Kevin Barry
The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry opens in Butte, Montana, in the 1890s. Tom Rourke, a periodically drunk, opium-addicted Irishman earns money to support his habits by writing letters for illiterate men to entice brides from the east. He stumbles along in a drunken, drug-addicted stupor, frequenting brothels and writing songs.
Rourke’s daily habits come to a screeching halt when he encounters Polly Gillespie, a newly arrived mail-order bride to a self-flagellating, religiously-obsessed owner of a copper mine. Tom is immediately smitten. And, as it turns out, so is Polly. They engage in a clandestine love affair and decide to elope to San Francisco. They steal money. The steal a temperamental palomino horse, and they gallop off in search of freedom. Hot on their heels is the ruthless Jago Marrak with his two shady accomplices enticed by reward money to catch the culprits. The remainder of the novel consists of the lovers’ encounters on their journey to freedom until the end of their escapade. Polly has the last word many years later.
A number of factors make this a delicious read. Prominent among them is the narrative voice. It is at once funny, engaging, sarcastic, and snappy. The language is expressive, poignant, and sings with lyricism. Barry has a way of making his words dance on the page. Butte is described vividly as a copper-mining, lawless town espousing crude social structures, debauchery, with an influx of immigrants, mail-order brides, sex-workers, and drunks. Barry is equally effective in character portrayal. Even the minor characters leap off the page as well-rounded, authentic individuals, beginning with Rourke’s photographer employer, the three-member posse in hot pursuit, Polly’s erstwhile husband, and the colorful characters Tom and Polly encounter on their journey. But most striking of all is his portrayal of Tom and Polly.
To describe them as passionately, head-over-heels in love is to put it mildly. They connect wordlessly, know each other’s foibles, understand one another, struggle together, and persist in spite of their dwindling resources. Their diction is authentic, laced with humor and sarcasm. Barry communicates their unequivocal love without resorting to mushy language or cliches. His is a delightful portrayal of adoring, star-crossed lovers fumbling wildly in search of a freedom they really don’t expect to find on a horse they barely know how to ride.
The novel is imbued with a farce-like quality. Its compelling characters; realistic setting; energetic pace; and rhythmic, lyrical prose make this a quick, thoroughly delightful, and engaging read in the very capable hands of Kevin Barry.