November 21, 2022
Ryan (Strange Flowers) returns with an inspired story about four generations of women and girls living together in a small Irish village. Saoirse Aylward is just days old in 1982 when her father is killed in a car accident. Her mother, Eileen, a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking woman who tells Saoirse she loves her every night, has been estranged from her family ever since her premarital pregnancy. Now, as a widow, Eileen finds a dear friend in her late husband’s mother, Saoirse’s Nana. As Saoirse grows up, she adores Eileen, her Nana, and her two paternal uncles, Chris and Paudie, who dote on her. She also picks up on the meanness of the world during a visit to Eileen’s childhood home, which Eileen and her relatives call “Dirt Island.” Later, teenage Saoirse gets pregnant after a hazy encounter with a musician, causing much heartache. Nana moves in with them after having a stroke, and Chris gets married and Paudie is arrested for hiding guns for the IRA. Drama ensues with a conflict between Eileen and her brother over ownership of Dirt Island, and Saoirse’s trust in her child’s godparent is compromised. Short vignette-style chapters sometimes disrupt the flow, though each of the characters shimmers with life. Overall, this is glorious and moving. Agent: Marianne Gun O’Connor, Marianne Gun O’Connor Agency.
Starred review from December 1, 2022
Beginning at the end and ending with a bright beginning, this latest offering from award-winning Irish novelist Ryan (Strange Flowers; The Spinning Heart) is a broad-sweeping, satisfying family saga. It is a story of stories. The generations of Aylward women of Nenagh, County Tipperary, are tenacious and fiercely loyal. They have survived famine, death, poverty, gun-runners, and men who are either dead or useless and all the while have ignored the whispers of their neighbors. As granddaughter Saoirse navigates teenage pregnancy and a bitter family rift over a potential land grab, deep family darkness and suffering are revealed. Can Saoirse mature fast enough to survive this turbulence? Her future and that of her daughter could be in real peril from the pain wrought by people on the periphery of their lives. VERDICT This could be an incredibly sad story were it not for Ryan's ability to infuse the irony of Irish humor into its darkest corners. Light glimmers just as the story fades to black. His expert storytelling and the strength and resilience of his characters make this so much more than just another Irish family saga. Highly recommended.--Susan Clifford Braun
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2023
The daughter of a single mother grows up in a family of formidable women in rural Ireland. This short novel from Ryan, whose previous books have twice been longlisted for the Booker Prize, charts the early life of Saoirse Aylward, a much-loved child of the fierce Eileen and a father who died in a car wreck days after her birth. Saoirse is essentially co-parented, instead, by her paternal grandmother, Mary, a brassy woman who also becomes Eileen's closest friend. As Saoirse grows up, her family's life becomes more complex, with her mother drawn into conflicts with her estranged family and her paternal uncles pursuing marriage and the IRA. But nothing changes Saoirse's life as much as a surprise teenage pregnancy. After she becomes a mother, Saoirse's world expands when she meets Josh, a young writer with whom she embarks on a romance once his girlfriend leaves town. Ryan, who tells his story in brief, impressionistic chapters, is a gifted prose stylist and has a particular talent for capturing the language and rhythm of dialogue. The outwardly contentious but deeply loving relationship between Eileen and Mary feels particularly true to life. His decision to break the book up into short parts, though, can make the characters and their story feel distant. Though Eileen and Mary are vivid, Saoirse herself is a frustratingly blank slate whose interests and passions never become clear. Saoirse's life, and her mother's, can also feel implausibly charmed when it isn't pierced by grand tragedy. Though these tragic moments are shocking, they are undercut by Ryan's impulse to have everyone get along in the end and to deliver his heroine a sentimentally happy ending that isn't supported by the novel itself. A gentle bildungsroman that could have used a little more bite.
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Starred review from January 1, 2023
The opening chapter of Ryan's multigenerational family saga, titled ""End,"" begins with Saoirse's birth and her father's death, establishing the dichotomy present throughout the book. Moving through Saoirse's life, readers quickly become acquainted with the family dynamic: Saoirse's hilariously brazen grandmother Mary constantly battles her daughter-in-law (Saoirse's mother) Eileen. A widow with a reputation, Eileen grapples with single motherhood and estrangement from her own family. The banter between Mary and Eileen is joyous, revealing the deep love and companionship both women depend on as they navigate grief and the unexpected. As readers follow the journey of these three women, Ryan (Strange Flowers, 2021) expertly intersperses historical incidents on the sidelines of the story to emphasize the personal consequences of larger political events. Saoirse, Eileen, and Mary are strong, resilient, and vulnerable, both relatable and inspiring as they juggle relationships, new beginnings, and sudden endings. Ryan's short chapters act as memories and moments filled with reflection, bursts of emotion, or in some cases, mystery. Ending with Ryan's delightful wink to his readers, The Queen of Dirt Island is a touching tribute to the strength of motherhood, female companionship, healing, regret, and forgiveness.
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