Bog Child

The book starts in 1981, in Ireland, near the North-South border, with Fergus McCann, just 18 and doing his A-levels, hoping for a place at a university away from Northern Ireland and The Troubles, finding the body of a dead child in a peat bog near his home town.
The book is beautifully written and

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reads like a detective story, but offers a lot more: The Troubles feature prominently, and the difficulties of ordinary people living in Ireland (and the U.K.) are vividly drawn - but very subtly, i.e. in the attitude of Fergus' father (pro PROVO) and mother (against any violence) and the effect this has on their relationship.
I loved this book.

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This surprised me as being a book I very quickly found myself getting into.Dowd's style is simple, but beautiful - like being gently cushioned and guided through the story she tells. It is set on the border between North Ireland and South Ireland, in 1981 when the Troubles in Ireland were strong

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and troublesome. It starts when Fergus and his uncle dig up a dead child in the bog whilst stealing peat. Really though, it is not a story about a bog child - it is a personal story of what life was like for a young man during those times and what they went through.As a young adult book, it does not look deeply into the conflicts between Ireland and Britain. It however does leave you with a depth of feeling and wanting to find out more. The ending I felt, was a bit weak but it was a very enjoyable and engrossing read - but not a runaway novel. Unfortunately, the author died in 2007 of breast cancer at the age of 47. I have marked her other books as to-read I only wish there could be more.

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Meg Rosoff review in Guardian Books: "One of the joys of this book is its willingness to confront big themes. Within a fast-paced drama that any 14-year-old can enjoy, Bog Child explores political conflict, personal heroism, human frailty, love and death. As a writer, Dowd appears to be incapable

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of a jarring phrase or a lazy metaphor. Her sentences sing; each note resonates with an urgent humanity of the sort that cannot be faked. Bog Child sparkles with optimism and a deep passion for living. Love falls from it in particles, like snow."

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This is a fascinating book pulling two threads of a story together - first, Fergus McCann discovers a preserved body in a bog near his home in Ireland. The story of the bog child is told through archaeology and radiocarbon dating. Then there is the story of Fergus' life - the Troubles which have

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always divided Ireland and the ways in which Fergus' family is split by these Troubles. His brother is in jail, and begins painfully dying on a hunger strike. His mother and father are divided over what is right, and Fergus just wants to escape Ireland and become a doctor. His life is ahead of him, if he can get out of helping the Provos. This book is compelling, and while it doesn't really explain the Troubles for teen readers on this side of the ocean, it gives enough context for kids to figure out what's going on. And the parallels between Fergus' story and the story of the Bog Child, whose life he dreams at night, is very interesting as well. The suspense keeps the story moving along, painful as it is. Very good, but probably only a strong or intelligent reader would keep reading through the foreign-ness of this story.

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Excellent story taking place in a town on the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. A mummified body is discovered by a boy who falls in love with the anthropologist's daughter, worries about his older brother in prison, and is talked into carrying mysterious packages back

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and forth across the border.

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A historical novel set in both the near past (Northern Ireland Troubles) and the distant past. Sensitively written it weaves a tale that links these times through the Experiences of Fergus.. This will appeal to the thoughtful teenage reader.Shortlisted for Carnegie Medal 2009. Watch this space for

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this award result.

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Set in Irelandd during the turmoil of the 1980s, this well written story will keep you riveted with multiple plots. 16 year old Fergus lives in Northern Ireland with his family. He and his uncle cross the border to gather peat one day and discover a child's body in the bog. At first, they think the

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child was murdered by the IRA, but then archaeologists flock to the small town, claiming the body is 2,000 years old. Politics plays a large role in the book as Fergus' brother is in prison on a hunger strike to free Northern Ireland. Love and death are also important themes in the story.

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Book Talk (for American teen audiences) for Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd 2008.

Fergus is just a regular 18 year old, worried about his A-Levels (which are kinda’ like really big deal SATs) and his drivers test, and trying not to get involved with the Troubles, or think about his older brother who is

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part of a hunger strike in Jail. You see, in Northern Ireland in the 1980’s where this book takes place, tensions were running high between the mainly Catholic Nationalists and the typically Protestant Unionists. Bombings and terrorisms were reported on the news, border were watched, and everyone was scared that they or a family member will end up dead because of it all, no matter what side the were on.

