Rain Falls on Everyone

This book touched on many daily struggles that are not romantic. The struggle of an abused spouse, frustrated parent, lost child, misplaced person, race. The author wove a story line that included hope and future amid the unreachable goals of others.

A very solid 4.5 stars!
It's always a pleasure to read a book set in your home town when the author gets it right, and everything here from the tone to the dialogue and even the smallest of characters is spot on.
Throughout the book we hear from two characters, Theo and Deirdre, and at first glance their worlds could not be more different. Theo fled Rwanda in the wake of the 1994 genocide, and was adopted by an Irish couple. Traumatised by the violence he witnessed, he drifted into a life of petty drug dealing and low paying jobs, including one washing dishes in a restaurant where he meets Deirdre. In her 40's with three children, and feeling trapped in a marriage to a violent man, she has plenty on her own plate , but still offers her friendship to Theo. Things take a turn for the dramatic when Theo decides to turn his life around, but escaping the criminal gangland scene in Dublin will not be easy, and it turns out that Dublin is a much smaller town than he ever realised.
With a plot that reads in places like a story from one of the Sunday papers, this book feels very current and timely. The author is not afraid to tackle the subject of racism, and the casual tolerance of it in some social groups. While it is never the central focus of the book, the myriad small struggles and worries that Theo has because of his race are subtly thought provoking. Theo's character is interesting and well rounded, and I felt like I really got to know him over the course of the book, more than I did Deirdre, though that is not to say that the author did not do a good job with her character too.
While at first glance the characters have incredibly different life experiences, both are trying to deal with violence, Theo in his past, and possibly in his future if he can't escape his current path, and Deirdre in her day to day life, walking on eggshells around an angry , aggressive and abusive man. It is this that makes the friendship between the two, and its consequences believable.
Well written, with a great character in Theo, and a dramatic but very timely plot, I am delighted that I got my hands on a copy of this book and would recommend it without reservation.

An excellent book, full of complex characters and moral gray areas. Theo is a refugee of the Rwandan genocide, brought to Ireland as a child. His life has been a struggle to blend in and belong, all while struggling with his past.

Theo has made some bad choices, including becoming involved in the Dublin drug trade, but his need for love and his loyalty to his friends makes him a sympathetic character in spite of his failings. You find yourself rooting for him and his eclectic cast of friends, even though they are all quite flawed.

This book touches on some dark subjects, but manages to keep you caught up on the story and the potential for hope, so it never bogs down in the horror. A very complex and rather intellectual book, I would certainly not be surprised if this turned up on the short list for some literary prizes.

This powerful and absorbing novel tells the story of Theo, a young Rwandan boy who miraculously survived the genocide and managed to escape to build a new life in Dublin. But of course it’s not that easy to put behind such trauma as he experienced in his native land and it’s not surprising that his new life turns out to be no fairy tale and that he makes some bad choices along the way. Ireland and Rwanda seem an unlikely juxtaposition but the author merges the two countries in a way that seems real and authentic and it is clear that “rain falls on everyone, lightning strikes some”. (Mary Doria Russell) There are dark themes to be confronted here – themes of memory, motherhood, racism, prejudice and survival against all the odds. As well as Theo, the novel also focuses on an older woman Deirdre whom he meets at work, and their unlikely friendship moves the narrative along. Both these and all the minor characters are complex, well-rounded and well-delineated and the dialogue always seems fresh and authentic. As Theo’s life spirals out of control, the reader becomes more and more involved and all in all this is a deeply moving novel about what binds us together as well as what drives us apart. Highly recommended.

A brilliant book that is nuanced, thoughtful, and evocative. I would definitely recommend it.

Theo is one of the lucky ones. Rescued from the midst of the Rwanda genocide by an Irish humanitarian, he's raised in Dublin from the age of seven. He never forgives himself for his father's actions in the war and even as he puts a face on trying to fit in to life in Dublin he is careless with the gift he's been given perhaps because he's not sure he deserves it.
Brimming with beautifully crafted and thoughtful imagery, Rain Falls on Everyone begins with Theo running from the law after killing a man. It then dips back to the events leading up to that night. At first the author weaves a thread of suspense so tight that readers will be on the edge of their seats hesitating to turn the page tor fear of the terrible judgement we know must be delivered on Theo. He's a dark character, scarred and flawed but so honest with himself and loyal in his dealings with others that it's impossible not to care about what happens to him. And as the story progresses, it's clear, despite the slow and steady pace of the writing, Theo's life is like a runaway train minutes from derailment.
When Theo meets Deidre, a mother of three who works at the same place Theo does, the author begins to alternate the narrative between these two main characters. This is reasonable, after all it's Deidre's abusive husband whom Theo kills. Before the murder, Deidre's life becomes entangled with Theo's in ways that the characters themselves are not aware. Some of the connections seemed a bit contrived but that does not really detract from the story. While Deidre's story is compelling, I found myself waiting to get past the sections told in her point of view and looking forward to hearing Theo's voice once more.
Thoughtful readers may read wondering how the author will end this tale of so much sadness. The ending of Rain Falls on Everyone is satisfying to some extent. Theo was rescued by whites as a child and they continue to be his 'saviour' to the end, giving him the guidance he needs to get some closure. But he does achieve much of his growth through his own self searching and again readers will likely forgive the gratuitous manner by which he comes by some of his maturity.

