The Tide

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If The Catcher in the Rye were to meet Vernon God Little, the resulting work would probably resemble nothing so much as The Tide, the compelling first novel from established dramatist, Mark Tuohy. Michael is 19 and shares a flat above a Chinese takeaway in London with Margaret, his grandmother. When she dies, his already fragile world falls apart. After a desperate plunge into the Thames, he embarks upon a journey that leads from London to Dublin. Accompanied by memories of his grandmother's words and a distant echo of his mother and The Clash, Michael passes through psychiatric care in London and then out to Ireland where he hopes to make peace with himself and the world. Difficult subject matter is punctuated with humor, and throughout the novel—despite his isolation—Michael's optimism is never far below the surface. The style of Tuohy's writing, with its fast pace and lack of punctuation, accurately captures this distinctive voice, drawing the reader immediately to Michael and into his world. The Tide is a tale of self discovery—a novel that deals with the universal themes of love and death, alienation and the fragile nature of existence. It can make you laugh as well.