Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

77 reviews

susheela's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Child abuse

Minor: Death of parent

librarianjess's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

This is my first read of Claire Keegan and it is completely fair to say this won't be my last. What an impactful read! This novella is set in 1980's Ireland with Bill Furlong as our MC, who is a coal merchant delivering coal into the community around Christmastime. He becomes intrigued by things happening at a local Church

Spoiler

which is operating as part of the Magdalene Laundries.

I listened to the audio which was a really great experience.

I really loved so many things about this book, and for how short it is, it certainly packs a punch. It dealt with themes surrounding identity, morality, concepts of womanhood and familial life, as well as having a really eloquent writing style. I felt all of these themes and events intertwined really nicely. I particularly found Bill's inner torment with his own sense of identity as the child of an unmarried mother, his Catholic identity, his Irish identity and his sense of morality a really interesting mix of emotions and it was portrayed so well throughout.  

I also really enjoyed this books exploration of the evil in society, but from the perspective of compliance, rather than being an explicit perpetrator. At first, I hadn't realised that this was even an element to the book, but it wasn't until I reflected on it for this review and read some of the Booker Prize information on this novella, that I understood. Compliance was specifically manifested in our female characters and coming to this realisation, it made me understand why they felt so proud of adhering to traditional styles of womanhood and having a selfish and unbothered attitude to Bill's concerns. 

I think this could have been 5 stars for me, but I did feel a little let down by the end. After reading up on the events in the Church after reading, it made sense to me, but on a first read, it didn't feel definitive enough and I felt a little lost afterwards. However, this is an excellent read and I would highly recommend this to anyone!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Child abuse

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Vomit and Death of parent

gracescanlon's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective 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? N/A

4.5

I loved this, so much. Keegan writes in a similar fashion to other modern Irish writers I’ve read, especially Niall Williams.

I only wish the book was longer! Its ending wasn’t disappointing, per se, but I would’ve been happy to read another 200 pages about Bill and the girls. That said, I also see the merit of the chosen ending, and did enjoy it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Classism, Abandonment, Terminal illness, and Vomit

zosiablue's review

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Lovely, sad, Christmassy little book about the Magdalen Laundries & a very good man who doesn't realize he's a very good man. Made me want to be a better person!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

vas_17's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexism, Confinement, Death of parent, Abandonment, Cursing, Death, Bullying, Classism, and Grief

Minor: Vomit and Child death

musicalpopcorn's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense 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? No

4.0

This book was hauntingly good. It was short, but painted an intricate picture of the community in which Furlong lived. The willful ignorance, the poverty, all of it was stark in the few pages of this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Vomit, Physical abuse, Confinement, and Child abuse

Moderate: Death of parent

imlfox's review against another edition

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Suicidal thoughts

jackbifrost's review

reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Pregnancy, Trafficking, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Terminal illness and Suicidal thoughts

dianna's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

rcsreads's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

2.25

I felt like this ended just as it was getting interesting. I also felt like the perspective of a middle class, white man was the least needed pov for a story about the mis-treatment of women and girls. 
 The writing is fairly basic, and the characters felt flat. The phrase "he released a breath he didn't realise he'd been  holding" was used, which is possibly the most cliche sentence in the history of literature!
 It was fine, I read it in an afternoon and it brings awareness about Magdalen laundries in a way your granny could read without being shocked. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Trafficking, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Grief, and Physical abuse