Young Skins

As we see in the six short stories and novella included here, the residents of the fictional County Mayo town of Glanbeigh are desperate folk. All seem to be on a quest for something unobtainable—understanding, love, redemption—and though the violence running through the streets like a current is tempered by a shared tenderness and humor, Glanbeigh remains a grim place where its unforgettable citizens come to terms with what might have been. For example, Tug, a big man given to bouts of rage, tries to experience normalcy by neglecting to take his meds. Likewise, Bat conceals and maybe protects his gentle nature behind a busted-up face, dirty clothing, and body odor. In the end, Glanbeigh seems to take more from its residents than it gives, with most compensating by honoring an unspoken code of simple decency and a few undermining it at every opportunity.