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jacs63's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Best read of the year for me, so far.
Totally deserves all the nominations and rewards.
The writing is exquisite.
A tragic and heartbreaking, historical love story, on so many different levels of love.
The characters are flawed but loveable. The story is so....real.
As Cushla says at one point...'This is going to end badly...' and you know it will.
It's doomed from the start. The age gap, the different religions, the troubles in Ireland, he's married with a child....and a serial adulterer. The decisions you make. The coincidences. The lies and deceit.
It made me feel guilty that, as someone of recent Irish descent- 3 generations back-I haven't tried to read more about the 'Trouble in Ireland'. I am out to find some good books to read now. I lived in the UK till 1974 so I remember a fair bit.
Couldn't put it down once I started it.
I hope Louise Kennedy writes more books soon.
Graphic: Genocide, Torture, War, Addiction, Blood, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Murder, Bullying, Death, Medical content, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Racism, Religious bigotry, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
alisonannk's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Death, Grief, War, Alcohol, Classism, Sexism, Hate crime, and Murder
Moderate: Pregnancy, Infertility, Miscarriage, Classism, Colonisation, and Bullying
katewhite77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It could be argued that you have to suspend your disbelief plot wise but I can forgive it. Oh god can I forgive it because otherwise this story could not have been told and it needed to be told. It could also be said that this novel is less about plot and more about the frailties of human nature in extreme circumstances.
The novel tells the story of one women's elicit affair during the early days of the Troubles in Belfast. The writing is exquisite.
Yes Cushla makes questionable decisions at times but don't we all. Sometimes they are just part of being being human and a good one at that.
Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Violence, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Grief, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Bullying and Police brutality
geraldinerowe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
erinblue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death, Alcoholism, Bullying, Infidelity, Murder, and Violence