What a book! It's been a few days since I finished reading this, and I'm still not sure I can make sense of what I thought about it. This is easily one of the best books I've read this year, that much I know. But trying to coherently explain why that is, is entirely another matter...

Rain Falls on Everyone is a book that just resonated with me right from the start. Clár's gorgeous writing style managed to draw me in and keep me wanting always more. This was one of those fairly rare occasions where I really couldn't bring myself to put the book down: every time I thought I ought to close up, a little voice in my head kept telling me "Just one more chapter... it won't be too much longer, will it?". And so I ended up taking this book everywhere with me until it was over... exactly at the right moment within the story and definitely way too early for me.

I don't know what magic the author employed to get me hooked, but whatever it was, it worked! I was immediately drawn into Theo's and Deirdre's stories and I didn't really want to say goodbye at the end, and never throughout the reading did I find a dull moment. The characters were so amazingly real, I felt like I could actually meet them on the street, while at the same time being interesting and diverse enough that their stories really did deserve to be told. From racism to dealing with trauma, from domestic violence to drug abuse, there really isn't a single controversial topic that Clár shies from. Issues that are often trivialised and dismissed as always affecting "someone else" could actually touch anyone's life at any time, even those beyond suspicion. Starting out as small, they creep up on you and grow subtly until it's just too late to be rid of them without paying a significant price. It's an ugly truth, and one that this book represents without ever trying to sugarcoat reality.

Personally, I have a particular interest in books relating in some way to the topic of immigration and as a result often end up reading quite a lot. It's fairly unusual, however, for me to find no flaws with the way this defining experience is portrayed. This was not the case here. Theo's experiences of being a foreigner in a country which until recently wasn't very used to diversity, dealing with trauma and survivor's guilt, racism and the difficulty of "fitting in" are described very realistically, in incredibly vivid detail, free of the usual cliches and stereotypes. The realism of it all is definitely aided by the wonderful setting, so much so that I could basically see the Dublin streets in front of my eyes, and hear the accent in characters' dialogues. Having been to Dublin myself in the past, this book had the added bonus of letting me enjoy a little trip down memory lane.

Overall, this was a fantastic read, one of those books that I felt deeply and that will stay with me for a long time. Harrowing and tender, it will make you laugh and cry, it will inspire and frighten you, but above all it will make you think about all the forgotten Theos and Deirdres that somewhere, in this great big world, are fighting to keep their story going on for just a little bit longer and, maybe, have a happy ending after all.

Theo was seven when he was taken from Rwanda and given a new foster family. Plagued by terrible memories of tribal genocide, Theo is given a new chance in Dublin, but as he grows up and falls into selling drugs, he begins to wonder if you can ever escape your past.

The other voice we hear in the novel is Deirdre’s. She is a forty-year-old ex-nurse working in a restaurant, washing dishes. Her husband beats her. Her children test her with their adolescent disaffection.

When Theo starts at the restaurant, working alongside her, they form a surprising friendship, one which helps them face their increasingly entangled and dangerous lives.

In a way there is little else I want to say because revealing the plot would feel partly facile – in that the novel is about exploring the complexities of our individual histories – and partly make people less inclined to read the book. The novel does not send us down twisted plotlines (though I don’t mean to suggest that the plot is predictable – it isn’t), but works towards a personal reckoning that we feel coming from the beginning.

There are some very astute and beautifully articulated observations:

We’re always being ambushed by the things that we’ve lost, he thought. (Chapter 6)

Memories were sneaky like that. They took and took from all your senses so that you couldn’t ever be sure whether what you were remembering was real or some kind of alchemy made from the snippets in your mind and the way your brain reacted to them. So that now, listening to Jim laugh, he was seeing Jim holding the phone hard to his ear and also seeing his father laughing outside their house before the rains came that April. (Chapter 11)

But survival wasn’t really a noun. It was a verb. You had to keep doing it. (Chapter 12)

And ultimately Rain Falls on Everyone is more about similarity than difference, more about hope than tragedy; danger, violence, greed, love and beauty are everywhere. I enjoyed the novel’s craft and admired its subjects and themes.

Rain Falls on Everyone won’t appeal to all readers, but you’ll know if this kind of story is one you’d enjoy. It certainly made me want to look out Fractured, Clár Ní Chonghaile’s debut novel.

If there's one book you ought to read in 2017, it's this one. I am not saying so because it deeply moved me, or because the folks at NetGalley were so smitten with me that they approved my request to read it, but because Clar (I love you Clar) delivers grief, turmoil, nostalgia, fear, anger, loss and love in crisp tones.

It's like being at a karma restaurant where you get what you deserve and more often than not, Writers underrate readers when it comes to serving up truth and pain. Clar's characters do not make excuses (even though Dierdre does for her husband every time his fists find a home on her body) when it comes to baring their flaws and working through their muddled life.

