A review by house_of_hannah
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

dark hopeful informative inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

Thank you so much to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated. 

This novella had a very cozy and gentle feel for dealing with such a dark subject matter. I was completely absorbed into this story, and felt all the emotions along with the main character, Furlong. 

It is reiterated several times in the story how you often cannot see things that are right in front of you. This is shown in every aspect of the novella, especially the convent that the town seems to keep as an open secret. Essentially this book is Furlong reflecting on his life, the little things people have done to get him here, and how one action of his can cause so much change. 

One of my favorite scenes is when Furlong is lost on an unfamiliar road. He stops and asks where the road leads, but is told that the road can take him wherever he wants to go. I really feel like this reflects on the decisions we make everyday, and foreshadows the decision that Furlong will have to make later in the story.  

I truly found this novella to be lovely, reflective, and heart-breaking. It was a beautiful reading experience, and I cannot wait for it to be released so that I can purchase my own copy. In the mean time I will definitely be checking out this author's other works.

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