THIS MUST BE THE PLACE by Maggie O'Farrell

Daniel Sullivan is a charismatic American linguist living with his eccentric wife and kids in Ireland.  Their home is so remote that twelve gates must be unlatched and relatched when driving the approach road.  He soon learns that an old girlfriend died shortly after he last saw her, and this discovery has a boatload of ramifications, putting Daniel in a tailspin.  His ensuing guilt is somewhat well-deserved, but the grief he suffers over a family member’s death is not.  Daniel can be loveable and dependable, but trying times turn him into a mess who makes selfish and foolish decisions with disastrous consequences.  He may not sound like a very appealing character, but he actually is, mostly.  I hesitate to reveal too much about the aforementioned eccentric wife, because her story is fascinating, and I don’t want to spoil it.  The timeline here is meandering, but each chapter heading indicates the year, thus minimizing confusion.  Details regarding events of the past seem to appear at just the right time, although there are a few events that could have used a bit more explanation.  In any case, I loved almost everything about this book—the plot, the characters, the clever dialog, and the narration.  Two of the most endearing characters are Daniel’s son and stepson, both of whom have afflictions that Daniel patiently and lovingly tries to ease.  When Daniel wallows in self-pity, though, he derails almost all of his relationships with both family and friends.  The “good” Daniel is the man we keep hoping will emerge and conquer his demons, as well as mend all the bonds he manages to sever so carelessly.