It's a slim book which I digested in one session, but what a seismic story. Like the first story in the trio, Water, social media figures large. This time two professional footballers are pilloried as they wait for their trial on sex offences involving a 19 year old girl.
John Boyne paints a picture of a cabal of young men, pampered, rich and hunting in packs for women. The women are crudely ranked and discussed on WhatsApp. Sometimes they are videoed,. The assumption is usually that they are lying when cases get to court, which is rare in itself. And we seem to think it's entirely normal.
The story is told from the perspective of Evan Keogh, one of the two young men. He fled an Irish island and became a footballer reluctantly became he wasn't original enough to be an artist. He had to prostitute himself for money and had traumatic experiences. He is now highly paid in a sport that rejects diversity (he's gay). He is under the thrall of straight team mate Robbie.
Regarded as effete by his father (who actually wouldn't know the word), Keogh is forced to look at his life so far and see if he is the man he wanted to be.
A sobering tale for our times. I couldn't stop reading.