From the beginning, you know that Theo's a good guy and as you read on, you wish him the best. You want him find a way out of the mess he's in, but what edged me on was that at no point did I pity the characters. It was almost as though they were telling me "you can empathize, but please, save your pity for another book," and in their speech you'd sense some kind of toughness. I don't know much about the Irish, but like Theo, in reading this I felt as though his stay in both Rwanda and Ireland had their fair share of violence. In Rwanda, it was uncalled for. He did not ask for the genocide to take place, but with the drug business in Ireland, he was definitely the one who knocked and asked to be let in.

This book did a number on me and if you are thinking what I think you're thinking, No, I did not cry! I wish I did because there were moments when reading it felt like watching a thriller, but no I did not. A few lines and scenes stuck to me like glue, so, I'll share them:

"In the real world, goodbyes happened when you weren't paying attention."
Theo saying:

"I'm feckin' over the moon that a family found me in the bush and taught me how to hide up to my eyes in the mud. For hours, Dierdre, staying absolutely still and listening to the screams as they found other people and butchered them. So, no, I don't take it for granted. For years, after that, I was still just trying to stay alive, trying to get up every day and keep breathing. Do you know how hard it is to do that sometimes?...I'd survived, I knew I'd made it, and then I didn't know what to do with that."
On the other hand, there is a sense of "I hear you" that I have when I come across any book that mentions Kenya or East Africa. It's like coming home or being home when I read such books, and this feeling is not lost on me as I share my views on this book. I believe it made me read it closely looking out for any mistakes or falsification of events, and I did not come across any of it here.

Like the title, Rain does indeed fall on everyone and sometimes those who are lucky enough to seek shelter cannot pretend that they were never soaking wet.
It's 142 days give or take to Christmas, until then you've got to read this book.

There is a lot to admire about the main character Theo -a young man who resides in Dublin after fleeing Rwanda after the country's mass genocide. His final memory in his home country is of his father committing a violent crime - and the images are enough to haunt Theo's memory for years to come. But Theo is young, smart, capable, and determined - to start a new life for himself despite his heartbreaking past.

But living in Dublin brings on its own set of problems for Theo - such as drugs and gang violence. It is interesting to see how this character evolves throughout the novel - and finds ways not just to survive in this new world, but to live and love.

Chonghaile's writing is beautifully descriptive and poetic. At times, however, the story lagged. Character development was also weak, as I felt that I didn't really understand the purpose of certain characters or gain a sense of who they truly were.

Rain Falls on Everyone reflects the fact that you are not alone in your struggles. Each character in the novel faced some kind of hardship or pain - and it was interesting to see how the characters were able to move forward from these experiences.

Rain does indeed fall on everyone and all get soaked. The author does a good job of rounding out the main characters to give us a reason to connect emotionally with them. Theo is the main protagonist here, he is a survivor of the Rwanda disaster and is plucked from the country and the violence to start over again in Ireland at the age of seven. I've never been to Ireland, but got a bit of the feel for the place thanks to the confident and capable prose of Clár Ní Chonghaile.

Theo of course is having a fish out of water experience growing up in Ireland, although much of his growing years are told in flashbacks and the bulk of the novel is Theo navigating through his young adult years after finishing college. He has seemingly adjusted well, even mastering the language better than some native speakers, but there is a void, something missing and Theo can't seem to quite the noise in his head. He often maintains a distance to those he meets, because of the eventual questions about his past. "Simple questions were easier. He could do the whats and wheres and hows. Just not the why." The internal inferno leads to some unsound decisions that turns this novel into a raging thriller and the second half really hums along at a fast, can't put down pace.

Has Theo survived Rwanda, only to succumb to the streets of Dublin, Ireland? Can he keep his life from going off the rails? Surely, he must know that he has a higher purpose, to be lifted from what was surely death in Rwanda to another chance. Theo is fighting to do the right thing, but he first needs to figure out just what is the right thing. Clár writes with empathy and insight of the human spirit that will have you rooting for Theo despite some of his boneheaded decisions. There were passages that jumped off the page in a poetic sense that gave comfort and satisfaction to the pleasures of reading a literary work. Some minor quibbles about cultural representation concerning Theo and Africa, but not enough to keep this book from 4⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and Legend Press for an ebook. The book is on sale and available now.

Perfect for fans of fast paced thrillers. Interesting story with characters you get attached to along the way.

Amazing novel about a refugee from the Rwandan genocide who finds a new life with foster parents in Ireland. Theo finds a lot of trouble, and finds a lot of support in unexpected places. Life is hard for a brown kid in a foreign land, much less a brown kid who at 7 years old saw his family literally hacked to death, then spent time in a hideous refugee camp, and landed in a town where he was the only person of color in school.

This novel was so engrossing, well written, and visceral that it read like non-fiction. I could not believe the author did not have life experiences in Rwanda.

3 hour book recommended for anyone who likes fast paced drama. I gasped out loud at several points in the novel. AMAZING!

A beautifully written book. Definitely one for fans of fast paced thrillers, and easily one of the best books of 2017