Scan barcode
A review by mariasmusings
The Liberation of Brigid Dunne by Patricia Scanlan
3.0
Audible.co.uk purchase and returned
Review to come
ARC received as The Family Reunion in 2021
I’m a long time fan of Patricia Scanlan as she has a wonderful way of describing her characters and writing their conversations. Her books are always multi-layered with so many elements of Irish society playing a role in the story, each often adding a sense of familiarity for the readers. In ‘A Family Reunion’ (also known as ‘The Liberation of Bridget Dunne’), the story is primarily told from the viewpoint of four female members of the same family: sisters Brigid and Imelda, Imelda's daughter Keelin, and her daughter Marie-Claire. The story starts on Christmas Eve 1953 and quickly moves to the present day, when the family are preparing to celebrate retirement (from her religious order) and eightieth birthday. This birthday will be a long-overdue reunion for the family and also the occasion when Imelda decides to reveal some startling truths. For the remainder of the novel, the four women will struggle to deal with the revelations of the past and now to accept the repercussions.
The description of novel is hugely enticing for me – a family saga, focusing on the strong, opinionated female members and their past decisions.
However, this is the first time that I have struggled with finishing one of her books. I felt little or no empathy for Imelda and her situation and had a similar reaction to Brigid, has a result, I was not quick to finish the book as I usually would. There is no doubt that the storyline is indeed interesting and there are plenty of emotional moments to catch the readers heart; especially as we read of dreams and ambitions being stolen or thwarted. Perhaps, I struggled due to the focus on the religious life but for me this was a good but not outstanding addition to the author’s work.
Review to come
ARC received as The Family Reunion in 2021
I’m a long time fan of Patricia Scanlan as she has a wonderful way of describing her characters and writing their conversations. Her books are always multi-layered with so many elements of Irish society playing a role in the story, each often adding a sense of familiarity for the readers. In ‘A Family Reunion’ (also known as ‘The Liberation of Bridget Dunne’), the story is primarily told from the viewpoint of four female members of the same family: sisters Brigid and Imelda, Imelda's daughter Keelin, and her daughter Marie-Claire. The story starts on Christmas Eve 1953 and quickly moves to the present day, when the family are preparing to celebrate retirement (from her religious order) and eightieth birthday. This birthday will be a long-overdue reunion for the family and also the occasion when Imelda decides to reveal some startling truths. For the remainder of the novel, the four women will struggle to deal with the revelations of the past and now to accept the repercussions.
The description of novel is hugely enticing for me – a family saga, focusing on the strong, opinionated female members and their past decisions.
However, this is the first time that I have struggled with finishing one of her books. I felt little or no empathy for Imelda and her situation and had a similar reaction to Brigid, has a result, I was not quick to finish the book as I usually would. There is no doubt that the storyline is indeed interesting and there are plenty of emotional moments to catch the readers heart; especially as we read of dreams and ambitions being stolen or thwarted. Perhaps, I struggled due to the focus on the religious life but for me this was a good but not outstanding addition to the author’s work.