3-1/2 stars: This is my first novel by Imran Mahmoud and won't be my last. I breezed through it and thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, plot and fou3-1/2 stars: This is my first novel by Imran Mahmoud and won't be my last. I breezed through it and thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, plot and found the ending to be believable and satisfying. There were a few things within the book I found needed tightening and the middle became somewhat repetitive causing the book to sag just a bit - otherwise I would have given it a firm 4 stars....more
31/2 stars: I bought this by accident - my fault for not paying attention - but since I paid for it, I decided to give it a try. While it started out 31/2 stars: I bought this by accident - my fault for not paying attention - but since I paid for it, I decided to give it a try. While it started out OK, by the middle of the book I was about to DNF, but I snuck a peek at the acknowledgments and found that the author was basing part of it on true stories of folklore and fairies from her childhood. The book grew on me - and yes, it had some romance which was a stretch, but all in all - if you're interested in the folklore of Ireland and the stories of fairies, this won't disappoint....more
This was a fun read, excellent on audio. My issue with the story is the 3 page wrap-up explanation at the end. The characters are believable, their y This was a fun read, excellent on audio. My issue with the story is the 3 page wrap-up explanation at the end. The characters are believable, their youth shines through in their relationships, as friends, as boyfriend-girlfriend, as mother-daughter. What wasn't very satisfying was the end, the way the crimes were solved, the motivation for the crimes. Fun, no doubt, but didn't leave me wishing for another book from this author. ...more
“Kinsella takes my hand in his. As soon as he takes it, I realize my father has never once held my hand, and some part of me wants Kinsella to let me “Kinsella takes my hand in his. As soon as he takes it, I realize my father has never once held my hand, and some part of me wants Kinsella to let me go so I won’t have to feel this.�
This absolute gem of a novel. Sparse, beautifully written and deeply emotional in 80 short pages. The story is told by a little girl, dropped off at a neighbor's house as a foster, as her mother is dealing with yet another pregnancy to add to the crop of other children. At this new home, she learns a totally different way of life, a new way of loving. One of my favorite books of 2022. ...more
Set in Ireland in 1985, Bill delivers heating coal to the local residents and businesses. He is married with four daughters and during one of his deliSet in Ireland in 1985, Bill delivers heating coal to the local residents and businesses. He is married with four daughters and during one of his deliveries he witnesses a young lady - about the age of one of his daughters - in distress. It makes him reevaluate his wife, his homelife, what's important and what he's willing to do about the situation which might go against what authorities have told him to do. Social mores, authority and the opinions of others play huge roles in the Irish society in which he lives. It's a gem of a book which, while short, packs a huge emotional and character punch. ...more
Reading through some of the online reviews of this book � some folks feel it is about the Spanish Flu of 1918 that killed millions around the world. SReading through some of the online reviews of this book � some folks feel it is about the Spanish Flu of 1918 that killed millions around the world. Some folks are upset at the ending. I thought the book was about so much more than the flu or the ending.
The entire story takes place over 3 days in a maternity room set aside for pregnant women who also have the deadly flu, in an overcrowded, underfunded hospital in Dublin where Nurse Julia is in charge of the 3 beds in this flu-infected maternity room. The hospital and indeed, maternity itself, seem to be regulated by the dogmas of the Catholic church �- and men. Yes, the novel goes into deep detail about pregnancy and child delivery � at times I would say almost shocking detail, but in 1918, in the midst of an epidemic, childbirth was uncomfortable, painful, and often a fatal experience. I found the details interesting � pain management � whiskey was often used � sad. Within the context of 3 days, Nurse Julia is given a helper, Birdie, and they soon find themselves making a great team. From disparate backgrounds and education levels, what they have in common is a need to help, a love of humanity, and kindness.
Throughout the narrative, Julia learns so much from Birdie � what it was like to live with nuns in a home, what they do to the babies born out of wedlock, and how they enslave the mothers “to pay for their sins and their debt.� Julia also learns a lot about herself; she’s a 30-year-old woman with no male interests and no maternal instincts, even though she’s a maternity nurse. She gradually begins to understand why.
Another person in this novel is a female doctor, Dr. Lynn. Dr. Lynn is actually a historic figure in Ireland who fought for Irish sovereignty and is wanted by the police. She helps Julia in the maternity ward as time permits but is also a sort of well-needed role model for a female nurse working in a man’s world, supervised by religious nuns.
Even though the novel takes place over one hundred years ago, it deals with a pandemic and feels very timely as we continue to deal with Covid-19 and its consequences.
The novel is divided into four sections: Red, Brown, Blue, and Black. These are symbolic of the oxygen-starved patients as they progress through the disease. ...more
'I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her.'
This is the opening line of this pyschological crime book. In this book we meet Oliver, a wri'I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her.'
This is the opening line of this pyschological crime book. In this book we meet Oliver, a writer of children's books, and his battered wife, Alice, who illustrates his children's books. We also meet the people who have surrounded Oliver from childhood. The plot starts with Oliver beating his wife into a coma, but from there, like peeling the layers of an onion, Oliver's life is examined and disected from the point of view as his friends, neighbors and family try to figure out what makes a seemingly normal, very successful man commit horrible acts.
How does childhood influence an intelligent adult? Is it possible to shake off feelings of inadequacy, shame, envy - and if we can't, what are the consequences?
