Himself

Product Information

MyHome.ie (Opens in new window) • Top 1000 • The Gloss (Opens in new window) • Recruit Ireland (Opens in new window) • Irish Times Training (Opens in new window) Despite the fact that Jess Kidd was born and raised in London, her family is from the small town of Mayo. Deal’s familiarity with the landscape and dialect as well is evident in her writing. Jess Deal possess an exceedingly lovely and unforceful style. Immediately after completing her undergraduate degree from Open University, Jess Kidd was blessed with a daughter. Kidd continued to study and work part-time before she eventually received her Ph.D. in creative writing studies. Jess Kidd’s dissertation focused on the ways and manner is which disparate genres and modes can be brought into correspondence so as to create new hybrid forms of crime fiction.

Himself by Jess Kidd - Publishers Weekly Himself by Jess Kidd - Publishers Weekly

NetGalley and Atria Books provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available! Himself starts off dark and violent and left us wanting to stay hidden in those magical bushes to hide from the dark but soon humor is introduced into the story to lighten the darkness of this story. Jess Kidd does a good job balancing the dark with some light here with magic and humor. Now the dead are confined to a brief scud across the room at lights-out, or a wobble now and then in his peripheral vision.And his trousers are ridiculous: tight around the crotch and wide enough at the bottom to mop the main road.” For Mulderrig is a place like no other. Here the colours are a little bit brighter and the sky is a little bit wider. Here the trees are as old as the mountains and a clear river runs into the sea ” Set in the 1950’s and the 1970’s, Himself is a fairytale of folklore. It’s endearing, dark, beguiling, and utterly charming to no end. In truth, it is not the type of book I would normally read. Whimsy, fantastical is not my style - but I must say this: it pulls the reader in from the first sentence. You can’t tear your eyes away. The prose is absolutely flawless, beautiful even. The characters are lovely, comical & ensnaring. In short, this novel is not to be missed. By chapter eight, the reader will notice a dark humour slowly enmeshing itself into the narrative, building until it is almost palpable, and you will feel yourself with a permanent smile on your face as you read. Then, believe me, the laughter will start. I will throw the challenge down and defy anybody not to be laughing as they read chapter thirteen. The main romantic relationship isn’t very believable. Kidd doesn’t really show what either of them see in one another. It seemed like the author was just trying to fit in the "romance" jigsaw piece, just for the sake of it.

Himself by Jess Kidd | Waterstones

Tadhg is outwardly unmoved, although he sympathizes deep in his soul. “Rats are a very great problem in the world,” he says sagely. For Mahony, who has always been a bit of a rake (yet a handsome one) and a ne'er-do-well, this is powerful stuff. He had believed his mother had abandoned him, but he couldn't understand why, or why she never searched for him. So he heads to Mulderrig to try and uncover the truth about what happened to her 26 years ago. I appreciate the authors imagination: a child ghost who lost her yo-yo in the forest - the eeriness created- the whimsical dead ensemble- etc. etc. When investigating what happened to his mother, Orla, Mahoney also gets help from some pretty incredible friends: Ms. Cauley, the quirky theatre performer who is wildly entertaining and full of ideas as to how to help Mahoney; Bridget Doosey, a woman who knew his mother and has gifts of her own; and Shauna, Mahoney’s, landlady who will do anything to protect him. These women are instrumental in his finding the truth.

Author Jess Kidd has an imagination gifted only to the few and writes in my favourite genre of magical realism. There really isn't a weak character to be found, and Mahoney's kindred spirit (caustic geriatric, Merle Cauley), is an absolute joy to behold.

Himself by Jess Kidd | Goodreads

After what I’ve been afflicted with I’m sure I can handle her.” And Mahony turns his laughing eyes up to Tadhg. The relationship between Mahony and Mrs. Cauley is central to the book. Why do you think this is? What bonds them so closely?The characters, alive and dead, are real and unforgettable. Mahony goes to visit Mrs. Cauley , who knew his mother well. She is a frail, elderly actress, who appears to be at death’s door but can still command attention. Tadhg stakes a smile. “You’ll need to watch the other guest who lives up there, Mrs. Cauley. The woman’s titanic.” As a noirish thriller with a supernatural edge, Himself is atmospheric and intriguing. As a portrait of village hypocrisy and the dark things that lurk beneath the surface, it’s also compelling. Mahoney is a man on a secret mission, but he has walked into a viper pit of parochial mistrust and murderous secrets. By day Mulderrig appears respectable; a solid fat-ankled mammy dressed in patchworked fields. But at night she's gypsied to the nines, beringed and braceleted with fairy forts.