In the book 'Snow' by John Banville, Inspector St. John Strafford is called to investigate the murder of a Catholic priest in the library of Ballyglass House in 1950s rural County Wexford. The story unfolds with Strafford, an outsider in many ways, navigating through a closed and secretive community, exploring themes of post-War poverty, the class and religious divide, and the scandals of the Catholic church. The writing style is described as spare and bleak, mirroring the weather and setting, creating a blend of a classic whodunnit and a piece of literary fiction that delves into deep societal issues.

Characters:

Characters are often drawn from societal archetypes, each with depth reflecting the broader social commentary being made.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by lyrical prose and evocative imagery, rich with details that enhance the storytelling.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers around the murder of a priest, revealing societal issues tied to the Church's influence, yet the predictable nature frustrates readers.

Setting:

The story unfolds in a snowy rural Irish manor, reflecting the oppressive societal dynamics of the time.

Pacing:

The pacing is leisurely, focusing on character depth and social issues, which may frustrate those expecting a fast-paced mystery.

Detective Inspector Strafford was accustomed to cold houses. He had spent his earliest years in a great gaunt mansion much like this one, then he had been sent away to school to a place that was even ...

Notes:

The story is set during Christmas time in 1957 in south east Ireland.

A priest named Father Tom Lawless is found mutilated in the library of Ballyglass House.

Detective Inspector St John Sinjun Strafford leads the investigation into the murder.

The Osbornes, the aristocratic family at Ballyglass House, are not helpful during the investigation.

Strafford faces obstacles from both the Osbornes and the Catholic Church, which initially claims the death was an accident.

The murder is clearly linked to the Catholic Church's history of abuse and power.

The oppressive snow in the story serves as a metaphor for the Church's control over society.

The novel explores major social issues in Ireland, particularly class and religious divides.

Banville's writing is noted for its lyrical quality and vivid descriptions.

Stratford is portrayed as emotionally distant and struggling with a lack of purpose in his life.

A disturbing interlude reveals the perspective of a sexual abuser, exploring themes of justification and complicity in abuse.

The book features a variety of well-drawn characters, from the dysfunctional Osborne family to local townsfolk.

The murder mystery reveals the silence and fear surrounding abuse in the Catholic community of the time.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of sexual abuse, violence, and an exploration of deep-seated societal issues related to the Catholic Church.

From The Publisher:

*NATIONAL BESTSELLER*

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER AWARD*

"Banville sets up and then deftly demolishes the Agatha Christie format…superbly rich and sophisticated."-New York Times Book Review

The incomparable Booker Prize winner's next great crime novel-the story of a family whose secrets resurface when a parish priest is found murdered in their ancestral home

Detective Inspector St. John Strafford has been summoned to County Wexford to investigate a murder. A parish priest has been found dead in the house of the aristocratic, secretive Osborne family.

The year is 1957 and the Catholic Church rules Ireland with an iron fist. Strafford not only faces obstruction from the tight-knit community he begins to investigate, but also from the heavily accumulating snow that now blankets the country. But when his own deputy goes missing, Strafford must work to unravel the ever-expanding mystery before the town's secrets, like the snowfall itself, threaten to obliterate everything.

Beautifully crafted, darkly evocative and pulsing with suspense, Snow is "the Irish master" (New Yorker) John Banville at his page-turning best.

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1 comment(s)

colrav772

Hated It

6 months

This book was awful. Grim, slow, and every character was such an overdrawn cliche as to be caricature, and the plot was likewise entirely predictable while being simultaneously overwrought and dull.

All the faults of his Benjamin Black books but worse.

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