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A review by portybelle
The Liberation of Brigid Dunne by Patricia Scanlan
4.0
The Liberation of Brigid Dunne is the first book I have read by Patricia Scanlan and I'm not really sure why as it's exactly my kind of read. I very much enjoyed following this story of four women from the same family from the 1950s into the present day. And what a family!
First of all, we have Brigid herself. She has been a nun since the 1950s, trained as a paediatric nurse and served in the missions in Africa before returning to Ireland and becoming a Reverend Mother. Her sister Imelda is a rather bitter woman who feels that she has had a raw deal in life and resents the esteem Brigid is held in. Imelda's daughter Keelin has had an interesting relationship with the Catholic Church over the years and a difficult relationship with her mother. Her daughter Marie-Claire, who is very close to Brigid, has recently returned to Ireland from Canada following a betrayal in her relationship. At a party to celebrate Brigid's 80th birthday and retiral as Reverend Mother, Imelda's resentment boils over and more than a few secrets are revealed!
What I found particularly fascinating about this book was the way we can see the role and expectations of women changing throughout the years and how some people were more willing to accept those changes than others. With the Catholic Church forming an important backdrop to the story both in Ireland and further afield, we also get quite an insight into how the Church too has changed over the years. I think the author gave quite a balanced view showing the positive things the Church had done but not glossing over its many faults. She shows as well how keeping secrets can cause sorrow, hurt or in some cases bitterness but that it is perhaps never too late to talk about the past and try to put things right.
At over 500 pages this is a book to really get your teeth into and I loved following all the women throughout the story. It's a book about strong women who come to understand each other despite their flaws and shows the power of forgiveness. Despite the frustrations they all feel at times, and the misunderstandings, ultimately this is a warm-hearted book with a very satisfying conclusion.
First of all, we have Brigid herself. She has been a nun since the 1950s, trained as a paediatric nurse and served in the missions in Africa before returning to Ireland and becoming a Reverend Mother. Her sister Imelda is a rather bitter woman who feels that she has had a raw deal in life and resents the esteem Brigid is held in. Imelda's daughter Keelin has had an interesting relationship with the Catholic Church over the years and a difficult relationship with her mother. Her daughter Marie-Claire, who is very close to Brigid, has recently returned to Ireland from Canada following a betrayal in her relationship. At a party to celebrate Brigid's 80th birthday and retiral as Reverend Mother, Imelda's resentment boils over and more than a few secrets are revealed!
What I found particularly fascinating about this book was the way we can see the role and expectations of women changing throughout the years and how some people were more willing to accept those changes than others. With the Catholic Church forming an important backdrop to the story both in Ireland and further afield, we also get quite an insight into how the Church too has changed over the years. I think the author gave quite a balanced view showing the positive things the Church had done but not glossing over its many faults. She shows as well how keeping secrets can cause sorrow, hurt or in some cases bitterness but that it is perhaps never too late to talk about the past and try to put things right.
At over 500 pages this is a book to really get your teeth into and I loved following all the women throughout the story. It's a book about strong women who come to understand each other despite their flaws and shows the power of forgiveness. Despite the frustrations they all feel at times, and the misunderstandings, ultimately this is a warm-hearted book with a very satisfying conclusion.