This was a very atmospheric novel, and one must be in the mood for melancholy in order to appreciate it. Claire Keegan certainly writes beautifully, and one has to recognize understated truths to grasp the depth in this novel. She does a tremendous job of allowing her readers to feel the reality of life in a town ravaged by poverty in the late 80's, Ireland.
What I appreciated most was the historical aspect of the book, shedding light on the tragic "Laundries" of Ireland that operated well into the late 20th century. These were institutions headed by the Church that took in "fallen women" who had become pregnant out of wedlock. It was a place of degradation that viewed any pregnancy, whether consensually or by rape or incest, as the young lady's fault, and treated these women as abominations. Their babies were taken, and they were mistreated and held in enslavement under the guise of charity. Ultimately, unmarked graves of 155 women were found, which led to a formal apology by the state (unfortunately not by the church) in 2013.
Overall, I appreciate authors that illuminate these dark times in the past, so that such cruelty will not repeat itself. Kudos to Claire Keegan for informing her readers.
Of special note is that a movie based on this novel will be released on November 8th!
Read 12/8/23
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