The Irish-British conflict
The Irish are often the victims of racism in nations of British origin, and they have historically complained about disenfranchisement in the UK. But, without a clear path toward a better future, there was a long series of uprisings and riots that this novel touches on, picking up in the 1970s. The novelist pays specific attention to the rise of terrorism. The truth value of these stories is that without resources, the Irish felt obligated to awaken their government to their interests—but the movements often implode horribly, often damaging communities of innocent people.
Life in community
The backdrop for these ideas is the interwoven tangle of relationships between the many characters. They all live nearby one another, and when they pass by, they often stop, talk, hang out, and sometimes they decide to find some mischief. In the 1970s, life moved at a different pace, without the constant social access of modern social media. The book paints a portrait of life the way it used to be, with its romance, its passion and rebellion, the drama of the home and family, and the value of a day spent with friends.
Social progressivism
The novel is an attempt to reframe social progressivism into two kinds of camps: extremism and passion. There are extremely passionate characters in this novel, like Doug Anderton the vivacious writer, or like Claire Newman in her opposition to organized religion. But then, there are the terrorists, who enforce their opinion as some kind of "divine law," killing many innocent people in bomb attacks. The characters see that social progressivism cannot succeed if it spirals into open hatred for those who disagree.