In the year of the centennial of the Easter Rising, The Soldier’s Farewell stands as a different story since it addresses what came after the Rising… a time of tragedy and civil war that is rarely explored.
It is a very intense part of Irish history, still I had a hard time feeling involved because I never truly connected with the characters. I had the feeling that most of these characters – and quite a few are historical figures – merely floated with the current of history but didn’t’ really have a personal goal.

Even Stephen, the main character, who’s really an interesting character in theory, in practice always seems to do what history asks of him, but never seems to choose his personal path.
Which is quite a shame. A veteran of WWI, which is fought in the British Army, then a fighter for Ireland’s independence alongside Michael Collins, he’s the right character to give the feeling of confusion, anger and the sense of betrayal of a nation reaped up from within. It didn’t’ quite happen. I never truly felt an emotional connection with him, because he never really shared his feelings about his choices.

Quite a shame. I could have loved this novel. I just merely liked it.
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