Jon Doyle's Debut Novel 'Communion' Delves into Moral Turmoil in Wales
Jon Doyle's ambitious and affecting first novel, Communion, tells the story of Mack O'Brien, a young man who intended to become a priest but was expelled from seminary due to a lack of true calling. Returning to his family home in Wales, Mack faces a moral crossroads while navigating life with his ailing, devout mother and a father consumed by grief over recent family losses.
A Local Theatre Production and a Fateful Reunion
Mack finds himself drawn into participating in a local theatre production, playing a disciple in Owen Sheers's immersive community-led re-enactment of the crucifixion, known as the Passion of Port Talbot. This event, which starred Michael Sheen and took place over several days in 2012, becomes a backdrop for Mack's personal struggles. He is recruited after a steelworker from the plant where he works as a security guard drops out of the show.
On the same night he agrees to join the play, Mack bumps into Siwan, a young woman from his school days. Siwan's mother was an environmental activist who was imprisoned for her protests, and Siwan had visited Mack at the seminary when he decided to leave the priesthood, cryptically saying, "forgive me father, for I am about to sin." This sin becomes the central focus of the novel, as Siwan's intentions unfold.
A Complex Relationship and a Dangerous Plot
Mack and Siwan were never a couple in the traditional sense; they never kissed or slept together, but they shared intimate moments in the Plaza cinema, where Siwan would let her leg rest against Mack's in the dark. This connection, perhaps Mack's only real human bond, takes a dark turn when it becomes clear that Siwan's interest in Mack is tied to his job as a security guard at the Port Talbot steelworks.
Siwan plans to blow up the steelworks during a strike weekend, aiming to draw attention to proposed lay-offs without causing casualties. To execute this, she needs Mack's help to get a bomb on site, manipulating his lingering feelings for her from their youth.
Emotional Depth and Narrative Shifts
The novel is rich with emotionally charged elements, though some plotlines ebb as the narrative progresses. Mack's mother's illness and the death of his grandparents remain harrowing but largely off-stage sorrows, while the strike and the theatre production fade into the background. Mack dismisses the crucifixion as "silly," and by the time he encounters a Roman centurion in priest's vestments, the play feels like a McGuffin or allegory for deeper themes.
Ultimately, Communion transforms into a focused and intense exploration of a man haunted by his past and colossal loneliness. Mack, manipulated by the one person who seemed to offer escape from solitude, decides to help Siwan blow up the steelworks, driven by a nihilistic view of his dead-end future and a residual care for her. This devastating journey, akin to a via dolorosa, underscores the novel's themes of sin, solace, and moral ambiguity.
Communion by Jon Doyle is published by Atlantic (£17.99), offering a poignant debut that resonates with readers seeking stories of human connection and despair.
