The Wildelings by Lisa Harding: Hard lessons in obsession, desire, abuse and power
Author
:
Lisa Harding
ISBN-13
:
978-1526672919
Publisher
:
Bloomsbury
Guideline Price
:
£16.99
Lisa Harding's third novel, The Wildelings, is set in a fictionalised
Trinity College
of the 1990s. Jessica and Linda – childhood best friends with a complicated dynamic – become embroiled in new relationships at Wilde University that teach them hard lessons about obsession, desire, abuse and power.
The novel is told from Jessica's perspective across two timelines: in the present day she is discussing the traumatic events with a therapist who encourages her to write down everything that happened in chronological order. This written account of her Wilde days is where the story is most alive, energised and compelling.
The artifice of the therapist's office scenes, however, disrupts the narrative flow and asks the reader to suspend too much disbelief as regards the plausibility of that construct. Memory does not unspool neatly like this. The reader is immersed in the dream-like surrealism, and high drama, of the 1990s before being interrupted by the therapist asking a question of Jessica as if she too is reading it in real time. With this device, the aim may have been deliberate absurdity, to underscore the character's philosophical quest to derive meaning from the past, but the execution nonetheless takes away more than it adds.
Perhaps this framing was borne out of an anxiety that readers would struggle to feel empathy for Jessica – who, although drawn with great psychological acuity and depth, will inevitably be judged on her likeability. This problematic response from readers who struggle to engage or connect with flawed, and therefore human, women characters is an ongoing battle in publishing.
READ MORE
Harding's
previous novels
have demonstrated also that she is unafraid to write complex, contradictory, nonconforming women who are authentic products of their past hurts. This is to her great credit, and yet, placing her protagonist in a therapist's office where she must explain her behaviour may betray an anxiety that readers will struggle to understand Jessica without this exposition.
[
'I don't think there is anyone in Ireland whose life hasn't been touched by addiction'
Opens in new window
]
Harding's publisher is marketing this novel as one for fans of The Secret History by the Pulitzer Prize winner
Donna Tartt
. As in life, comparison is the thief of joy, and so they do Harding a disservice here by creating that expectation. Fans of Harding's previous novels, however, will not be disappointed as this novel is an excellent illustration of the writerly sensibilities that have won her past acclaim.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Peter O'Mahony's emotional wife shares heartmelting photo of rugby legend and her granny after ‘typical Belgian evening'
She shared a pair of pics from the trip to Belgium CUTE PIC Peter O'Mahony's emotional wife shares heartmelting photo of rugby legend and her granny after 'typical Belgian evening' JESSICA O'MAHONY shared a heartmelting photo of her rugby legend husband Peter with her granny during their trip to Belgium. It came after she shared another pic of the ex-Ireland and Munster flanker taking in the sunset on a "typical Belgian evening". Advertisement 2 The O'Mahony family are in Belgium 2 Jessica shared a pic of Peter O'Mahony with her granny Jess regularly jets out to Belgium to visit her 92-year-old grandmother. As Ireland was drenched in rain over this past Easter weekend, the mum-of-three was lounging back at the Collins Club beachside bar in Knokke. She shared a host of pics from the trip to Instagram alongside an Easter message to her 119,000 followers. She said: "We've never met a beach bar we didn't like… 🏖️ Advertisement "Happy Easter 🐣 everyone xx" It was the second year on the trot that O'Mahony has spent Easter weekend in Belgium. She charted the 2024 trip on Instagram - once again in Knokke - including photos from a grandmother-granddaughter dinner date. Accompanying a photo of the toasting the trip with a beer, Jessica quipped: "I hope I'm still having beers at 91." Advertisement After boasting that she was "in good company" a number of her over 96,000 followers at the time flocked to the comments to praise her granny as an "elegant lady". Jessica O'Mahony has a close relationship with her Belgian grandmother, and revealed she takes fashion inspiration from her. In an interview with The Times in April 2024, she said: 'She's 91, she still has her pink lipstick, pink nails and high heels. "She doesn't even own a pair of flats, would you believe? She makes such an effort all the time. Advertisement "I always admired that from such a young age.' Her Belgian heritage led her to draw a noteworthy contrast between Irish people and those who live in continental Europe. Reflecting on her various trips to the likes of Belgium and France, she notes: 'I think we've become a little more casual here, a bit more Americanised. "I lived in France and tracksuits didn't really exist there. If you're in a tracksuit you're only going to the gym and back.' Advertisement Her Belgian roots have also led to her giving Peter O'Mahony a new nickname - Pierre.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- RTÉ News
"I don't think I'll ever fully recover": Móglaí Bap's play on the predatory culture of gambling
We spoke to Naoise O' Cairealláin aka Móglaí Bap of Kneecap, whose first play, Minimal Human Contact will be on stage in Dublin and Belfast this month. Please note that the language may not be suitable for everyone. This is your first foray into writing a drama, Naoise, and it's a one-man play about a young man who becomes addicted to gambling in West Belfast. Would it be fair to say this character is an extension of you? Carachtar atá ann ach meascán de mo thaithí féin ag fás aníos in Iarthar Bhéal Feirste, being raped and pillaged by the local bookmakers as a kid. Bhí an oiread taithí agam bhí sé fuarasta tarraingt ón tobar mar, ya know, we were preyed on as kids to start gambling and then we got addicted, ba ghnách linne agus mo chuid cairde f*cking ocht n-uair a chloig a chaitheamh sa bhookies, so, after a while you do find some inspiration. He's a character, but he is definitely influenced by own experiences growing in West Belfast, being raped and pillaged by the local bookmakers, as a kid. I had so much experience it wasn't hard for me to write about it, because, we were preyed on as kids to start gambling and then