Small Things Like These
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022
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4.2 • 311 Ratings
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- £5.49
Publisher Description
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING CILLIAN MURPHY
A SUNDAY TIMES AND IRISH TIMES BESTSELLER
A TOP 5 IRISH TIMES 100 BEST IRISH BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY
A NEW YORK TIMES 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY
WINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE AND THE KERRY GROUP IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE, THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE AND THE IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AT THE DALKEY LITERARY AWARDS
'Exquisite.' Damon Galgut
'Masterly.' The Times
'Miraculous.' Herald
'Astonishing.' Colm Tóibín
'Stunning.' Sunday Independent
'Absolutely beautiful.' Douglas Stuart
It is 1985, in an Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, faces into his busiest season. As he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him - and encounters the complicit silences of a people controlled by the Church.
Claire Keegan's book Small Things Like These was a Sunday Times Bestseller w/c 05-11-2022
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Readers love Small Things Like These:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Gripping and very moving and thought-provoking ... brilliantly done, but also softly and slowly. You'll never regret reading this book, but it will haunt you for ever after.'
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I haven't loved a book for so long. This has changed it. Every word counted. Moral, heartfelt & a beautiful read.'
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is a beautifully written story, both simple and profound. Set at Christmas, it is, in essence, an exploration of the best and the worst of what it is to be human. A stunning achievement.'
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A remarkable novel - short, succinct, moving. I read it in one sitting early on a Sunday morning before anybody else was up.'
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book needs to sit and settle with the reader after it's read. Much lies here within what seems a simple tale. It strikes to the heart.'
Customer Reviews
Beautifully
Loved every beautifully detailed and interlinked page of this book albeit over too soon. Emotive, brave and thought provoking. Threads of hope and humanity washed on a backdrop of a generation brushing heinous acts under the carpet.
Short but slow paced
Not my usual sort of read, but I attempted this “based on true events” fiction due to its short length.
The dialogue is written in a very dated way, and I found it hard to place the time it was set; the protagonist was likeable, but so much detail was given about him and little of it felt important to the story, which felt like a missed opportunity. In contrast, info is given about Sarah, which felt sad.
The story is an interesting peek into a dark part of irelands history, but felt a bit incomplete.
Brilliant writing
This is a concise novel which conveys the full horror of the Magdalen Homes without embroidery. I loved it