Prophet Song facts for kids
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| Author | Paul Lynch |
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| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Oneworld Publications |
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Publication date
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2023 |
| Pages | 320 |
| Awards | Booker Prize |
| ISBN | 9780861546459 |
Prophet Song is a book written in 2023 by an Irish author named Paul Lynch. It was published by Oneworld. This novel tells the story of the Stack family, especially Eilish Stack. She is a mother of four children who tries to protect her family. This happens as Ireland slowly changes into a country where the government has total control. The story is told in a special way, without any paragraph breaks.
The book won a very important award called the 2023 Booker Prize.
About the Book's Idea
Paul Lynch shared that he got the idea for Prophet Song from real-world events. One big inspiration was the Syrian Civil War. This conflict led to many people having to leave their homes. He also noticed that many countries in the West did not seem to care much about these refugees.
Lynch also mentioned that the books by a German writer named Herman Hesse helped him. Hesse's work inspired him to write his first novel about a future where things have gone wrong.
What the Story Is About
The story of Prophet Song takes place in Ireland in the near future. After a big strike by teachers, a new political party called the National Alliance takes over the government. This new party gives the Irish police, known as the Garda Siochana, and the judges a lot of power. They also create a new secret police group.
The new government quickly starts taking away people's basic rights. Peaceful protests are stopped, and people are arrested for no good reason. Larry Stack, who is a teacher and a leader of a workers' group, is arrested. He is held without being charged while at a rally.
His wife, Eilish, is a scientist. She is left to look after their four children and her dad, who has memory problems. Eilish tries to get her husband out of jail. The country soon falls into a civil war. People thought to be against the government are arrested or face serious danger. Eilish struggles to keep her family safe during this difficult time. She thinks about leaving the country with her family. She might go to Canada to be with her sister Áine.
