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A review by jeaniehealy
The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.0
The Queen of Dirt Island centres around the lives of the Aylward women who live in a small village in Co. Tipperary in Ireland. Mary Aylward is the stalwart of the family, witty, stoic and proud. Her daughter-in-law, Eileen Aylward, who tragically lost her husband (Mary's son) three days after her baby daughter, Saoirse, was born and Saoirse Aylward herself, who is the main protagonist, a quirky and sensitive woman who believes little in herself.
The story is set in the same world as Strange Flowers but is set in a later timeline. While it's not a series, I would highly recommend reading Strange Flowers first (which is exquisite) as a lot of the plot will be spoiled if you read QODI first.
The plot itself revolves around the three women, their lives and loves and the extended family. (If you like character driven stories with less of a plot, this is a book I would recommend.) We meet Mary's sons and Eileen's estranged brother, Richard and character's from the previous book, Strange Flowers, which have a big part to play in Saoirse's world.
The book isn't as lyrically written as Strange Flowers but has more wit laced throughout it. There is a lot of sadness in this book but it's dealt with stoically. Ryan has an unbelievable talent writing about human beings. He absolutely nails thoughts, feelings and emotions. You feel invested in the characters, you live their lives while you're reading about them and you care for them like you know them.
This book really resonated with me as I grew up living with my grandmother and my mother and I cried a lot at the end of the book. After reading the two books, I will truly miss the characters and reading about their lives and troubles. It is a book about forgiveness, hope and redemption. A simple book with huge heart.
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story is set in the same world as Strange Flowers but is set in a later timeline. While it's not a series, I would highly recommend reading Strange Flowers first (which is exquisite) as a lot of the plot will be spoiled if you read QODI first.
The plot itself revolves around the three women, their lives and loves and the extended family. (If you like character driven stories with less of a plot, this is a book I would recommend.) We meet Mary's sons and Eileen's estranged brother, Richard and character's from the previous book, Strange Flowers, which have a big part to play in Saoirse's world.
The book isn't as lyrically written as Strange Flowers but has more wit laced throughout it. There is a lot of sadness in this book but it's dealt with stoically. Ryan has an unbelievable talent writing about human beings. He absolutely nails thoughts, feelings and emotions. You feel invested in the characters, you live their lives while you're reading about them and you care for them like you know them.
This book really resonated with me as I grew up living with my grandmother and my mother and I cried a lot at the end of the book. After reading the two books, I will truly miss the characters and reading about their lives and troubles. It is a book about forgiveness, hope and redemption. A simple book with huge heart.
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.