The Butcher's Blessing

 This story is set in Ireland during 1996; the year Mad Cow disease was prevalent in England and the Spice Girls were on the radio asking what we really, really want. The story is told from many points of view one of which is Una, a teenage girl whose father is away most of the year because he is a butcher. According to Irish legend, families were cursed if they ate meat that was not killed and processed by 8 butchers. Most of what the butchers did was secret. The eight butchers roamed from farm to farm killing cows according to ancient ways. Many people didn't believe in the legend anymore but Una did and she wanted to become a butcher someday. The Butcher's Blessing by Ruth Gilligan tells the story of the butchers and the culture of Ireland in 1996 and it was fascinating to read. The ending was dark though, very dark. I was a surprised.