British painter Lloyd has decided to travel to a remote island for the summer. Unbeknownst to him, French linguistics student Masson will return to the island to complete his dissertation on Gaeilge, the dying Irish language. While the two men fight over what should be preserved and portrayed, the Irish people on the island have their own views on what can be taken and what must remain.

I adore the nuanced exploration of THE COLONY that examines who has the right to tell their stories, what part of culture should be preserved, and what outsiders can take when studying another culture. Written in an experimental style and interspersed with historical conflicts between the IRA and the British Army, THE COLONY brilliantly examines the aftermaths of colonialism through language and art.

However, the experimental writing left me wanting more profound portrayals of the Irish family. The structure of THE COLONY reminds me of GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER (Bernardine Evaristo), and might not be for everyone. Regardless, it is a much-needed story on the rights the Irish have but are denied, the strength the Irish demonstrate but are overlooked, and the culture the Irish possess but are stolen.