we got addicted, myself and my friends used to spend f*cking eight hours a day in the books, so after a while you do find some inspiration. Given that this play is based in the urban Gaeltacht of West Belfast and deals with issues that aren't usually tackled in theatre circles, do you think that theatre is a place still reserved for middle-classed people? Is dóiche gur mó seans go rachaidh siad mar go bhfuil an dráma seo ann. Meallfaidh sé daoine nach mbeadh ag dul chuig dráma, de ghnáth. Ní bhíonn drámaí really ann faoi chúrsaí reatha scríofa ag daoine óga, I can't really think of anything except for culchies kissing in Trinity College, there's nothing to do with a proper urban lifestyle being written, go háirithe i nGaeilge, fiú i mBéarla. Bhí agus tá go fóill bookies ar achan choirneál de Iarthar Bhéal Feirste agus má théann tú go ceantar meánaicmeach is beag bookies a fheiceann tú ann, mar ní dhéanann siad airgead sna ceantair sin, mar they're promising a rags to riches experience for people who live in economically disadvantaged areas, like West Belfast. I think there's more of a chance people from outside of the middle-class will go to this play. I hope it attracts people who wouldn't usually go to the theatre. There aren't really plays written by young people, in English or in Irish, except for culchies kissing in Trinity College, there's nothing to do with a proper urban lifestyle being written. There were and still are a bookies on every corner in West Belfast and if you go to a middle class area, you barely see any, because they don't make money in those areas, they're promising a rags to riches experience for people who live in economically disadvantaged areas, like West Belfast. This play delves into the huge societal issue of gambling addiction and your own experience of it, do you see it as a part of the healing journey, or the end of that chapter of your life? Tá fadhb ollmhór ann maidir le cearrbhachas sa tír seo nach labhrann muid faoi, tá sé greannta i gcultúr an lucht oibre, but now the bookies are creating these machines which are super addictive, using lights and sounds they know make it so easy to become addicted to and nuair a chuireann tú na rudaí seo in áiteanna a bhfuil bochtanas ann, you're really preying on people. Is fadhb í fosta bhaineann le fir freisin, óg agus aosta, ní fheiceann tú mná ag dul dó, except bingo, which actually seems like fun, if I was addicted to bingo I would have had a very different childhood. Thóg sé tamaill an-fhada orm teacht chugam féin, go leor leor comhairleoireachta agus tacaíochta ach ní dóigh liom go gcríochnóidh sé riamh. That's the way, that's the life of an addict, you never really get over it, funny enough. There's a huge problem in Ireland with gambling and it's not talked about enough, it's built into the working class culture, but now the now the bookies are creating these machines which are super addictive, using lights and sounds they know make it so easy to become addicted and when you put these things in economically disadvantaged areas, you're really preying on people. It's a very male problem too, young and old, you rarely see a woman in a bookies. They're playing bingo which actually seems like fun, if I was addicted to bingo I would have had a very different childhood. It took me a long time to recover and a lot of counselling and support and I don't think I'll ever fully recover from it. That's the way, that's the life of an addict, you never really get over it, funny enough.
Irish Daily Mirror
05-08-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
President Higgins mourns death of Mise Eire director George Morrison aged 102
President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to renowned documentary maker George Morrison in the wake of his death. Mr Morrison, who was best known for Mise Éire, died at the age of 102 years old. President Higgins described him as 'an iconic and foundational figure in Irish filmography.' He said: 'As President of Ireland, may I express my deepest condolences on learning of the death of George Morrison. George Morrison is and will remain an iconic and foundational figure in Irish filmography. 'A filmmaker of immense craft and skill, he will rightly be remembered in particular as a great innovator in the techniques of film, using new and pioneering camera work while realising how film and music could be brought together in a way that is distinctive.' His films Mise Éire (1959), Saoirse (1961) and Rebellion (1963) are considered classics by his peers, according to Aosdána, the affiliation of creative artists in Ireland. Other renowned work include These Stones Remain (1971) and the maritime film Two Thousand Miles of Peril (1972). President Higgins said: 'His seminal works, including Mise Éire and Saoirse as well as his many other films including his early partnership with the Gate Theatre, comprise an outstanding body of work that has made a deep and lasting impact on Irish culture and Irish cultural memory. 'Mise Éire was created following a painstaking process through which George tracked down long lost or forgotten newsreels from the independence period in archives across Europe. This work led to the preservation of 300,000 feet of early 20th century newsreel footage which may have been lost forever without his work.' Mr Morrison was elected a Saoi of Aosdána in 2017 and presented with the symbol of the office of Saoi, the gold torc, by President Higgins at the time. 'I had the honour of bestowing the honour of Saoi of Aosdána on George Morrisson in 2017 and have also had the pleasure of meeting with him on many other occasions over the years, including when we marked his 100th birthday in Áras an Uachtaráin in 2023. 'On behalf of Sabina and myself, may I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and all those who have been so inspired by his work over the decades,' he added. Mr Morrison was born in Tramore, Waterford, in 1922 and his mum was an actress at the Gate Theatre in Dublin while his father worked as an anaesthetist. He enrolled in Trinity College to study medicine before leaving university to pursue his career in the creative arts. The Wexford native started working on documentaries with the Gate Theatre film ventures as an assistant director and editor. He was awarded the Industry Lifetime Contribution Award at the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Janet Morrison, who died in 2019, and his first wife Theodora Fitzgibbon, who passed in 1991. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
