Thursday 17 February 2011

REVIEW OF *YOU* AT WRITING.IE


I found a mini-review of my novel You on writing.ie this evening, while poking about their site. It was a nice surprise as I am in a totally narky mood. (And why, google, did you not alert me? Oh, because you are useless...)

It doesn't say who wrote the review*, but whoever s/he is , I like her/him enormously. Here's the review in its entirety, because it is short:


Nuala Ní Chonchúir, an award-winning poet and short story writer, sets her poignant debut novel in Dublin during the summer of 1980 and brilliantly invokes the period. Unusually, her unnamed ten-year-old narrator speaks to us in the second person, thus drawing the reader inexorably into the story from the very first line to the very last. Between the two we encounter the challenges and hardships faced by this endearing, exuberant child as she tries to make sense of growing up with a troubled mother and two much younger brothers. By turns tragic and charming this beautifully crafted story lingers in the imagination long after the last page has been turned. The fact that Ní Chonchúir literary antecedents are deeply rooted in poetry is evident in her lyrical, beautiful prose. Her obviously genuine affection for her compelling central character is truly infectious. A wonderful read.

Some of my favourite quotes:

"'He’s a divil for the buttered Mariettas’, she says. You’re mad for them yourself; you love squishing two together and watching the butter ooze out through the holes, like tiny yellow worms.”

"You’re glad it’ not one of the new orange buses. It’s one of the cream and black ones, the pint-of Guinness buses that have an open back door.”

Thank you, nice review person*. You have cheered up a tired and cranky writer.


* I've just been told her name is Eleanor Fitzsimmons.

12 comments:

Emerging Writer said...

Nice, thoughtful review. Just in case you were wondering, it wasn't me. I think the reviewers names should be published. Or would that hold many back from saying what they really thought?

Unknown said...

I wish I had have got you to sign my copy when you were at the literary festival last year - this book will get famous and famouser!

Group 8 said...

Kate - most of th reviews on the site have names beside them. I think it's better that way.

Group 8 said...

Motherdear - great! Maybe then I'll stop being poorer and poorer :)

Kar said...

That’s a really lovely review Nu… glad you found it.

Makes me wish I was reading ‘You’ again for the first time ;-)

Hope the mood lifts and you have a great weekend.
K x

Group 8 said...

Mood improving, baba on the mend :)

Rachel Fenton said...

I hope the bub is better and you all get some quality zeds x

It's a lovely review by a thoughtful and feeling anonymous.

Group 8 said...

Thanks Rae - she's nearly there. It's been a hellish week. Nothing more worrying than a sick baby, as you know. N x

Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin said...

Hi Nuala,
The review is by Eleanor Fitzsimmons, a lovely writer and journalist based in Dublin. She is @EleanorFitz on Twitter - I'm mortified that I managed to copy the review without the crucial bit on the end! Sorry Eleanor, all fixed now!
Vanessa
www.writing.ie

Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin said...

Hi Nuala,
The review is by Eleanor Fitzsimmons, a lovely writer and journalist based in Dublin. She is @EleanorFitz on Twitter - I'm mortified that I managed to copy the review without the crucial bit on the end! Sorry Eleanor, all fixed now!
Vanessa
www.writing.ie

Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin said...

Hi Nuala,
The review is by Eleanor Fitzsimmons, a lovely writer and journalist based in Dublin. She is @EleanorFitz on Twitter - I'm mortified that I managed to copy the review without the crucial bit on the end! Sorry Eleanor, all fixed now!
Vanessa
www.writing.ie

Group 8 said...

Vanessa - thanks so much for letting me know. And thank you, Eleanor F. N x