Our book group choice for March 2021 is The Green Road by Anne Enright. Spanning 30 years, The Green Road tells the story of Rosaleen, matriarch of the Madigans, a family on the cusp of either coming together or falling irreparably apart.
The Green Road by Anne Enright is a novel that spans thirty years and three continents, following the lives of four siblings and their mother, Rosaleen. The novel is told in four parts, each from the perspective of a different sibling: Dan, Emmet, Constance, and Hanna.
The novel begins in 1980, when Dan, the eldest Madigan child, announces that he is going to become a priest. This news comes as a shock to his family, who are all lapsed Catholics. Rosaleen is particularly devastated, as she had always hoped that Dan would take over the family farm.
Dan’s decision to become a priest marks the beginning of the end for the Madigan family. The siblings begin to drift apart, each pursuing their own lives and careers. Dan goes to Rome to study for the priesthood, Emmet moves to London to become a writer, Constance stays in Ireland to work on the family farm, and Hanna travels to Australia to become a lawyer.
The second part of the novel takes place in 1995. The siblings have all grown up and are now living in different countries. They come together for Christmas at the family home in Ireland, but the reunion is awkward and strained. The siblings are all struggling with their own problems, and they are unable to connect with each other on a deep level.
The third part of the novel takes place in 2005. The Madigans are once again reunited for Christmas, this time in Australia. This time, the reunion is more successful. The siblings have all grown and matured, and they are able to connect with each other on a deeper level. They also come to terms with the death of their father, who died a few years earlier.
The fourth and final part of the novel takes place in 2015. The Madigans are once again reunited for Christmas, this time in Ireland. This time, the reunion is bittersweet. Rosaleen is now elderly and frail, and she knows that she does not have much time left. The siblings are all there to support her, and they come to terms with her impending death.
The Green Road is a novel about family and fracture, compassion and selfishness. It is a book about the gaps in the human heart and how we strive to fill them. The novel is beautifully written, and it is full of insights into the human condition.
Here are some additional details about the novel:
- The title of the novel refers to the road that leads to the Madigan family home in Ireland. The road is a symbol of the journey that the Madigans take, both individually and as a family.
- The novel is set in Ireland, London, Rome, and Australia. The different settings reflect the different lives that the Madigans lead.
- The novel features a large cast of characters, including the Madigan siblings, their parents, their spouses, and their children. The characters are complex and well-developed, and they bring the novel to life.
- The novel deals with a variety of themes, including family, loss, faith, and forgiveness. The themes are explored in a thoughtful and nuanced way.
Discussion Questions for The Green Road
- Did you like the book?
- Narrative Part 1 and Part 2, but Hanna only gets a short ‘scene setting’, and Dan’s isn’t even about him what did you think of this structural set up?
- Did you find a relationship between the character stories in Part 1 and Part 2?
- Illness and death are a continual focus throughout the book what did we think of that?
- Each chapter tells the story of their lives by looking into the past through an event in the present retrospective present (Constance’s appointment, Emmet’s relationship with Alice), what did you think of that device?
- Does anyone come out of the book well? Are there any ‘good’ people here, or is it that the context of their family relationships brings out the worst in them?
- What did we think of Rosaleen? Is the set up of the story implying that the problems faced by the children all her fault?
- If the book is about the relationship between a mother and her children, what do you think about comparing Rosaleen and Constance’s relationship with their children?
- Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom?
Individual Ratings
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DKB's Rating