Summary of Reading in the Dark
“Reading in the Dark” tells the story of a young boy growing up in a poor Catholic neighbourhood of Derry, Northern Ireland, during the 1950s. He becomes increasingly preoccupied with a long-buried family mystery: the disappearance of his uncle Eddie in the 1920s. Eddie is believed to have been a police informer, executed as a traitor by the IRA. This tragic event casts a long shadow over the family, bringing grief, shame, and a culture of silence. Determined to uncover the truth, the boy sets out to unravel the secrets his family would rather keep hidden.
Reasons to read Reading in the Dark
“Reading in the Dark” is a moving and compelling coming-of-age novel. Told from a child’s perspective, it offers a poignant portrayal of life in Derry during the Troubles and is widely regarded as one of the finest novels on this turbulent period of violence between civilians and the police. It explores the emotional toll of nationalist conflict and the impact of unresolved trauma within families. This debut by Northern Irish writer Seamus Deane was partly inspired by his own youth in Derry and was awarded the Guardian Fiction Prize (1996) and the Irish Times International Fiction Prize (1997).
Setting: Derry (Northern Ireland, UK)
Original title: Reading in the Dark
Year of publication: 1996
Nr of pages: 256
