Book cover of The Queen of Dirt Island

Book description

From the Booker longlisted author, and an Irish Times No.1 bestseller - a searing, jubilant novel about four generations of women and the stories that bind them.

'Beautiful, compassionate ... Donal Ryan at his inimitable best.' MAGGIE O'FARRELL

'One of the finest novelists writing today... a haunting, exquisite masterpiece.' RACHEL…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Queen of Dirt Island as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Not knowing Donal is an Irish man’s name, I devoured this story about four generations of Irish women, not nearly appreciating the author’s finesse in capturing a feminine perspective.

It’s another underdog story: Widowed Eileen is an outcast in her small town and has been disowned by her wealthy family. Her child Saoirse grows up in the shadow of Eileen’s so-called shame, and although they are decent people, their precarious social status creates obstacles and even danger outside the haven of their home. At first, Eileen’s harsh verbal exchanges with her mother-in-law offended me, but the humor and affection behind…

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December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

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