The book is written in a distinct and interesting way in somewhat of a chronological order after the initial few pages, starting with Oliver's miserable childhood influenced by religious hypocrisy. Each character, his half brother, his school friend, his employer, all take a chapter or two and tell their version of knowing Oliver and try to explain his behavior from what they can piece together from relationship with him. But in the end, it's up to the reader to unravel how his mind worked....more
I read this cover to cover and took 7 pages of notes. I'm now going through all the links provided in this book which have been invaluable. My only grI read this cover to cover and took 7 pages of notes. I'm now going through all the links provided in this book which have been invaluable. My only gripe is that the one surname I'm looking for is listed in book form - but apparently only 3 copies of this book survive and they're all in Australian libraries. I had my hopes up.
Happy to do lookups although there are not too many individual names mentioned - and no genealogies mentioned. Just locations where to find the information. ...more
Listened to this during Covid, so I may have slept through a few bits - but. This is one of my favorite books of 2020. I don't know how it would have Listened to this during Covid, so I may have slept through a few bits - but. This is one of my favorite books of 2020. I don't know how it would have been to eye read it, but the narration was fantastic. It's the story of Christy, an 11 year old Irish traveler who yearns to know more about his mother, who he feels he killed as she died during his childbirth. The book depicts the hardships of life as a gypsy, the ugly comments of townspeople, the cultural differences, all from the eyes of this young boy....more
Cormac Reilly is back on the scene after his girlfriend finds a dead woman, run over, on a street close to her university lab in Galway. There is mistCormac Reilly is back on the scene after his girlfriend finds a dead woman, run over, on a street close to her university lab in Galway. There is mistaken identity, murder, academic politics, family inheritance and all the bits that make a good thriller - but one thing was missing: plausibility of a very young girl with only a semester's worth of university education being able to outsmart a seasoned scientist. It just didn't ring true.
Fun to listen to in any case, and it kept me engaged. I'm hoping the next one is better....more
The story itself is about Cal, a retired Chicago cop, divorced and disillusioned, who moves to Western Ireland to a quaint village in the middle of noThe story itself is about Cal, a retired Chicago cop, divorced and disillusioned, who moves to Western Ireland to a quaint village in the middle of nowhere to reassemble his botched ife. He buys an old dilapidated farmhouse on 10 acres and sets out to fix it up. He does so alone, contemplating life. He fishes and hunts and gets to know his neighbors, but keeps people at arm's distance, preferring his own company. And then life changes for him. A kid shows up asking him to help find his brother who disappeared without a note nor a trace. Local guarda don't seem to care and everyone's lips are sealed.
Now -- I've read the reviews of disappointed readers who were expecting more of the Dublin-murder-type storylines. It took over 100 pages to get to the kid showing up and there were no murder-type storylines. And that's what I loved. Atmospheric, I could close my eyes and be transported to Cal's house, to his walks up the mountain, skirting the bogs, to Noreen's grocery shop; I feel like if I ran into the kid who showed up on Cal's door, I'd recognize the kid.
But the story moved beyond the disappearance of a teenager and goes into whether Cal accepts to help a kid, knowing that in doing so he's going to upset the tranquility of his life. Does he do the right thing or ignore the request? And then, if he chooses to follow the leads and investigates, what does he do with the information he finds? It delves into small town people, the lack of opportunities for youth in small towns which causes many of them to seek big cities - or dabble in less than positive endeavors when there is nothing better to do....more
I really wanted to love this book and unfortunately, I just couldn't. I loved the social history references - life in Ireland pre-immigration. Life inI really wanted to love this book and unfortunately, I just couldn't. I loved the social history references - life in Ireland pre-immigration. Life in Brooklyn for a greenback. The way young ladies lived in early 20th century. That part was terrific, but the story? Not so much. Pat is a disgruntled young man who has lived with him mother for far too long. He gets himself in a bit of a pickle and instead of confronting his problem, leaves Ireland for the milk and honey promise of New York. It's not until he arrives that reality sets in and real menial work is part of that reality. Pat has a chip on his shoulder the size of Manhattan which never goes away. He marries up in life, and fruit of that marriage is Maggie-Now, who we only meet after 100 pages or so. Maggie grows up subservient to her father and an absolute doormat to the person she marries. I didn't particularly like Pat's character, Maggie's character, her little brother's character or her husband's character -- so in the end, there was little to like as far as plot or character development.
This was my first book of 2019. I certainly hope my other choices are better!...more
What a way to start of a new decade of reading. I loved this book which I read both in DT form and listened to on audible.
Lilly Dunne, at age 89, hasWhat a way to start of a new decade of reading. I loved this book which I read both in DT form and listened to on audible.
Lilly Dunne, at age 89, has just buried her cherished grandson Bill, and decides that she's about done with the physical life and would like to end her time on this earth. But before she does, she writes down her thoughts on how her life has played out. Eighty nine years is a long time to live, enough time to see wars, death, bereavement, joy, friendships, work, growth. She writes about all of it even though she has a hatred of "pens and paper and all that fussiness" and doesn't believe in "the heavy-hearted tales of history."
As a young lady, Lilly had to flee County Sligo (the county of my ancestors!) with her beau Tadg, and so begins the odyssey of her life, in America, a new country, persued for political reasons and away from her family.
A beautifully written story, sad but not sappy and highly recommended. ...more
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