The Wild Laughter eloquently brings to life the human side of the Irish national economic crisis of 2008
The Wild Laughter is award-winning author and poet, Caoilinn Hughes’ anticipated second novel.
This black comedy is set in County Roscommon, rural Ireland circa 2008. The Black family are troubled, with each member trying to overcome the indelible economic devastation wrought by the Celtic Tiger. Patriarch, Chief, is working himself to death – literally. Following some bad investments and now, no longer the owner of his farm, he still works long hours on the land as he succumbs to lung cancer. All this is so he can try to leave a legacy for his two sons, Cormac and Hart. Eldest son Cormac is intelligent and ruthless, determined to make something of himself through any means possible in the tough economic climate. Hart, less ambitious, is happy to remain in his rural hometown.
When a haughty Cormac leaves to attend university in Galway, the responsibility falls upon innocuous Hart to assist his father on the land and then through his palliative care. The chasm between each of the brothers’ lives widens, filling up with resentment and allowing disparity to flourish. When the two brothers are brought back together, they must make a desperate decision that will have life-changing consequences for them all.
Hughes brilliantly utilises the tension created from Hart’s more innocuous tone against that of Cormac’s haughtiness throughout the narrative. He provides a clear depiction of the gap that appeared ever-wider during the recession, where the majority of lives were impacted by austerity whilst the minority stubbornly clung to opulence.
This tragicomic story is well written and fast-paced. Caoilinn Hughes’ background as a poet shines through in the text, enabling her to convey in 200 pages what would usually require a much more sizable tome, each sentence is purposeful, without amble or filler.
Hughes utilises metaphors throughout the narrative to great effect, such as Hart and Cormac gutting the sheep of one of their dad’s old school mates who had encouraged the bad investment that left the Black family economically crushed. Rather than just a case of plain revenge, the sheep guts also becomes a visual representation of the state of Ireland’s gutted economy in 2008.
Hughes crafts her characters beautifully and realistically so that the reader cannot help but connect to each member of the Black family, assisted in part by her full and vivid character descriptions, inclusive of flaws and all.
Covering the topics of grief, loss, religion, national identity, politics, ethics, as well as the complexity of family bonds, there is something here that will appeal to most readers. Although this is not a light read, it remains a true black comedy where laughs are won despite the tragic subject matter.
Ultimately with The Wild Laughter, Hughes eloquently brings to life the human side of the Irish national economic crisis.
Reviewed by Daniella Feltrin
Distributed by: Bloomsbury Australia
Released: July 2020
RRP: $26.99
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