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A History of Loneliness

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A History of Loneliness

By: John Boyne
Narrated by: Owen McDonnell
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Odran Yates enters Clonliffe Seminary in 1972 after his mother informs him that he has a vocation to the priesthood. He goes in full of ambition and hope, dedicated to his studies and keen to make friends.

Forty years later, Odran’s devotion has been challenged by the revelations that have shattered the Irish people’s faith in the church. He has seen friends stand trial, colleagues jailed, the lives of young parishioners destroyed and has become nervous of venturing out in public for fear of disapproving stares and insulting remarks.

But when a family tragedy opens wounds from his past, he is forced to confront the demons that have raged within a once respected institution and recognise his own complicity in their propagation.

It has taken John Boyne 15 years and 12 novels to write about his home country of Ireland, but he has done so now in his most powerful novel to date, a novel about blind dogma and moral courage and about the dark places where the two can meet. At once courageous and intensely personal, A History of Loneliness confirms Boyne as one of the most searching chroniclers of his generation.

©2014 John Boyne (P)2020 Penguin Audio Christian Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Tear-jerking

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All stars
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Oh, I loved this book. Achingly beautiful in sadness and doubt. The horrors of the church, and unerring devotion by those who perpetuate the control. The ‘goodness’ of individuals getting sucked up into rules and traditions that are cruel and harming.

Brilliant

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What a compelling and moving book.
It gave me an insight into Ireland and the church. Excellent story. Beautifully performed.

Brilliant

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This novel concerns the gradual uncovering of widespread child abuse in the Catholic church in Ireland. This occurred from the late 1970s onwards. Boyne highlights the duplicitous role of the Church hierarchy in maintaining a wall of silence in the face of an increasing number of allegations. The author also alludes to the various conspiracy theories circulating at the time concerning the sudden death of Pope John Paul 1 (the 'laughing Pope') after only 33 days in office. It is intimated that those who followed after him were more concerned with saving the reputation of the church, rather than listening to the victims.

The story is told through the eyes of Odren Yates who starts training for the priesthood at the same time as his friend Tom Cordle. Parental pressure has been for both men instrumental in pushing them in the direction of the Church.Tom tries to run away from the seminary at the end of the first term but returns battered and bruised and under the very real threat of further violence. Conversely Odren settles happily into his new life as a priest. The two men then embark upon their different yet often parallel paths. One becomes a serial abuser, and ends up in jail. The other is sexually inexperienced and exemplifies this in a strange and seemingly out of character incident mid way through the book. Although not an abuser himself, he demonstrates an almost callous naivety in failing to report to the police any suspicions he might have had about his friend. Even more astonishing, but ultimately poignant, he leaves the abuser to look after his young nephew while he is away one night. It is difficult to empathise with either man, even though both can claim to have experienced a history of loneliness. One has seemingly learnt nothing from his incarceration, while the other does at least try to patch up things with his family.

A very challenging subject which does not attempt to rationalise or explain what drives young men to act this way towards innocent children.

John Boyne at his brilliant best

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This is a very powerful and unsettling book - and superbly narrated by Owen McDonnell. It brought home to me that it’s easy to blame men in positions of power for society’s evils but we should all ask ourselves whether we’re preferring not to face up to the cruelty and neglect that’s happening in plain sight.

A very powerful book

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John Boyne is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. The sorcery he uses in his writing, getting right to the guts of sensitive issues then slamming you right in your heart, is nothing less than magical. Here, Boyne takes the subject of child abuse within the Catholic Church, and brings us a hard-hitting yet compelling story of Father Odrin Yates, who faces the subject head on. A truly wonderful, sensitivity written, but gritty book. Wonderful narration by Owen McDonnell.

Boyne at his best

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Beautifully written and narrated . The story is compelling . It approaches an horrifically tragic subject sensitivity and honesty without being gratuitous.
I kept my headphones on , listening to this almost constantly until the end .

Didn’t want to stop listening

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Excellent piece by John Boyne as always.
The narration by Owen McDonnell is outstanding and really took on every character perfectly.
I think it is one of those books that will stay with me. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

Another gem from John Boyne

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book that was recommended by a member of my book club. This is the story of a young man who becomes a catholic priest. The story is beautifully written and well narrated on audible. I would highly recommend and will look for other books by this author .

Brilliant author

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I loved every minute of this book. Wonderful narration coupled with an astounding narrative. John Boyne’s use of a non-linear timeline keeps the key elements building while maintaining character development and suspense. My favourite author. Read it!

Heartbreaking and beautiful

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I usually listen to audiobooks at work but this one stayed on all evening and into the next day, I literally couldn’t bring myself to turn it off. Enthralling and heart breaking and real and devastating, one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Beautiful and sad

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