They say it’s lonely at the top. Yet my list of the must-read category of books grows more crowded with this stunning entry, At Swim Two Boys by Jamie O’Neill. It is no surprise to learn that O’Neill is Irish; this book is not merely a fictional wrapper around a true place and time. It is a history lesson, or guided tour, of the state and people of Ireland back in the tumultuous early days of World War I. For any mere mortal, this would have been an impossibly difficult book to write well. As it is, it took O’Neill ten years to complete it.
The boys of At Swim Two Boys are Jim and Doyler. They swim at a place called the Forty Foot. Doyler has a bad leg, but he’s teaching Jim to swim. They make a pact that by Easter of 1916, one year hence, they will swim together to an island more than a mile away. Like much of the folklore that is shared and discussed during their daily practice, the islands and the reach for them represent much more than a mere activity with destination. Accordingly, a love grows ever so patiently and passionately between them.
Much of the history lesson comes from Jim’s desire to understand Doyle’s view of the world. Jim is the middle-class son of a shopkeeper, while Doyle is the lower-class son of a bitter and broken man. Doyle is an unapologetic socialist who wears an emblem of some kind on his shirt. A third main character, Anthony, is the nephew of a strong, single woman who might well be the end of the line of an aristocratic dynasty. Anthony provides the upper-class angle to the story, and his scenes tend to be the most difficult to read. For a good portion of the book, Anthony, with no gentlemanly equivalent, has long talks with ghosts.
At Swim is many things. First, it is a tragic love story, which of course means that one of these beautifully wrought characters will meet his untimely end before the end. Unlike The Front Runner, where you get a very good hint of the book’s tragic nature right on the front cover, I was unable to guess the character in this book that wouldn’t make it. When you finally do know, the bleak and devastating coda that follows is almost unbearable. Still, the randomness of death is necessary if you hope to portray that war truly is hell.
Second, At Swim is one of the finest coming-of-age stories ever put to paper. Jim is naive, lovestruck, and mesmerized by the notion of war being fought by lovers together on the battlefield. A curious, if not tragic mix.
Third, At Swim portrays several refreshingly strong women. Doyle’s mother, Jim’s aunt, and Anthony’s aunt are wonderful characters that are strong and wise, yet never second class citizens. (Observe Doyle’s mother when Doyle recalls having stolen food and tell me that doesn’t teach you about mother’s love.)
The church is also very strong, in line with the time. Today, though, it is odd to think of begging a priest to be a character witness on your behalf.
All in all, an exquisite read that will command itself to completion once you get past the first few chapters. The payoff is worth it.