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qqjj's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, War, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Grief, Classism, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
leoniepeonie's review
4.5
Ní Dochartaigh's writing style is just dripping with gorgeous imagery and feeling and I relished the way she played with words. I listened to this as an audiobook and it really lends itself to that medium, read aloud like poetry rather than prose at some points. The author narrated it herself (I listened to it at 1.2x speed without noticing any strangeness, as she spoke very slowly) and each word felt very purposeful and precise to the point that I was just lost in it at times. It was a moving, meandering piece that knitted together grief and loss and trauma with landscapes and human customs, and a sense of things lying outside of time. I really look for and love coincidence and meaning in the natural world and this played with that beautifully.
One complaint is that I felt the book went on a little too long - as awed as I was by the beauty of it, I started to feel overwhelmed towards the end and found that the last chapter was quite repetitive and obvious in being an attempt to tie things together nicely. I felt like I had my head around the timeline of ní Dochartaigh's life by about halfway through the book too, and then felt disorientated when she started picking back over that timeline with extra details and it got me pretty confused. A tighter edit might have helped clear that up, but those issues aside, this was gorgeous. I'd been convinced I'd buy it in print and read it again, but she might have lost me with that ending.
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Grief
ez_heath's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Addiction, Abandonment, Grief, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Murder, Suicide, and Emotional abuse
unfiltered_fiction's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Emotional abuse, Death, and Hate crime
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Murder, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury
ameliasbooks's review against another edition
3.75
The story is mainly about the author's personal trauma caused by The Troubles (and other somehow related incidents in her life), but not to the extent, I expected it to be. It's also about the author's relationship with nature in general, but especially with her home country. It didn't need to be that long for what it was able to say, so it definitely could have done with some better editing.
What I liked most about this book were the reflections on the devastating impact Brexit has on Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and the valid fears that come with that.
Some beautiful sentences and reflections in there though, but just not enough for me to fall in love with this book completely.
Graphic: Hate crime, Addiction, Death, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Emotional abuse
libraryraven's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcoholism
rworrall78's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the more concrete descriptons of natural places and of the city. I enjoyed the glimpses of myth and folklore and would have liked more of that.
The lyrical prose seemed to have themes, borders, layers, skin, bones, blood, dancing, light, moths, water, oak trees, v-shapes. I can list them because I feel like I read them a thousand times in under 300 pages. All with little structure or conclusion. Those parts quickly became frustrating, I would have liked more sense of progression or purpose.
Dates and places were mentioned but not clearly enough to give a sense of chronology or even really of geography.
The way the book tackled serious trauma and mental health was excellent, sensitive and insightful.
As much to love as to feel frustrated with. I wasn't tempted leave it, and picked up pace as I got towards the end.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Murder, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism
carigillette's review
3.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Murder
sorcha_rosa's review
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, War, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Mental illness, and Hate crime
Moderate: Abandonment and Fire/Fire injury