Redder Days is the second novel by Irish writer, Sue Rainsford. I read her first novel Follow Me To Ground a year or so ago, at a time when I had fallen out of the habit of writing my reviews here.

I enjoyed Follow Me To Ground and its blend of contemporary, magical realism and folklore. It explores familial bonds and ties between a shapeshifting non-human father, and the daughter he has birthed from a magical patch of land in their backyard. They possess healing powers which both shun them from, and make them indispensable to their local community. Their relationship is tested when Ada becomes romantically involved with a local human.

I picked up Redder Days from South Kensington Bookshop. It’s one of my favourite bookshops to visit when I go to the V&A Museum. I always find interesting titles when I’m browsing their shelves, and Redder Days caught my attention.

Redder Days

Set in a semi post-apocalyptic world, twins Anna and Adam live in a remote commune with only their cult-like leader Koan being the other inhabitant. A strange medical condition has affected the world causing redness to appear on afflicted people. It might be a sore, an open would, bleeding lips or red eyes. It also means they must be killed. Koan has predicted an apocalypse they call Storm is coming, and every day they must pray in devotion, rub themselves raw with salt, and patrol their land for any infected people.

Anna and Adam have been left behind by their mother Eula. Anna is tough, ruthless and claims indifference to her mother. Adam is sickly and impressionable, and endlessly wonders about Eula and her reasons for leaving. Koan is now an elderly sick man and while tending to him and giving him food, Anna takes the opportunity to read his journals where she begins to learn difficult truths about the community Koan has created. This comes to the fore when a former member of the community returns with unsettling news.

Writing Style

I’ve been able rattle off this synopsis relatively quickly, but there is actually a lot left open to interpretation in this novel. The writing is both rich and ambiguous. It leans toward experimental and literary. While I wouldn’t say I didn’t know what was going on, I also couldn’t tell you the exact order of events and details or exactly how it ends and who is dead or alive. I believe it’s purposefully questionable and uncertain, and that will potentially really frustrate some readers. Some reviews I saw simply say ‘I have no idea what I just read!’ which made me smile, because I can understand why there might be some confusion. I think you’ll either be satisfied with the writing and style of the novel or you won’t.

My logical brain kept searching for clear answers to what this red disease or virus was. I had to keep reconciling myself that it’s not about getting the exact answers. It is an earthy, primal novel, with some very dark themes including infanticide and child abuse. Anna and Adam’s relationship is co-dependent and blurring the boundaries of incest. Their abandonment has left them both old before their time, and incredibly naive. [No spoilers] I found the ending very sad, but also very fitting.

This may well be a marmite sort of book that I would only recommend to readers who I know are comfortable with ambiguity and experimentation. I found a lot of the writing very beautiful and vivid, and I would read more books by Sue Rainsford. I would certainly recommend Follow Me To Ground to readers who like modern folklore.

Cover note

I didn’t notice when I bought the book, but you can see what I believe to be a tiny male and female figures swept up in the red tornado on the cover. I really like the design and it definitely drew me to look at the book. Like the novel itself, the cover is also open to interpretation. While I do think it is most likely a tornado and the red Storm, it also evokes blood spray or spores which feeds into the virus / plague / apocalypse themes.