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Where No Storms Come

by John F. Deane
Blackstaff. Jun. 2011. 258p. ISBN 9780856408588. pap. $18.95. F
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Dorothy Lohan and Patrick Brennan live in a small rural community on the west coast of Ireland. Though they reside in different social and economic worlds—Dorothy's family is well-off and Patrick's is poor—they become friends. As they grow into adulthood, they seemingly share a life rooted in the magic and mystery that infuse the very air they breathe. Their wonder manifests itself as spiritual yearning, and they both embrace religious vocations. Yet even the rich traditions and rituals of the church do not fulfill their shared sense of destiny with each other.
VERDICT Deane's third novel (after Undertow) is both a stunning evocation of nature's transcendent beauty and a convincing account of the personal struggles that form a human conscience. While the epilog seems gratuitous, the sometimes Lawrencian descriptions, especially of the west Irish countryside and its wildlife, are rapturous throughout. While Deane is known primarily as a poet, here he proves himself a master of lyrical prose as well.
Reviewed by J. Greg Matthews, Washington State Univ. Libs., Pullman , Jun 15, 2011
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