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Strange Flowers

3.6(26)
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About the book

AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARD NOVEL OF THE YEAR

Longlisted for the Dublin Literary Awards

"Mr. Ryan writes conspicuously beautiful prose... The fleeting happiness and abiding melancholy of the asymmetry, heightened by the intimately rendered surroundings, brings out Mr. Ryan's most sensuous and emotive writing." -The Wall Street Journal

From the Booker nominated author of The Queen of Dirt Island, Donal Ryan's new novel follows the Gladney family across three generations seeking the true meaning of what it is to find home and love.

In 1973, twenty-year-old Moll Gladney takes a morning bus from her rural home in Ireland and disappears. Bewildered and distraught, Paddy and Kit must confront an unbearable prospect: that they will never see their daughter again.

Five years later, Moll returns from London. What - and who - she brings with her will change the course of her family's life forever. Beautiful and devastating, this exploration of loss, alienation and the redemptive power of love reaffirms Donal Ryan as one of the most talented and empathetic writers at work today.

Editions (2)

ISBN9780143136392
PublisherPenguin Publishing Group
Publication Date06/15/21
Pages240

Reviews & Ratings

26 ratings

4 reviews

3.6

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  • allesisterleuchtet
    allesisterleuchtet

    199 Followers

    4.0

    Poetische und skurrile Familiengeschichte aus Irland

    Kit und Paddy sind Pächter eines kleinen Cottage in Irland, weit draußen auf dem Land in einem kleinen Dorf in den 1970ern. Sie leben ein bescheidenes und scheinbar zufriedenes Leben bis ihre gerade erwachsene Tochter Moll über Nacht verschwindet. 5 Jahre hören sie nichts von Moll, dann steht sie plötzlich in der Tür und erzählt nichts. Die drei leben weiter vor sich hin, bis im Nachbardorf ein fremder Schwarzer nach Moll fragt... Ein Buch über ein scheinbar beschauliches katholisches Dorfleben, das komplett über den Haufen geworfen wird aber vor allem ein Buch über die Liebe in der Familie über alle Grenzen hinweg. Ein schönes Buch, manchmal etwas abschweifend poetisch und mystisch aber auch sehr atmosphärisch.

    Sep 9, 2024

  • gesteff
    gesteff

    140 Followers

    2.0

    Fing interessant an, wurde immer öder, hab es nur noch quer gelesen. Seltsames Buch

    Oct 5, 2024

  • 2.0

    Plot: story of an Irish family whose daughter runs away and gets pregnant and married by a black man. She then runs away from him and he follows her back to Ireland and stays. Only then to pivot and reveal towards the end that the daughter is a lesbian in love with the wife of the owner of the land her father takes care off Opinion: I mean this book was okay, nothing spectacular to write home about. It was an okay storyline and to be honest none of the characters stood out to me or were interesting enough to capture my attention. I honestly read the book just to finish. The plot was nothing phenomenal and I would have happily DNF'd. The pivot at the end about the girl being lesbian I guess was meant to be shocking but honestly it was anticlimactic and added nothing to the story. Recommendation: it is an okay read and I personally give it 2 ⭐️s. It is an acquired taste kind of book and I don't think I really enjoyed the taste.

    Nov 20, 2023

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