“Earth by John Boyne is the second novella in his Elements series, focusing on Evan Keogh, a young man who escapes his oppressive upbringing on a remote Irish island to pursue a life in London. While Evan aspires to be an artist, financial hardships and societal pressures lead him into professional football—a career he never desired. As a gay man in a sport that often lacks inclusivity, Evan grapples with his identity and the expectations placed upon him. The narrative unfolds with Evan standing trial as an accessory to a sexual assault committed by a teammate, prompting him to reflect on his past choices, personal integrity, and the life he has constructed. Through themes of toxic masculinity, homophobia, and the complexities of personal accountability, Boyne crafts a poignant exploration of a young man’s struggle for self-acceptance and redemption.”
I do think this was good character development for the time we had with our character, Evan. You really feel immersed in his shoes and can sense all the emotions and tensions in these scenes. However, I never felt a true connection to him; his character very much reminds me of Jude from “A Little Life.” So, if you’re a fan of that book, then you might like this one as well.
The atmosphere was good. Our story is mainly set in England but flashes back to Ireland. It definitely has the tone of an Irish book—think of those big Irish names—and this book is reminiscent of that. I did like the writing style. There is some purple prose, but it’s never over the top.
Now, the plot is a story we have heard many times, especially in the last decade, but it’s an important story. It’s a powerful narrative that shows how people can find themselves in difficult situations and, sadly, how cases unfold in the real world. It was interesting to see this from an English perspective rather than an American perspective.
However, at the same time, I wasn’t really intrigued to know where the story would go since I didn’t care that much for the characters. Again, they were fine; I had nothing against them, and I do think it was good character work. I just wish we had a little more backstory and, in all honesty, that this book was longer than the novella that it is.
However, I can’t fault the book for its logic; as I said, this sadly happens in the real world. This book didn’t do a whole lot for me. It was very quiet and easy to get through, even though it has a very dark theme. The book got a lot darker than I expected it to. So, if you’re thinking of picking this up, maybe give it a go at the library first.
3 out of 5 stars.
Izzy Reads 