A German view of The Good Son: ‘Angela’s Ashes meets Billy Elliot’

As a small independent publisher with a backlist full of literary, often quite political titles, we are always looking for the books from the niches, for the so-called “outsiders” with an unique tone and a special message.

At first, when we received a copy of Paul McVeigh’s novel The Good Son for review, I hesitated; wondering if this would be yet again another well-known coming-of-age-story. I was only on the first few pages when I realised I was completely absorbed by Mickey’s voice; his humour, wisdom and courage – the courage to be different from the others.

In living in a neighbourhood full of poverty, violence and mutual surveillance, Mickey’s positive attitude to life, his expectations for a better future and his brusque yet supportive mother proposed hope to the reader. The setting of Ardoyne in the 1980s brings back the memories of a turbulent time in Irish history and through the novel’s many fine described details, the time the book takes the reader to is vivid. I knew that The Good Son would appeal to German readers and we had to be the ones who would publish it.

We have already received many enthusiastic responses from various bookshop owners and booksellers. For example, Thalia Bookshop in Rostock exclaimed that “the book reminds one of Angela’s Ashes and the movie Billy Elliot. The story tells us about clever boy Mickey who transgresses limits, defies what is forbidden and makes a capital decision, which finally leads to a good ending. You have to read this book!”

We are looking forward to hosting Paul McVeigh on a big reading tour starting with the International Literature Festival in Berlin this September, followed by events in different German cities. We are proud and excited to be publishing The Good Son here in Germany, called Guter Junge, and know the excitement we had in the office and already confirmed with the booksellers will translate to wonderful events and a wide readership for this very powerful and moving novel.

Lena Luczak is editor of the German translation of Paul McVeigh’s The Good Son, published by Verlag Klaus Wagenbach

Throughout July, we shall explore The Good Son from many angles, not just with its author but also with contributions by several other well-known writers, including Lisa McInerney, winner of the Baileys and Desmond Elliott Prize; Laura van den Berg, whom Salon.com called “the best young writer in America”; Alison Moore, Booker-shortlisted author of The Lighthouse; Lucy Caldwell, winner of the Dylan Thomas & Rooney Prize; Danielle McLaughlin; Paul Burston, author of seven novels and founder of The Polari Salon & Prize; as well as Sarah Hutchings of City Reads Brighton; and his British publisher, Jen Emery-Hamilton. The month will culminate in a podcast in which the author will discuss his novel with Martin Doyle, assistant literary editor of The Irish Times. This will be published on July 31st and recorded at a public event in the Irish Writers Centre, Parnell Square, Dublin, on Tuesday, July 19th, at 7.30pm.