Reviews

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

foodforsauce's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.0

burgsandbeans's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Another worthwhile book on the nunneries in Ireland, but done in a totally different way. I'm always enamoured with authors who can put so much feeling and meaning into fewer pages. Being only 113 pages long, I finished it in one sitting. However, Keegan is able to weave in so much history and emotion and makes the most of each word written. A fantastic book about a shocking time in history, worth a read but I'd say brush up on the context so the nuances aren't lost on your first pass.

kristy81's review against another edition

hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

vicjp's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

ishita_ar's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

jacolienversteeg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

cozyreadings's review against another edition

4.75

It seemed both proper and at the same time deeply unfair that so much of life was left to chance.

Picked this up because I saw the trailer for the movie and was intrigued.

This is an absolute gem. Reading as if it's a sweet Christmas story, it actually packs a big punch, looking at human nature and the daily life of a father of 5 daughters. It also, and most importantly, looks at how corrupt and hypocritical church can be, and how one good deed and one good person can change the course of someone's life. How good morals are taught, and how a God fearing town can ignore those in need, going to mass every Sunday and believing that they are good people.

It's based on the Irish Magdalene laundries, which were institutions ran by Catholic orders "housing" (can't really call it housing if you know what those poor girls went through) girls who had "fallen from Grace". The book manages to include a lot in a very short amount of pages, posing the question: would you do what Bill did, doing a good thing no matter the consequences, or would you turn a blind eye? 

caroo1212's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

flahri's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

leoneptune's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0