Wild with All Regrets

April 10, 2023
More than a love story, this tale of raw camaraderie and tragic loss between young men in early 20th century Dublin weaves readers through heartbreak, endearment, and the shock of the first world war. Deards’s assured debut plunges readers into the embattled life of Lucas Connolly, who comes up hard: during a traumatic outburst by his alcoholic father, young Lucas runs from his impoverished home, and eventually finds stability and generosity with the family of a stranger whose kindness–and that of his son, Jamie—is foreign and exhilarating all at once, giving Lucas a light in his life of darkness. Years later, Lucas struggles as an adolescent selling his body to support his family, and he crosses paths with Jamie in a precarious situation. The warmth between them again proves overwhelming, especially for Lucas, who is wrestling with romantic feelings towards men.
With an eye for engaging historical and personal detail, and prose touched with unfussy elegance, Deards charts the development of a deep friendship as the young men venture into the world: first, college life for Jamie, then the life of a soldier for both, fighting for Britain in a war that comes to harrowing life. It also brings death, leaving survivor Lucas bereft, traumatized, and haunted—in his grieving state, Lucas seems to communicate with a post-mortem Jamie. Deards’s intentional dialogue between the two men, one living and one deceased, is so focused readers will be guessing whether Jamie is an apparition sitting on the couch, or in the troubled thoughts of Lucas alone.
Rounding out the cast is the appealing Angie, Lucas’s confidant, whose dry humor and quick wit brighten the novel as she provides a steady presence for this broken man. Intrapersonal struggles with sexuality and steadfast friendship in a volatile time power this sensitive, memorable novel, all as Deards showcases the beauty of connection and vulnerability, and the courage it takes to heal.

Takeaway: The touching, sensitively told story of loss and connection between two Irish men in the Great War.
Great for fans of: Jennifer Johnston’s How Many Miles to Babylon?, Susan Hill’s Strange Meeting.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A