Super Short Summary

Set in 1980s Ireland amid the Troubles, Siobhan Dowd's Bog Child follows Fergus McCann, a young man who discovers a mummified "bog body" while gathering peat. As he navigates the societal pressures and personal conflicts of the time, including his brother's hunger strike and interactions with the Provisional Irish Republican Army, Fergus also forms a connection with Cora, the daughter of an archaeologist involved in the bog body's excavation. The novel depicts themes of political tension, family dynamics, and the quest for identity. Sensitive topics such as political violence, terrorism, and eating disorders appear in the book.