Wolf At The Door

The French phrase entre chien et loup refers to that time in the evening just before proper nightfall begins to engulf all, when the light is dimmed to the extent you would not be able to distinguish between a dog and wolf. Transcending its literal meaning it describes a period of dangerous uncertainty, rendering it ideal for young Irish writer Elske Rahill’s purposes as she charts the lives of three undergraduates in her debut novel. Between Dog And Wolf from Lilliput Press tells the story of three English undergraduates in Trinity College navigating their final years before the onset of proper adulthood. Oisin is Tipperary boy who is feeling increasingly out of place among his home friends and is struggling with his feelings for Helen, a sweet enough girl. Her friend Cassie, attempting to recover after a failed relationship with an older men, completes the collegial triumvirate. This is an interesting and exciting first novel that charts the sex and inner lives of millennials, a topic that is only beginning to be plotted in emerging Irish literature. The novel’s cover image even depicts a young woman taking a selfie in a front room mirror.

Elske Rahill is a former actress and playwright, appearing on the Abbey and Gate Theatre stages in her time, and is currently working on a short story collection. We’re waiting with bated breath to see what she’ll write next.

Buy Between Dog And Wolf here.

Jeanne Sutton @jeannedesutun