Reviews

This book first seemed like it was going to very boring but I persevered because it could have only won the Dublin literary award if it was good, right? I’m glad I did, there’s a kind of hypnosis to the words, a sort of bedtime story vibe and I found myself looking forward to the chiropodist’s next client and whatever interesting tales they’d bring. Charming.

saszito's review against another edition

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funny informative reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

ultrasteve's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm a big fan of this kind of book. It's largely the true life of the author and others, but wrapped up in a book of stories. The prose is lovely (and kudos to the translator), but simple and down-to-earth, too. In what are very short glimpses into the lives of others, you still feel like you 'know' them to an extent. The opening really struck a chord with me, too, being 45 and feeling every bit in the same lake as the author. Whether I'd be as brave as her in changing her life so dramatically is another matter.

This is a character study, a memoir, and just a beautiful, gentle, book about everyday life.

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