BoMay reviewed Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Small Things Like These
5 stars
A quick read but packs a punch.
128 pages
English language
Published Dec. 3, 2021 by Grove/Atlantic, Incorporated.
Shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize
"A hypnotic and electrifying Irish tale that transcends country, transcends time." —Lily King, New York Times bestselling author of Writers & Lovers
Small Things Like These is award-winning author Claire Keegan's landmark new novel, a tale of one man's courage and a remarkable portrait of love and family
It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man faces into his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church.
Already an international bestseller, Small Things Like These is a deeply affecting story of hope, quiet heroism, and empathy from one of our most critically lauded and iconic writers.
A quick read but packs a punch.
Powerful little book. A compelling view of things through the eyes (and heart and mind) of Bill Furlong, a surprisingly sensitive man fighting against complicity. I enjoyed the descriptions of the crows at several points in the story. I both read and listened to the book (about 50-50) and thought the audiobook narration by Aidan Kelly was good.