The Walking People
The powerful and moving story from the New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- £8.99
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- £8.99
Publisher Description
THE POWERFUL AND MOVING NOVEL OF NEW BEGINNINGS AND OLD FAMILY SECRETS FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ASK AGAIN, YES
'A fearless writer' LISA TADDEO
'An epic story about immigration, identity and family' Guardian
'Atmospheric, moving and brilliantly well-written' Daily Mail
'Engrossing . . . the kind of novel you simply don't want to end' Daily Express
'A beautifully crafted novel about love, loyalty, culture, family and identity' Irish Sunday Independent
*Features an extract from Mary Beth Keane's new novel The Half Moon!*
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1960s Rural Ireland. Greta Cahill must abandon her quiet village to follow her fearless sister Johanna onto a ship bound for New York . . .
It's here that she steps out of her sister's shadow and into a life of her own, rich with love, work and family.
As the years pass Greta longs to revisit the past - to see her mother, to show her what she has made of herself.
But she must protect a family secret, decades old.
So when her children conspire to unite the worlds she's kept so carefully apart, Greta fears she could lose it all . . .
A profoundly moving, compassionate story of self-discovery, The Walking People is a powerful and compelling story about our connection to the past.
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'A novel of great compassion and understanding . . . rich with story' JOHN BOYNE on Ask Again, Yes
'Keane's previous novel Ask Again, Yes, was on my best Books of 2019, and this is just as good. Its slow, melodic pace proves we don't always need fast action and twists' Prima, 'Best Books of March'
'The characters are so well drawn and out of the ordinary that I was quickly drawn into their story and didn't want it to end' 5***** Reader Review
'The story becomes so engrossing it grows on you with its real and engaging characters ... a very moving and original love story' Irish Examiner
'A gorgeous nostalgic family drama with real characters. Loved it' 5***** Reader Review
Praise for Mary Beth Keane:
'A fearless writer' Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Women
'A novel of great compassion and understanding . . . rich with story' John Boyne
'I'll read everything she writes' Liane Moriarty, author of Big Little Lies
'A writer of extraordinary depth, feeling and wit' Meg Wolitzer, author of The Female Persuasion
'Immersive and deeply moving' Anna Hope, author of Expectation
'It's an absolute stunner, an ode to family and forgiveness that has been crafted with compassion and insight' Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton
**THE HALF MOON, the new novel by Mary Beth Keane, is available to pre-order now!**
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Debut author Keane offers an extended meditation on leaving, finding and making home in a novel focused on the new Irish immigrant experience. Awkward, dreamy Greta Cahill was always in the shadow of her vivacious older sister, Johanna, as the two grew up on the far west coast of Ireland. Surrounded by houses left vacant by neighbors who emigrated, adventurous Johanna dreams of America, especially when, in the aftermath of a family tragedy, she befriends Michael Ward, the son of itinerant tinkers who wants nothing more than to stay in one place. When teenaged Johanna's dream comes true, Michael and Greta are dragged along to America in Johanna's impetuous wake. In New York City, however, Greta and Michael create their own home, happiness and success. The narrative, which extends from 1956 to the present, has the dusty feel of 19th-century literature, though Greta is an appealing character lacking in nostalgia. Her romance is also authentic and unsentimental, and despite the stodgy storytelling, her coming-of-age reflects a fresh take on the lives recent immigrants can create.
