Binnacle Press review:

Opening in troubled times just before the outbreak of WWI and part of a planned series of five, Koyli: Burdens of Guilt begins by giving us the early years and the shaping of Albert ‘George’ Wheeler. A young man who by the age of fourteen has seen more personal loss than many see in three times those years.  Tragic and urgent circumstances force him to join the Army and take the ‘King’s shilling’ whilst being underage, incognito and wanted for attempted murder.  The focus of attention soon moves from Albert’s native Sheffield to Ireland during the height of the Home-Rule debate, where he meets Molly, a refreshing, spirited Republican and her politically minded family.

It was a worrying prospect as an Anglo Irish Catholic to be asked to review a book which includes reference to a point of Irish history which stirs immeasurable passion and opinion in anyone with so much as a drop of Irish blood in their body and a glass of the black stuff in their hand.  However, my worries were soon unfounded when I remembered that John Sales is a man of the world and with that worldly education comes a gratifying amount of well researched, confident balance and most importantly a real sense of truly informed, compelling storytelling.  John takes us down the back allies of Edwardian Dublin into bars, bordellos, into the home and minds of Fenian Rebels and he captures mood of the times through a soldier’s eyes without drenching us in Irish-dew sentimentality or Quiet Man ‘Pad-wackery’.  The scene at bawdy ‘Clancy’s’ is brilliantly evoked and atmospheric.  The arguments for and against the politics of the time are intelligently and subtlely presented to us; a novice to the genre would learn a great deal and the stride of a devotee would not be broken for a moment by any jarring inaccuracies and I found that a real pleasure.

Skilfully woven, the continuing and stylishly constructed sub-plot bubbles under the surface as Albert Wheeler’s turbulent past follows him through the bloody battlefields at Mons to its crescendo at Antwerp as Albert comes face to face with the catalyst which destroyed his childhood.  Meanwhile his dearest Molly’s loyalties are being tested in the cruellest way – Her twin brother Manus, a Judas and a coward, the worst combination in any man, has risen covertly to a position of power which could threaten the very life of the man she loves.      

Albert ‘George’ Wheeler, whether formed by his upbringing, his education or his circumstances is in essence a good man.  He is profoundly mature for his age, and let’s face it, he had to be, with a strong instinct for survival, a fine analytical mind and perhaps most satisfyingly, and essential for all likeable and believable heroes, he has an honest to goodness flaw. Initially I believed this flaw simply to be a weakness for the thrill of gambling, or the business of bookmaking, or just the thrill of the chase, but look deeper and perhaps the flaw is made of darker stuff than that. After all, what is darker and more driving than unadulterated, legitimate revenge?

John’s style is wonderfully open and direct and the garrulous dialogue, particularly between Albert ‘George’ and his army mates Smudger and Finchy must come from an author who has known such enviable camaraderie and I found their exchanges made me smile as much as Albert’s mother’s fate made me cry.  In direct opposition to the soldiers banter is the tender love story which unfolds against incredible odds during unimaginable times, unimaginable perhaps except by writers of John Sales calibre. Marry that with John’s obvious talent for evoking the period and a real love of history and you have novel which deserves real attention. In short I wholly recommend it and I believe that part two is in the pipeline as I speak.  Bring it on.   

Binnaclepress – September 2004