In the midst of all this Fergus finds a body right on the border. But it isn’t a recent victim of terrorism. Oh no, It’s much older than that. It is a body from the Iron Age, nearly 2000 years ago, nearly perfectly preserved in the bog, and a wonderful archeological find and brings a whole slew of scientists into their part of Ireland.

If you’re ready to solve a mystery and understand what sacrifice is, follow Fergus as he runs mysterious packages for the IRA across the border in his waist band, tries to understand a cause that his brother is willing do die slowly for, and piece together a 2000 year-old puzzle of a girl’s death in Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd.

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Bog Child is an amazing book that has a mix of funny, sad and tense moments.

__________________SPOILERS________________________________________

It's a main plot line mixed with a second story about another girl found in the bog thats 2000 years old that got sacrafised because she was cought of a

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crime she did not commit but the evidence on tiny feet leads her to her death. The packaging deliveries of the condoms was harrious, made me laugh out loud at the end of a class science test, the teacher asked what was so funny, i told her, she burst out giggling too! But the starving brother bit made me imagine too much got me quite down thinking about my sister if she was like that, because i'm very werid with storys because i get too involved! that means the author wrote well like some of my favourite authors, i like authors like that!

I fully loved this book one of my all time favourites!

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An interesting book about Ireland in the late 70's during the IRA bombings and turmoil. It brings to life how living under the cloud of war and unrest can shape the way a person lives and what is necessary to survive. A decision made in a moment can change one's future. Such is the dilemma of

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Fergus who has a brother in prison on hunger strike, a family fighting to maintain their equilibrium during a terrible time and a discovery of an iron-age bog child who demonstrates how tragedy exists across centuries. Fergus is an intellectual young man with a strong sense of self and a pragmatism that is enviable. He knows where his future lies and it is not in the turmoil of this Ireland. I loved how he finds Mel preserved in the bog and lives her experiences in his dreams. This was a very enjoyable book for young and old.

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I agree with the mass of online reviewers that the subject matter is unconventional for teen literature fodder—a Northern Irish teenager, Fergus, has the standard teenage worries of exams and cars, but Dowd also intertwines the harsh political worries of Ireland and the Sinn Fein by involving

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Fergus’s brother, who is a political prisoner.

While gathering peat one day with his uncle, Fergus discovers the body of a young girl from the Iron Age (although at first they think the body is “fresh); subsequently, he becomes haunted by dreams of this girl, Mel, and her story. Between his dreams and his grappling with the political pressures of the day, Dowd has a great storyline; however, my concern is that there is a great deal of political nuance that many teenagers may misunderstand or miss altogether. I did not learn much about Sinn Fein until I took Irish Literature in college as an English major; the Irish history is very specific and deep, and unfortunately many high schools only focus on “world” and United States history, sometimes skipping Ireland completely. A teacher would need to spend a special unit on Ireland, which would be a wonderful thing, and this book would enhance that. If a teenager picked up the book on her own, though, she might become frustrated by the amount of knowledge the author assumes the reader already knows.

Notable quotes:

“His legs were heavy. Every breath felt like his last. When people asked him what was the worst bit of a run, the answer was always the same: the first mile” (38).

“Then he was back in the prison, mouthing better arguments, and Joe was listening, reaching out through the glass, which dissolved at a touch. ‘Joe, come off that weary strike,’ he whispered. The memories of the years flew at him like cards in a desk: Joe showing him how to rake up cut grass, then shaking the implement up at the sky like a hellish imp’s pronged fork and chasing Fergus around the house” (86).

“She reminded him of the laws of electromagnetism: F = qv x B, where F, force, was Cora, and q the charged particles in his body and v the rate at which they were being sucked backwards towards her. B was the inside of the Renault, a moving magnetic field, which the sun dappling, the air rushing and Felicity chatting and the white lines of the road flicking past, like heartbeats” (143).

