Mouthing by Orla Mackey:

This is a novel presented in a first person narrative; with the residents of an Irish village telling their history.  In this sense, it’s a disjointed narrative, with a flashback/flash forward structure, with names and events growing in significance as they become relevant.  

In that sense, it’s a novel with literary ambition, with the minor nod to Larkin, the major nod the Dylan Thomas.  It’s also a novel where the author has the economy of vision to tell the story in a short period of time (roughly 250 pages).  However, the dizzying pace of the construction requires constant attention.  Readers who can give it the space and study it requires will love it, others may find it unsatisfying and feel that that half the tale is not what they need.  It’s published by Hamish Hamilton on May 30th and I thank them for a preview copy.