Trespasses is set in the Troubles; they permeate every page, every sentence of the novel. Kennedy sketches a downright chilling picture of Northern-Island, influencing both public and private life. Main character Cushla personifies the innocent civilian being the victim of circumstances beyond her control.
Kennedy uses news flashes about the Troubles throughout the novel. Every chapter starts off with news about people being assaulted or shot, with atrocities by all parties. Main character Cushla is a primary school teacher, to her pupils the Troubles are a fact of life. They are accustomed to the news, it has become part of their life. As a reader you are aware of the fact they are being groomed to take part on one side, the pupils do not consciously take part. They do know however that one of their own, Davy, is to be set aside. Having a Catholic father and a Protestant mother is not done.
Kennedy through the news flashes manages to invade the Troubles into everyday life without embroidering upon the individual cases in detail. She does not succumb to describing violence in detail, she has it as a regular component of life, which makes it all the more chilling.
Cushla is a Catholic who falls in love with a protestant married man, Michael. Their love story is one of two personal story lines. Kennedy describes the relationship setting off, encountering a fair amount of difficulties, nevertheless continuing. Cushla’s other personal story line is her involvement with Davy’s family. She has taken a shine to the insecure, vulnerable boy and tries to help when his family gets into trouble. Not realising that an act of neighbourly care in times of the Troubles can be interpreted differently.
Throughout the novel the influence of the church is felt, the priest bullying young children into taking sides with the IRA is revolting. The British army is present everywhere, doing a bit of public relations on the one hand, bullying people by invading their privacy continually on the other hand. Life in Belfast is definitely not easy if you are a Catholic, even if you do not partake in any of the Troubles.
At the end the two story lines meet and cause havoc for all the parties involved. Cushla is brutally made aware of the fact that she is living in a warzone in which innocent civilians have to be aware every day of every word they say, everything they do. In a matter of seconds all can be taken against you. Throughout the novel Kennedy made me feel the fear, the everpresent tension, the hyper-awareness of everybody living in Northern-Island in that time.
The Troubles have officially ended many years ago; Northern-Island finally has a chance to move on. The first and final chapter of Trespasses represent this positive perspective, they add a slight touch of hope to the novel. I feel Trespasses has every right to be on the shortlist. Kennedy has managed to bring alive a brutal period in her home’s history, she has given the people in history a face.
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