Prophet Song

Paul Lynch's novel, a winner of the Booker Prize 2023, emerges as a substantial literary accomplishment, capturing critical recognition also by making it to the shortlist for the An Post Irish Book of the Year 2023 and the Strega European Prize. This gripping narrative has been celebrated extensively, finding its place as a Sunday Times bestseller, a New York Times Editor's Choice, and within Amazon's Top 10 Books for December 2023. Prominent publications such as the Guardian, FT, Irish Independent, and others have hailed it as a Book of the Year. In this haunting and powerful tale, Lynch sets his story in the shadow of a crumbling Ireland, on the precipice of falling into totalitarian rule. Eilish Stack, a dedicated scientist and mother of four, is thrust into a nightmarish scenario when the newly established secret police, the GNSB, arrive at her Dublin home one stormy evening. They are there to question her husband, Larry, a committed trade unionist, as the nation unravels into chaos. Eilish's world is turned upside down when Larry mysteriously disappears, leaving her to navigate the treacherous landscape of a society in chaos. She is confronted with impossible choices, pushing her to consider the lengths she must go to protect her loved ones. Lynch's narrative is not only a reflection on a nation in turmoil but also a testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit amid overwhelming darkness. This novel compels readers to question their own responses in similar dire circumstances and stays with them long after the last page is turned.