What the actual f*ck was that ending!! Like I'm shook. Proper shook!! I read this whole book in a day which is something that I rarely ever manage to do. Super addictive! 

I think I need a while to process that ending but like f*ck!!! 

On a more coherent note, Andrew Michael Hurley is a fantastic writer. The imagery in Part One regarding the landscape, the changing seasons and the folktales of rural England were absolutely visceral. The themes of mental illness, grief, the complexity of parenthood and the insular nature of smaller communities is interestingly explored. Just such a fabulous setting for a horror novel. 

I do see where some of the readers on here are coming from about the slower pace in the first half, but it honestly really worked for me. I think the pace really contributed to the sleepy, eerie, ominous atmosphere. As a result, it is all the stronger for the slower pacing in the latter half when things ramped up in Part 2. 

Can't wait for the film!

When Harry Met Sally is one of my favourite movies ever, and the humour and heart of it definitely shines through in Nora's other pieces. She's such a talented, witty, funny writer!!! I loved the parts on food (honestly made me so hungry), feminism and of Nora's experiences in New York and Washington in the 60s and 70s. Her stories of family, divorce and growing older were great too, a bit bitter sweet but with buckets of warmth and humour. 

We stan!!

Ooof!! This book is described on the back as a modern classic and I definitely agree. Its upsetting, thought-provoking, heartbreaking and hopeful. The characters are so well crafted, in equal parts lovable and even infuriating at times. Even when they are tearing into each other over their differences, there is a strong sense of sisterhood and solidarity between the women.  The dialogue is particularly brilliant!!

The situation that they found themselves in was harrowing, impossible and beyond nightmarish. Seeing the women grapple with the decision to stay, fight or leave really gave me pause as each character shared their point of view. The discussions that were had between the characters were so interesting and covered a wide range of subject including religious fervour, feminism and the duty of parents. The topic of sexual assault was central to the story, but it was handled in a way that was sensitive and thoughtful, without being in any way gratuitous. I also found their conversations around religious identity, the unrecognised labour of women, forgiveness and morality particularly interesting as the characters weighed the rules of their religion against their duty to protect their children and themselves from further harm. 

Just brilliant. 

Really interesting but a lot to wade through.

God, I love love love it when poets write longer length works!!! This was...absolutely beautiful. This truly was a female text. It was a story of womanhood (specifically irish womanhood) and the deep rooted connection we feel through the panes of history to the girls and women who have come before us.  *chief's kiss*

Even the concept of writing a biography and overlaying each image from that historical figure's life with stories from the author's own life was a fascinating one...one that I wasn't really sure would work when I first read the blurb. However, it was sure a great tool to highlight the universal experiences of women, and how some things really don't change down through the centuries. 

This was just so beautifully written, so well considered...and so oddly relatable too. In particular, the parts where Ní Ghríofa talks about her fascination with historical figures/imagining their lives  and her experiences in the disection theatre studying anatomy at University really hit home for me. I loved it! 

This was a sad difficult read. The Vegetarian is a story of mental illness, the devastating effects of the patriarchy, domestic abuse, and of how women literally cannot do anything without it being objectified. My heart broke for the two sisters in this story. 

However, I must admit that it did read as a little surface-level to me and I have seen similar themes explored better in other books. The first and last parts were interesting, part two kind of threw me off.