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d0505's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Religious bigotry
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
elleneam's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A thought-provoking wintery read. Despite what others have said I thought the brevity of the book worked really well, allowing it to be slow-paced and set on just a few days without it becoming boring. There was a very interesting premise, exploring the Magdalen Laundries without being too graphic, and with a large emphasis on the things unsaid. The inner dialogue style worked really well, allowing the novel to focus on the different influences which cause people to act or not to act when they see something happening.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
killeenm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Good Christmas read, but very sad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Forced institutionalization
readerette's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A touching look inside of a person struggling with questions probably most adults have had about what is really stopping us from helping people not doing as well as we are in life, even if we aren't rich. Mrs. Kehoe's character seemed a little like a puzzle piece not quite sized to fit, but the story flowed smoothly and brings to light a women's issue I had not heard of before.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Pregnancy
annick's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
The last third was so moving. I began highlighting passages. And I want to revisit them again. So many thoughts stirred by this novella. I hope to read more from this writer in future
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Forced institutionalization
rainbowarpaint's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
martapsalvado's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Starting to understand that Claire Keegan is the type of author that falls in this concept of "the girls that get it, get it, the girls that don't, don't." Unfortunately, I don't think I get it.
However, this made me do some research about The Magdalene Laundries in Ireland, a topic I've heard of before, but didn't knew much about. That alone would have made it worth it to read the book.
However, this made me do some research about The Magdalene Laundries in Ireland, a topic I've heard of before, but didn't knew much about. That alone would have made it worth it to read the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Pregnancy
bdobiesz915's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
ericj32's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A tender, yet unflinching, account of cruelty that is easier to passively ignore than to confront. The protagonist is himself vulnerable and busy, and has plenty of reasons to focus on other things but his mind won’t let him forget what he stumbled into and perhaps wishes he had not seen. The prose is the main attraction here - it feels as though the author is only documenting what the characters choose to acknowledge which somehow creates a palpable sense of the things that they’re not saying out loud. This brief little book can be easily read in one sitting, yet it somehow feels like it packs in all of the depth and nuance of a much longer novel. The author’s humble prose conveys only what must be said. It almost feels more like a parable, as it’s grounded in ancient, essential truths yet told in an accessible, modern form. I was nervous about where it was going and how it would end (it seemed fairly predictable) and was thoroughly won over by the thrilling last couple of pages. Looking forward to reading other works by this author as she seems to have a firm grasp on what is worth writing (and reading) about.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Slavery, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, and Vomit
skylarkblue1's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This was pretty disappointing. The subject matter is tough but needs to be talked about, but the book barely does that.
I didn't really feel anything from this book. The writing was nice and did paint a decent picture of the scene but in the end I was left feeling like it was kinda just... All about nothing. Reading other reviews shows it didn't really teach anything about magdalene laundries other than they existed and where bad. It doesn't go that much into what abuses where suffered by women in those places - barely enough for most of the content warnings to be applicable. It tries to keep things light and hopeful especially with the ending, but feels like it ends up undermining how serious this piece of history is.
If you've watched broadchurch, it felt a bit like watching a bad version of that classic opening, the one-shot where Mark is walking through town but you know something bad is happening in the background. At least with Broadchurch it actually does something with the "bad" stuff lmao. Here instead it attempts a hapy ending but just feels a bit bleak and empty.
I didn't really feel anything from this book. The writing was nice and did paint a decent picture of the scene but in the end I was left feeling like it was kinda just... All about nothing. Reading other reviews shows it didn't really teach anything about magdalene laundries other than they existed and where bad. It doesn't go that much into what abuses where suffered by women in those places - barely enough for most of the content warnings to be applicable. It tries to keep things light and hopeful especially with the ending, but feels like it ends up undermining how serious this piece of history is.
If you've watched broadchurch, it felt a bit like watching a bad version of that classic opening, the one-shot where Mark is walking through town but you know something bad is happening in the background. At least with Broadchurch it actually does something with the "bad" stuff lmao. Here instead it attempts a hapy ending but just feels a bit bleak and empty.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Vomit