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Excellent and unusual. Set at the time of the IRA hunger strikes. It looks at terrorism through the eyes of an Irish teenager. At the same time a shadow story unfolds - the story of the body of a child found mummified in a bog. The story of the prejudice that led the body to end up in the bog

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echoes the prejudice of the world in Ireland.

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I just finished reading "Bog Child" last night. Right away you are jumped into the story as Fergus is out with his Uncle Tally and spots a bangle in the ground. Next he sees a hand. He finds out that there is a body in the bog. Throughout the story the story of the bog child is unfolded in Fergus's

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dreams and from all of the tests on her. Fergus falls in love with Cora, and has a brother that is dying in jail because of his stubbornest to continue his hunger strike. He is tricked into delivering packages hoping that by doing it someone will convince his brother to come of the strike. He thinks that there might be bombs inside the packets, but is that true? I really liked reading "Bog Child"!

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Wonderful story, about a boy named Fergus who discovers a body while getting peat from a bog in Northern Ireland. It's the time of the Troubles, when Northern Ireland wants independence from Great Britain, and those supporting the cause are trying to establish themselves as political prisoners

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through hunger striking as a protest method. Fergus is in the midst of all this, with his brother Joe in prison numbered among the hunger strikers. He is torn between loyalty to his family, his exams (which could lead him to a career in medicine if he succeeds), his role in the political strife itself, and a new love interest with the daughter of the researcher who comes to see the body he found. Turns out, the bog child is not recent but ancient. He dreams of this bog child, whom he names Mel, and the dreams interweave with the drama of Fergus's real life.

Great for mature middle school, or high school readers. Personalizes the situation in Northern Ireland, which may help students understand civil strife in other parts of the world.

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Set against the IRA hunger strikes the book weaves a story of a family caught up in the troubles with that of the historical life of a child whose body is found in a bog. It was the modern story that fascinates - a way of learning about Irelands recent history and a unique opportunity of seeing the

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situation through Irish eyes. Excellent for enquiring minds and children interested by history or politics - yet written in an accessible and straightforward way.

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While cutting peat just across the border that divides Ireland into two countries, 18 year old Fergus McGann and his Uncle Tally discover a small, well-preserved body in the bog. An archaeologist is called in and the body is determined to be from the Iron Age. The novel takes place in the 1980's in

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the border regions of Ireland during a time called The Troubles and several jailed Irish freedom fighters were starving themselves to death in prison to gain public and media attention to their cause. Fergus' brother is one of these young men. So while he is studying for exams which he hope allows him to escape this benighted area forever, and getting to know the archaeologist's daughter, and being recruited to carry packets with unknown contents through a border crossing when he runs in the morning, he is also dealing with a lot of tension at home surrounding his brother's decision to join the fasting prisoners.

There are a lot of different things going on in this novel, and they do all weave together into a very readable story, but for awhile I was wondering where it was all heading. The characters are well developed and the Irish setting is carefully described. The author covers this period of Irish history carefully and respectfully, but she does not place it into context, so I was struggling a bit in the beginning with what was happening. I also enjoyed the subplot of the bog child and her story...it was very interesting. I am not quite sure why this book was an Edgar Award Nominee as it is not a mystery, but is a well-written, compelling coming of age story set in a difficult time and place.

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In 1981, the height of Ireland’s “Troubles,” eighteen-year-old Fergus is distracted from his upcoming A-level exams by his imprisoned brother’s hunger strike, the stress of being a courier for Sinn Fein, and dreams of a murdered girl whose body he discovered in a bog. Summary BPL

This was my

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second go at Bog Child. I read it first, kind of skipping towards the end; for some reason I couldn’t get into Fergus’ situation. The prose is very spare; it didn’t draw me into the story.

Second time, I downloaded the audiobook read by Sile (pronounced Sheila) Bermingham in anticipation of a long drive to North Bay. Ms Bermingham was able to bring the characters to life through their accents and tonal differences. Bog Child is told from Fergus’ point of view so it may seem an odd choice to have a woman read the audiobook but for me it worked.

