The novel "Cal" offers a compelling portrait of a young man facing limited choices in life. Cal must choose between continuing to work in a slaughterhouse, which makes him physically and emotionally ill, or joining the ranks of the unemployed in a time and place fraught with uncertainty. His past haunts him, but the thought of a future with Marcella offers a glimmer of hope. This gripping love story unfolds against the threat and violence of Ulster, where love and innocence are hard to maintain.