BOOK REVIEW: Himself by Jess Kidd

1950. A teenage girl is brutally murdered in a forest. But somehow, her baby survives.
1976. A mysterious and charming young man returns to the remote coastal village of Mulderrig, seeking answers about the mother who, it was said, had abandoned him on the steps of a Dublin orphanage.
With the help of its oldest and most eccentric inhabitants, he will force the village to give up its ghosts. Nothing, not even the dead, can stay buried forever.

Publisher: Canongate

Pages: 358

Simon of Savidge Reads talked about Jess Kidd and I was intrigued, her books sounded fantastic and as usual, Simon was spot on!

I read her latest novel, Things in Jars first which was fantastic, I'll be posting my review closer to its release date in April. Once I had finished that one, I knew that I needed to devour Jess Kidd's back catalogue so I thought the best place to start was with her debut novel from 2016, Himself. It is is hard to believe that Himself if a debut, it is beautifully written and highly accomplished. Jess Kidd's talent is obvious from the very first page.

The book flits between 1950 when a young girl is brutally murdered in the Irish village of Mulderrig leaving her baby behind and 1976 when that baby in the form of orphan Mahoney, returns to the village in search of the truth. It is not going to be easy though, superstition surrounds his mother's disappearance and the villagers do not want to talk, especially those who know too much. However, Mahoney is determined and with the help of a few inhabitants, dead and alive he slowly uncovers clues as to his mother's fate. Mahoney can see dead people and Mulderrig is full of them, ghosts if you like, although Mahoney sees them differently:

That just like any other dead person, his mind, if you can call it a mind, has ceased to exist. For the dead don't change or grow. They're just echoes of the stories of their own lives sung back in the wrong order: arsewards. They're the pattern on closed eyelids after you turn away from a bright object. They're twice exposed film. They're not really here, so cause and effect means nothing to them.

I loved the supernatural element of the book and the way in which Jess Kidd plays with it; sometimes it provides tragedy and other times much humour. Himself is beautifully written. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Jess Kidd uses language. She elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary and it is a joy to read:

Words are capable of flying. They dart through the windows, over fences, between bar stools and across courtyards. They travel rapidly from mouth to ear, from ear to mouth. And as they go, they pick up speed and weight and substance and gravity. Until they land with a scud, take seed and grow as fast as the unruliest of beanstalks. 

I find her writing has a real rhythm that leaves me wanting more at the end of each chapter. There are so many fantastic characters within the book but the one that stood out for me was Mrs Cauley. She takes Mahoney under her wing and sets out to help him find the truth. Sitting in her bed, surrounded by piles of books and papers, she is a cross between Miss Havisham and an overly theatrical Miss Marple. She is kind, caring and clever with some excellent one-liners:

As much as I revel in your visits lets make this snappy, I've a Dubonet and a bed bath on the agenda this afternoon.

I cannot find fault in this hugely entertaining tale. Despite being set in the 70's, it has a distinctly gothic feel, full of mystery and the supernatural. I cannot wait to read another book by this author, I can highly recommend Jess Kidd's excellent work.