Wow!  What an underrated book! I am so glad that my sister gave it to me for Christmas a couple of years ago and that I eventually got to it!  

It was a delight to spend several hours in the head of VIV/viv as she tramped around Dublin and met each day's quota of words when speaking to strangers. Thanks, VIV, I am going to think hard about what the correct questions are to ask strangers in the future.  

This is a book about the importance and difficulties of being different.  It's about meeting strangers, friends, and family with a modicum of understanding and kindness.


I would recommend this book to someone who likes character-driven novels, has a quirky sense of humor, and who is visiting Dublin, as viv's walks describe the city to a tee.  

Ooh and this book relies on an understanding of the history chageling myth so if you do get to Dublin visit the Leprechaun museum, which despite the silly name, does explain the real impact that believing in these myths had on people's lives.