The Walk Home: A Novel
When one’s own home town ceases to feel like home, trouble sets in. And trouble, or more precisely, the Troubles, have been displacing Graham and his family since his grandfather, Papa Robert, was forced out of Ireland a generation ago. Although Graham and his extended family now live in Glasgow, he holds fast to the family pride as a drummer for a marching band. It is during Graham’s first annual Protestant Orange Walk that he meets Lindsey, a young runaway from Northern Ireland, and it’s not long before Lindsey is pregnant. After Stevie is born, Graham tries to help Lindsey improve their lives, but when a militant loyalist gets interested in the band, Graham falls back into that life, a decision that will destroy his marriage, estrange his parents, and alienate his young son. In this vividly atmospheric, achingly poignant, and sharply provocative tale, British novelist Seiffert (Afterwards, 2007), whose many honors include an E. M. Forster Award, sharply appraises the tenuous bonds that draw families together and the deeply held convictions that can drive them apart. --Carol Haggas