8 out of 10 Recommended for those who enjoy reading about the Troubles, Ireland and threshold stages of life.

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When the narrator first read the background of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strikes I thought, hell no, I'm not up for reading or listening to anything this heavy. Maybe it was the lilting Irish narrator (fab job) or the exquisite layering of the three storylines but I fell in love a bit. The time period

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is handled seemlessly and the story within a story about the doomed Iron Age Bog Child is heart breaking.

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On a study break from preparing for his A-level exams, Fergus accompanies his uncle Tally on a peat-digging trip when they find the body in the bog. Police argue about which side of Ireland's north-south border the body is on and therefore who is responsible for handling this apparent murder

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case--but then the body is determined to be much older than any open murder case, possibly Iron Age. Fergus gets deeply involved in trying to unravel the mystery of who the girl was (as well as getting deeply involved with the archeologist's daughter, Cora), while trying desperately not to get involved with the other circumstances. The year is 1981, and Ireland is in the midst of the Troubles. Fergus's brother is on a hunger strike as a political prisoner, and his brother's friend coerces Fergus into ferrying small parcels back and forth across the border. This is a dramatic summer that will change everything.

The writing is sparsely beautiful; there is not a wasted word or plot thread here, and while the plot unfolds slowly, it is compelling and suspenseful from beginning to end. Major characters are richly developed; minor characters are developed enough to be distinct and realistic. There is a clear sense of the time and place, and this may be the only flaw in this excellent novel: the setting is so well-integrated into the plot that the reader would be helped by knowledge of Ireland's recent history, because many elements are not well-explained for those who have no background. Readers may puzzle over some of these details, but most can be understood in context, and any lingering questions can be addressed with minimal research. While the writing and some of the plot threads are accessible to bight middle-schoolers, this is a title that will do well in the hands of motivated high-school readers and adults.

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Bog Child takes place in Ireland during the turbulent 1980's. While digging for peat with his uncle, Fergus discovers the body of a small child who appears to have been murdered. Throughout the novel the bog child's story is revealed to us in Fergus' dreams. While pondering what happened to the

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small child whom he christens Mel, Fergus is also studying for exams and worried about his brother who is on hunger strike. I really liked Fergus' and felt he was a relatable character who struggled to balance his wants and needs with those of his family. I thought that he was a genuinely good person who always strived to do the right thing. This book is well written and does a great job of capturing the strength and resilience of the human spirit. 4 stars

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3.5 stars. She definitely has her own voice for her writing. It was different. I enjoyed the double story as they tried to look at the body and evaluate the evidence.

I read this book several years ago, but LOVED it! I was thinking about re-reading it, but by listening to the audiobook. I just sampled the audiobook and am VERY disappointed in the narrator they chose. I guess I will just read my paper copy.

It took a while to really become involved in this book, but when I did I was glad I persevered. This book will not appeal to everyone; it not an easy read nor is it action-packed or overly romantic. However, the big themes of conflict, sacrifice, peace, life and death, and a boy letting go of his

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childhood kept me engaged to the end. Well worth the read.

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I read this when I was in high school and it was absolutely heart-wrenching.

That is the one thing about Dowd's writing that you have to know. It will make you care about people and then break your heart. But I loved this book, Dowd writes a really masterful, very serious book without making

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difficult topics inaccessible. Her characters, felt, at the time, for me, very relatable and I really felt their struggle.

Her books have always been readable, despite how dark they are. In this book we follow a protagonist called Fergus whose brother is currently undergoing a hunger strike. There's other themes, sexuality, belonging, loneliness, the isolation of adolescence all captured in this book.

As a teenager, finding books for me to read was really hard because I didn't want to read about young dystopian women who were feminists but had no female friends, respected no female characters and spent their time in a love triangle. Or a young teenaged boy at school who desperately wanted X Girl to be his girlfriend but she couldn't be because he never communicated literally anything to her.

(No disrespect meant, but when I was young I was always hungering for books that weren't so easy as the current YA ones on the market. YA was just becoming a thing and it was really light and superficial at first.)

I wanted books that treated me with respect, and Dowd's did that.

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