Dan Sheehan’s debut novel is ambitious, rambunctious and extremely accomplished. Ambitious, in so far as it addresses daunting and complex issues; rambunctious, in its wild, road-trippy exuberance; and accomplished because it combines these elements with style, wit and compassion. At a time when contemporary fiction is being dominated more and more by arid and self-indulgent experimentalism, it’s refreshing to discover a writer who is holding true to the solid virtues of story, character and voice ... the writer has an acute sense of local colour ... time-shifting and dual narrative can be confusing for the reader but here the effects are seamlessly interwoven. The prose style, full of vibrant wise-cracking energy, can turn on a dime into a controlled lyricism befitting serious subjects such as PTSD, mental health and the nature of masculinity, toxic or otherwise ... Too many recent novels have wallowed in nostalgie de la boue without recourse to our better angels. Restless Souls is an honourable exception, and all the more welcome for it.
Sheehan deals deftly with these sensitive subjects, tempering his prose with a darkly comic streak that never feels misjudged. As a study in how young men process and express their grief, Restless Souls is a highly promising debut.
This Irish debut describes Tom, Karl and Mal, three Dubliners in their 20s, struggling to come to terms with the suicide of their childhood friend, Gabriel ... Sheehan runs into difficulties portraying the generation preceding his own. Karl remarks on the junkies on the Liffey boardwalk, although the boardwalk wasn’t built until 2000 ... But beneath the anachronisms beats a good heart ... In his rendering of the bonds of male friendship, the novel stands on firm ground. He evokes the boys’ confusion, their tenderness, their fear. But also their hope that they can save their damaged friend and, in so doing, rescue themselves from the guilt that has haunted them since the first of their number took his life, a message that transcends generations.
In his emotionally evocative yet easygoing, often-comical debut novel, Irish writer Sheehan tackles friendship, remorse, and personal identity ... Divided between Karl’s contemplative present-day narration and Tom’s harrowing memories of 1990s Bosnia, Sheehan’s novel balances humor with horror, revealing that the past doesn’t have to define one’s character.
Billed as 'a tragedy, a comedy and a road trip novel,' perhaps even the publishers of Dan Sheehan’s debut Restless Souls know there’s too much going on in one book for it all to work cohesively ... As the novel progresses, distinct voices do emerge, but this is more a factor of circumstance than style. Where Sheehan...comes into his own as a writer is the descriptions of a war-torn Sarajevo ... The characterization of peripheral characters is also skillfully done ... The problem with Restless Souls is a subplot that easily could have made a novel in its own right.
Male culture in America and elsewhere is at the center of a critical storm in 2018, at least when it’s not being hauled off in handcuffs or fired. This may not be the best year for the release of a bro-book. Still, for lovers of a good story, and those interested in a subtle revisioning of masculinity, Dan Sheehan’s novel delivers the goods ... This is a moral novel, concerned with questions of right and wrong, but it is not one that explores both men’s and women’s questions. Some readers may be put off by the dearth of multi-dimensional female characters. Others may be put off by how the novel avoids mention of the sexual assaults that were common Sarajevo siege-era atrocities. The humor and lyricism of Restless Souls, however, engrave an almost irresistible invitation to join these characters on their journey to touchy-feely land and make it easy to suspend prejudice and disbelief to follow them there. Once along for the ride, readers will be willing to stay put and hope for the best.
A moving journey through grief, loss, war, and new beginnings for three childhood friends on the cusp of finally growing up. Irish debut novelist Sheehan packs an emotional gut punch in his new book, as well as a fair number of laughs—a tightrope walk to be sure, but one he handles with aplomb ... The novel reads like a long, slow reveal—several of the most dramatic events that give the story its heft show up in the first few pages, but the hows and whys are slowly doled out over the course of the rest of the book, and this keeps the reader involved. Certain events in the third act may be a bit too far-fetched for some, but they serve the story well; with the depth of character on display here, a few plot points do not affect the emotional impact of the conclusion. A paean to friendship and the resilience of the human spirit.
[A] stunning and moving debut novel ... Sheehan's blend of breathless action, unsentimental depictions of love, and spot-on period touches will appeal to readers who like their hopeful narratives tinged with powerful uncertainties.
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