by Anthony Conty (Parkville, MD): “Time of the Child” by Niall Williams has a very slow start, establishing its universe in the fictional Irish town of Faha. The plot remains secondary to the quirky people. The story from the flap begins around page 60, so we learn a lot about the importance of a town doctor and a local priest in Ireland.
Faha is a congested town, both metaphorically and literally. They are struggling through their day-to-day and cannot handle much more, or so they think, until a baby randomly arrives and alters their routine. The importance of daily monotony in literary fiction lies in making the unexpected event have a greater effect on the fully developed characters the author has created.
I broke my own rule and asked AI a question when part of the plot confused me, and our imaginary friend had a lot of extra facts to share about symbolism for melancholy. Apparently, Williams wrote several metaphors about the birth of Christ and creationism that I missed at first glance, but they reminded me why I enjoyed Comparative Literature in college with guidance.
Goodreads categorized the novel as “literary fiction,” which the casual reader cannot differentiate from “fiction.” Williams greatly prioritizes a message over plot and events, which requires some patience in reading. The last act, the contents of which I will not reveal, covers many themes, including single motherhood, societal norms, and nature vs. nurture in families.
Full disclosure: I went for long periods without knowing what was going on and feared that the author would lose me. If you love children and recognize that bond between parent and child, however, the ending will move you. Daughter Ronnie is a well-developed character, and you will root for her, as you do all the great protagonists in literature,, and it will make sense.
