Author: Donal Ryan

This novel outlines the lives of the Aylward women of Tipperary. Nana’s son is married to Eileen. Just days after the birth of his daughter, Saoirse, he is killed in a car accident. Nana and Eileen raise Saoirse on their own; although it doesn’t always seem like it they love each other immensely. Saoirse is just eighteen when she becomes pregnant with Pearl and, after her birth, the four generations continue to live together.

This is a lovely story and although not deep you definitely feel the love between the generations. Each chapter is only two pages long so it isn’t hard to believe that “just one more chapter” can easily lead to many more chapters.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Marjan Kamali

Since their first day of school in a poor neighbourhood of Tehran, Ellie and Homa have been friends. Homa is a communist, as is her jailed father. A change in their circumstances leads to their separation for several years but, back in high school, the two meet again and it is as if there has never been a break in their friendship. When they enter university, Homa studies law because she wants to become a judge, while Homa studies English but all she really wants to do is marry Mehrdad. When Homa is arrested for her communist activities Ellie is mortified that she might have been the cause.

It didn’t take me long to read this because I loved the story. It ended a bit too quickly for my liking because I wanted more and more detail about the lives of these women.

Goodreads Rating: * * * *

Author: Doireann Ní Ghríofa’s 

This was the March book from The Modern Literature Society, a Facebook group I joined. I was skeptical but she is an Irish writer so how bad could it be? I expected a novel but was pleasantly surprised that it is history and autobiography all wrapped up in one book.

The author sets out to explore the life of the 18th century Irish poet, Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill. There are gaps in the written history of Eibhlín’s (Eileen’s) life and the author imagines and fills in plausible details. All of Doireann’s research is done as the backdrop to her very busy life – raising four children and publishing a few translations of Eileen’s best know poem, Lament for Art O’Leary, which was written for her murdered husband in 1773. The story bounces back and forth between Doireann’s and Eileen’s life.

Goodreads Rating: * * * *

Author: Umberto Eco

I think I’m done with this author. I loved the first one I read, hated the second one, but was fooled into picking up this one.

There isn’t much of a story to comment on. A man in his early sixties has lost his entire memory due to a stroke. He returns to the village and house where he grew up and searches through boxes and boxes of books, journals and records trying to recreate his memories. It seems to be of no avail as at the end of the book he has regained his memory but he is in a coma (at least that’s what I think happened to him).

I was very tempted to “break the rules” before I was even halfway through the book.

Goodreads Rating: *