Warning: discussions about Domestic Violence and emotional abuse.
From an unforgettable new voice in Irish fiction, a heart-pounding, life-affirming story about one woman trying to leave her marriage and start over. For fans of Claire Keegan and Emma Donoghue.
On a spring afternoon Ciara Fay makes a decision. She grabs armfuls of clothes, her two children and dashes to the car. She is leaving her husband and has no idea what comes next.
This is an amazing debut from prize-winning Irish Writer Roisín O’Donnell.
The story is at times difficult to read. Ryan the emotional abusive husband is always just on the edge of violence, and as a reader, we feel the tension as much as Ciara. He sends horrible text messages, his physical dominance and a constant threat of ‘something’ terrible.
We follow Ciara as she navigates the homeless system, first sleeping in her car, then finding accommodation in a hotel. Refusing help from her Mother and Sister, with no friends (Ryan has seen to that) Ciara is utterly alone – oh and she’s heavily pregnant.
Dragged through the law courts and forced to give temporary custody the book is sometimes agonising.
Leaving is one thing, staying away is another.
A triggering novel for some, that really answers the question why some women don’t leave their partners, and gives a deeper understanding how difficult it is when they do. But it is also beautiful and so full of love. Ciara’s relationship with her children is so lovely and well drawn. It is a story of hope, hope that like a bird, Ciara will leave the nest and ultimately fly free.
Kate Toon
Bookshop Owner
