Reviews with content warning for Religious bigotry - Drobiazgi takie jak te

Small Things Like These was a reread which I enjoyed just as much the second time around. The writing is exquisite and the story has a timeless feel, if anything seeming older than it’s 1980s setting. I really loved Keegan’s explorations of the philosophical questions like “What is our purpose in life?” and “Do we do the right thing even if it is hard and it might cost us and those we love?” A beautiful story formed from a dark episode in Ireland’s history.

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bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

A novella that is haunting and sparse and yet also maintains its sense of hope. I really enjoyed it.

I texted my dad ahead of reading this for book club, and he responded: "Precision writing, beautiful use of understatement, moving story." I can't write a more accurate review than that.

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deedireads's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

Small Things Like These is a deceptively simple, deeply resonate little book about a dark part of Ireland’s (not so distant) past and the danger of community complacency. I really, really liked it.

For you if: You like short books that pack a punch.

FULL REVIEW:

Small Things Like These is a very short but impactful novel that probably never would have made it onto my radar if it hadn’t been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. But I’m so glad it did! I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.

The novel itself is set around Christmastime in a small Irish town. Bill Furlong, who runs the local coal plant, is wrestling with some mid-life what-ifs, but otherwise has a lovely life with his wife and daughters — especially considering his parentage, which includes an unknown father and unmarried mother. Luckily, his mother’s employer gave Bill a secure childhood and saved them from landing in a bad situation. In the present day, Bill finds himself face-to-face with the town’s terrible open secret, and he must decide whether to keep his head down for the sake of his family or act and risk the consequences.

This book is soooo short (only a little over 100 pages), but it packs a big punch. Claire Keegan’s prose is straightforward but also cinematic, and she does a lot with seemingly so little. She really makes you think about individual responsibility in the face of group complacency, what it means to be true to your values (in Furlong’s case, Christianity), and the complexities of morality. I closed the book and thought, “Wow, that was really excellent.”

I also really enjoyed meditating on her decision to set this at Christmastime — can any of the characters be likened to figures from the Bible? How does this story interact with the nativity? I’d say more, but I don’t want to give spoilers — but come to this month’s #BookerOfTheMonth book club chat and let’s discuss it!

CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Confinement / forced institutionalization (Magdalene laundries); Religious bigotry; Suicidal thoughts (minor, non-POV character)

Content Warnings

rieviolet's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

This is not by any means a bad book (or rather novella) but I think that its shortness left me wanting a bit more, in terms of plot exploration and side characters' in-depth portrayal.

The main theme is hinted at quite a lot but it is not really properly delved into
and I think that readers might be left a bit confused, especially if you know little (like me) about this aspect of Irish history.

I still think that it is a pleasant read, with a nice writing style and, above all, I quite liked how the main character was depicted and his narrative trajectory.

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