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seventhswan's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"It was pleasing to think she had changed herself on purpose, that there was at least one item of proof of her ability to do so."
I was slightly apprehensive about the premise of this book - fearing either bleak poverty porn or the romanticisation of addiction and older men - but fortunately I needn't have worried. The characters are where the book really shone, and I really connected and empathised with Carmel despite her failings. While most of the plot was tragic, it wasn't too soapy and the cautiously optimistic ending saved it from veering into the ridiculous. We all know a Carmel or a Richie and we could all, as the title suggests, become one.
I particularly appreciated how Nolan handled the main events of the plot, concerning the killing of one child by another. It was sensitively and realistically done, and Lucy got to be a whole character with a convincing arc rather than just the Evil Demon Child. One of the best books I have read this year.
I was slightly apprehensive about the premise of this book - fearing either bleak poverty porn or the romanticisation of addiction and older men - but fortunately I needn't have worried. The characters are where the book really shone, and I really connected and empathised with Carmel despite her failings. While most of the plot was tragic, it wasn't too soapy and the cautiously optimistic ending saved it from veering into the ridiculous. We all know a Carmel or a Richie and we could all, as the title suggests, become one.
I particularly appreciated how Nolan handled the main events of the plot, concerning the killing of one child by another. It was sensitively and realistically done, and Lucy got to be a whole character with a convincing arc rather than just the Evil Demon Child. One of the best books I have read this year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Murder
Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer
jotee76's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Abortion
emlibe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
ncghammo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death and Abortion
alicroz34's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
I wish I spent more time writing down my favourite quotes, but I only clued in at the end how much I wanted to remember them. Here's two from the end:
She was trying to accept that she couldn't force her reactive honesty on others, couldn't speak into their silences for them.
She was trying to accept that she couldn't force her reactive honesty on others, couldn't speak into their silences for them.
The trying would be the life's work, they both understood this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Addiction and Child death
blubbflubbl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Abortion
booksillremember's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Well written character study, rich with images and reflections that are down to earth and understated like a lot of great Irish writing.
I didn’t connect with Tom’s chapters, him being a one-dimensional arsehole 99% of the time when everyone else was so much more complex. There are glimpses of complexity, but I’d either have liked more about his background or a lot less about him overall. Make him a function without POV or a fleshed out character, not something in between.
I didn’t connect with Tom’s chapters, him being a one-dimensional arsehole 99% of the time when everyone else was so much more complex. There are glimpses of complexity, but I’d either have liked more about his background or a lot less about him overall. Make him a function without POV or a fleshed out character, not something in between.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Abortion
Moderate: Child death
rcy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Abortion, and Alcohol
_inge's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a pageturner! And not necessarily because of the crime - this is the catalyst for uncovering the family’s story, the act itself doesn’t take center stage. I was invested in all the members of the Green’s family ánd Tom, so I was keen to keep reading to figure out how everyone related to each other.
This book doesn’t use quotation marks, and the numbered chapters usually indicate a shift in perspective. This does make it a bit confusing to follow sometimes. You could be reading multiple chapters from Carmel’s perspective, only to find a chapter from Ritchie’s point of view following those up without a prior warning. There’s quite a few characters to keep up with too, initially. I had to backtrack sometimes, either to figure out who’s who, but also to see who’s perspective I’m reading from. It doesn’t help that certain segments are paragraphs filled with a character’s thoughts, either.
In the interview on the last pages of my paperback copy, the author states they’d decided to remove major parts featuring Tom’s perspective as the focus should be on the family, not on him. I do get where this is coming from, but at the same time I thought Tom was always meant to be the one tying the story together. He’s the only character completely outside of the family, and he’s pretty one-sided most times (which the family isn’t either). He’s downright awful! But that’s what made his perspectives a nice change. He’s the only character who’s this full of himself, thinks this lowly of others and who has ulterior motives. I found his character fascinating and would’ve liked to see more of him. Once again during my Women’s Prize For Fiction 2024 reading I’m also noticing the blurb doesn’t really do this justice. The blurb made it out to be like Tom is the main focus here, so going into this I thought we’d get a deep delve into how the press works and what they’re capable of to get to a story first. These elements were there, but they never felt that important now.
Similarly, Lucy’s perspective wasn’t needed, in my opinion. In the interview Nolan says she wrote from her perspective when Lucy becomes a teen, to avoid having to write for a kid. But because the writing style doesn’t change from any of the (adult) characters in this book whatsoever, Lucy’s perspective felt a bit off. I knew she wouldn’t be thinking in the way she’s described to be doing here, which is lengthy sentences and an expansive vocabulary for how she really feels.
This is a really captivating read, every character felt alive to me. I would’ve liked less of Lucy and more of Tom, but that’s all personal preferences and I get why the author chose to go in this direction instead.
This book doesn’t use quotation marks, and the numbered chapters usually indicate a shift in perspective. This does make it a bit confusing to follow sometimes. You could be reading multiple chapters from Carmel’s perspective, only to find a chapter from Ritchie’s point of view following those up without a prior warning. There’s quite a few characters to keep up with too, initially. I had to backtrack sometimes, either to figure out who’s who, but also to see who’s perspective I’m reading from. It doesn’t help that certain segments are paragraphs filled with a character’s thoughts, either.
In the interview on the last pages of my paperback copy, the author states they’d decided to remove major parts featuring Tom’s perspective as the focus should be on the family, not on him. I do get where this is coming from, but at the same time I thought Tom was always meant to be the one tying the story together. He’s the only character completely outside of the family, and he’s pretty one-sided most times (which the family isn’t either). He’s downright awful! But that’s what made his perspectives a nice change. He’s the only character who’s this full of himself, thinks this lowly of others and who has ulterior motives. I found his character fascinating and would’ve liked to see more of him. Once again during my Women’s Prize For Fiction 2024 reading I’m also noticing the blurb doesn’t really do this justice. The blurb made it out to be like Tom is the main focus here, so going into this I thought we’d get a deep delve into how the press works and what they’re capable of to get to a story first. These elements were there, but they never felt that important now.
Similarly, Lucy’s perspective wasn’t needed, in my opinion. In the interview Nolan says she wrote from her perspective when Lucy becomes a teen, to avoid having to write for a kid. But because the writing style doesn’t change from any of the (adult) characters in this book whatsoever, Lucy’s perspective felt a bit off. I knew she wouldn’t be thinking in the way she’s described to be doing here, which is lengthy sentences and an expansive vocabulary for how she really feels.
This is a really captivating read, every character felt alive to me. I would’ve liked less of Lucy and more of Tom, but that’s all personal preferences and I get why the author chose to go in this direction instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Abortion, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Vomit, and Death of parent