The Ruin by Dervla McTiernanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
There's a lot going on here, perhaps too much, in some respects. A bit slow to get started, McTiernan spends quality time on character development, which I appreciated. Set in Galway, the book ties together the fates of DI Cormac Reilly and Aisling Conroy fairly artfully, across the span of roughly 30 years. Reilly is a good enough character to warrant a series, and his humanity runs underneath the surface -- subtly revealed by his actions, whom he trusts, and his concern for children. McTiernan spends a good amount of effort helping us appreciate Aisling and Maude, the two central characters of this story. Initially Cormac's experiences at the Galway police (Garda) station seem like inconsequential background, but there are few elements of the story that don't somehow connect to the main mystery. Some of the characters are underdeveloped (Emma), but in so doing, actually turn out to be useful for understanding the main protagonist (Cormac).
Occasionally McTiernan's descriptions are overwrought -- Emma putting her knickers on, the cabinetry in a minor character's house--as if a writing teacher got a hold of the manuscript with a red pen and forced her to embellish the descriptive language. She also seems to have a strong dislike of Google, despite the fact it ends up helping solve the main mystery (I was surprised to hear an actual product criticized as opposed to a more general statement about internet privacy).
Ultimately, the story is one to invest in. I didn't love the rationale behind the culprit's (one of them) behavior, and the only "thriller" like moment really happens right at the end. It disrupted the rhythm for me, this move from police procedural/detective story to thriller, but that's a small quibble. One of the best aspects is how McTiernan does NOT wrap everything up with a nice little bow. The events that transpired years ago in the crumbling mansion are, sadly, ever-present in some village, or city...resulting in ruined lives. McTiernan offers that justice is as complex as the nature of evil, and certainly any "system" of justice is just as flawed and, at times, ineffectual, as the humans within it.
Aoife McMahon provided an excellent narration, moving deftly through all the different characters and regional Irish accents. She very much helped bring the characters to life --the gloomy Cormac, the ambitious and loving Aisling, the strong Maude, and a host of more minor characters (Domenica Keane was extremely noteworthy).
I'm looking forward to listening to more in the series.
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