Ruthie Swain’s poet-father died recently, and she seeks to rekindle his memory through rereading his entire personal library. She ends up retelling his life and her grandfather’s life through this meandering yet meaningful tale of rural County Clare, Ireland. It concludes with deeply emotional moments all the way through the last chapter. I was moved to tears at multiple points, telling my wife, “I hate novels that make me cry because I love novels that make me cry!” That about sums up my experience of History of the Rain.
Because the entire book’s events are so interdependent on each other, it’s hard to describe a plot starter without ruining the entire book. Ruthie’s family experiences a lot of lows – a lot of Irish rain – but finds strength in being lifted by its rivers. The tough spots are wedded to the high spots in an inexplicable, ironic unity that only stories can convey. And stories, especially when told in such a masterful way, can heal our own personal hurts and longings. Niall Williams’ books seem to do that to me.
I notice his books follow a pattern: The first half is filled with seemingly random minutiae that don’t entirely grip the reader. He doesn’t have plots that grab one from page one. But the second half of each novel weaves them together into deep pathos that move me internally. If you are willing to be patient and want to feel something at the end of a work, his books are for you.
I’d definitely recommend spending some time in his works. With good reason, his books have been finalists for many literary prizes. He spins yarn masterfully to pull the longings of the human heart – our existence – into the universe’s deeper meaning.
History of the Rain: A Novel
By Niall Williams
Copyright (c) 2014
Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN13 9781620407707
Page Count: 358
Genre: Fiction
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