, son,” are much appreciated.

Incidentally, I liked the way the author dealt with the GAA shorts made famous in Rooney’s novel, Normal People, and its TV adaptation — “dainty white shorts that he was obliged to constantly tug down lower”.

The story is told entirely from John’s point of view, but in the third-person, a fabulous achievement, resulting in an authentic teenage voice that never falters.

The technicalities of staging a party, acquiring fake ID, getting lifts from parents, going to the “offie” are all described.

There is also an innate awareness of the beauty of the West: “To the right, the sea was just about visible, a twinkling grey line.” “Lights were melting like oil layered atop a puddle.” “…the Peugeot’s tail lights burned through the blue of summer night.”

John’s relationship with Amber is finally consummated one afternoon in an empty house. Neither wants their colleagues to know about their affair. Someone tells John that his friend Amber is “a bit of a bike”, and there are stories from staff parties.

John is already smarting because he had assumed Amber was unambitious, when in fact she had dropped out of an accountancy course in Cork. 

In spite of their early decision not to get involved, emotions are getting intense. Can John cope? He starts to question his decision to study arts in Galway, and share a house with school friends. His mother wants to sell the family home and move to Westport. His best friend Studzy may stay on the island working in a garage. Senior football is more challenging than John had expected, and he’s never sure he’ll be selected.

Football is the only constant in his life, and it features in every chapter.

A text from Amber gives him hope that they might work something out, just before he runs on to the pitch as right half-back in the championship match. The possibilities of youth hang in the air over him, like a ball to catch.