One Irish family. Three decades. One dazzling story. “A love letter to family and to the arts. Beautiful.” –Maggie Smith, author of Good Bones In the courtyards of Trinity College, Dublin, in 1978, aspiring actress Maeve meets pottery student Murtagh Moone. As their relationship progresses, marriage and motherhood come in quick succession, but for Maeve, with the joy of children also comes the … children also comes the struggle to hold on to the truest parts of herself.
Decades later, on a small Irish island, the Moone family are poised for celebration but instead are struck by tragedy. Each family member must find solace in their own separate way, until one dazzling truth brings them back together. But as the Moone family confront the past, they also journey toward a future that none of them could have predicted. Except perhaps Maeve herself.
“A perfect combination of deeply felt tragedy with great hopefulness.”
–Anne Youngson, author of Meet Me at the Museum
more
For me, this was a book that was difficult at times to stay focused on and to read for long periods of time. That is not to say that it was not a good book. It was a thought-provoking novel that made me think each day of what I had read and ponder its significance to the story and any insights into my own life. The story begins in the present and then goes back almost four decades to the past. Maeve and Murtagh met in Ireland when she was doing an internship in acting and he was a pottery student. The inevitable romance, marriage and motherhood follow, with a great deal of description of the setting and the characters. The author’s ability to help me to visualize the setting of the small island off the Irish coast where the Moone family settled and to empathize with the very deep feelings or each character was a definite strong point of the novel. The tragedy that falls on the family forces them to confront the dark days of the past and to decide to march forward into an unknown future. With themes of depression and the challenges of creating a family together, this novel seemed to wander aimlessly into the past, just as the family members did in their desperate search for a resolution to their hidden past. The story was extremely emotional, with waves of emotion coming from the pages at unexpected times. I cannot say that it was a lovely story because at times the truth was ugly, but the author treated all of the topics with sensitivity and an empathy that made me ponder the whole thing long after I turned the last page. Fans of contemporary fiction will enjoy this book but will want to take time to savor its message.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
The Murtagh and Maeve live on a remote island in Ireland. Murtagh is a potter and Maeve was an actress. Maeve struggles with depression all through her adult years. Her children did not give her the happiness she expected. When tragedy strikes, the family must come together and confront the past.
This is a family saga and everyone has their part to play. Everyone in this family must face the truth about themselves and overcome obstacles to even remotely heal and help each other.
This novel encompasses grief, love, depression and hope. It is tragic and heartwarming at the same time. But, it is a little cumbersome and I had some trouble staying with the story. But, the scenery kept me locked in. I mean…a remote island in Ireland! What is not to love about that?!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I was drawn to this women’s fiction novel for two reasons — the seventy’s time frame and the small town setting. I wasn’t expecting a book that had me teary-eyed for at least half and is one of the most soulful books I have read in a very long time.
Maeve and Murtagh meet at college. They are both artists with Maeve being an actress and Murtagh a potter. When he finally finds an apprenticeship that will support them, it’s on a small island off the coast of Ireland. Not exactly a hotbed of acting opportunities for Maeve, but they love each other and sacrifices are made.
They make a life for themselves and have four children. They deal with Maeve’s illness as best they can. When tragedy befalls them, the Moone family must deal with everything left behind. It takes them all a while to find the dazzling truth of their lives.
I adored the way this story was told. I fell in love with Maeve and Murtagh right away and then with their adult children. Their journey isn’t an easy one but I was left feeling hopeful for all of them at the end of the story, especially Murtagh. I think his story impacted me the most and I loved where his life took him as he released his grief. His relationships with his children touched my heart.
This is a very emotional story without being maudlin, but it is tear-inducing if you are sensitive reader. There were many aspects of this book that touched me personally, and I found myself teary-eyed through a good bit of the last half of the book. (I like that, btw.)
Told with subtlety and sensitivity, this story pulled the emotional response from me simply through this beautiful tale of love and the sacrifices made in the name of love. I couldn’t put it down. Even after finishing it a few days ago, I find myself going back to it because it was such a moving tale of Maeve and Murtagh’s love for each other and their children.
I adored the Moone family story and the journey they all had to take to heal. The depiction of Maeve’s illness was done so well, and her struggles were familiar to me. Maybe that’s what made me fell connected to this story. In any case, I absolutely loved it. If you are a women’s fiction fan, you just might like the story of the Moone family. This is absolutely on my favorites of 2020 list.
An ARC was provided. This is my honest review.
I can see I’m going to be the only one that didn’t really care for this book. It felt a little dark and depressing. The chapters alternate back and forth from year to year. That made it hard to follow, at least for me.
Fans of Irish stories may like this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy