Milkman (novel)

Milkman
First edition
AuthorAnna Burns
LanguageEnglish
Subjectstalker • gossip • family tension • homosexuality • escapism • marginalization • societal expectation • criminal harassment
Genreliterary fiction
PublisherFaber and Faber
Publication date
17 May 2018
Publication placeNorthern Ireland
Media typePrint (hardcover, paperback), ebook, kindle, audiobook
Pages368
ISBN978-0571338740

Milkman is a historical psychological fiction novel written by the Northern Irish author Anna Burns.[1] Set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the story follows an 18-year-old girl, "middle sister," who is harassed by an older married man known as "the milkman" and then as "Milkman". It is Burns's first novel to be published after Little Constructions in 2007, and is her third overall.

Milkman received strongly positive reviews, with critics mostly praising the book's narration,[2] atmosphere, humour,[3][4] and its complex portrayal of Northern Irish sociopolitics.[5][6] Milkman won several awards, including the 2018 Booker Prize for Fiction,[7] marking the first time a Northern Irish writer has been awarded the prize.[8] The novel also won the 2018 National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction,[9] as well as the 2020 International Dublin Literary Award.[10] As of 2019, the novel has sold in excess of 540,000 copies.[11]

  1. ^ "Milkman". Public Store View.
  2. ^ Kilroy, Claire (31 May 2018). "Milkman by Anna Burns review – creepy invention at heart of an original, funny novel". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Revely-Calder, Cal (1 June 2018). "Milkman by Anna Burns, review: a viciously funny take on the Troubles". The Daily Telegraph.(subscription required)
  4. ^ McKinty, Adrian (12 May 2018). "Milkman review: Impressive, wordy and often funny". The Irish Times.
  5. ^ Quinn, Annalise (4 December 2018). "Brutally Intelligent 'Milkman' Depicts Lives Cramped By Fear". NPR.org. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  6. ^ O'Connell, Mark (19 December 2018). "Don't Be Scared Off by Milkman's Supposed Difficulty. It's Remarkable". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Anna Burns wins the 50th Man Booker Prize with Milkman". The Man Booker Prizes. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  8. ^ Flood, Alison; Claire Armitstead (16 October 2018). "Anna Burns wins Man Booker prize for 'incredibly original' Milkman". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  9. ^ "2018 Winners & Finalists". National Book Critics Circle. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Milkman – DUBLIN Literary Award". Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  11. ^ Hutton, Claire (31 July 2019). "Why Anna Burns' Milkman is such a phenomenon". OUPblog. Retrieved 4 June 2021.