They Live meets Stranger Things meets Fairy Tale in Eamonn Bradley’s THE VEIL, a highly engaging, genre mashup on an epic scale.
The novel tells the tale of angst-ridden Charlie, who feels responsible for putting his brother Mikey in danger, ultimately leading to his mysterious disappearance. The story begins tightly focussed in on this family’s pain before expanding out to Charlie’s main group of kids who, after an accident at school, discover they have unlocked the ability to see a subculture of beings who serve a dark purpose.
This isn’t the first book by Eamonn Bradley that I’ve read. I really enjoyed PUDDLE PEOPLE, but THE VEIL is something different, something grander.
The first third of this book displays astute social realism, with a working-class north-west Ireland in winter that’s tangible enough to reach out and touch. Eamonn Bradley is careful to make sure this realism beds in before the fantastical starts to happen. I’m not going to say anymore about what takes place but the bond these kids have as they start to take on these powerful forces serves to keep the narrative grounded. What I like about this book is that Bradley works hard to ensure that The Veil is not just a horror tale, but an Irish one. This gives the texture of the book a unique perspective, which I think really adds to the end result.
By the time the novel is finished, there is a real sense that the changes these young people have gone through, physically and mentally, are reflective of the changes that late-teenage years visit on anyone who has to get through it. THE VEIL is a solid coming-of-age ride.
Purchase THE VEIL on Amazon.