Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling by Emer McLysaght, Sarah Breen

2 reviews

what_heather_loves's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-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

Aisling (pronounced Ashling), overhearing two women discussing her in the ladies toilet at a wedding: "'Your one Aisling is absolutely gas, isn't she?'...'Yeah', confirms Updo, rifling through her handbag. 'That's her. You're sitting beside her fella - he's a bit of a ride an' all.'...'She has me in stitches,' Kerry says. 'Loads of the girls in work are like her. Real sensible types, all down from the country. One of them wear her county jersey every casual Friday and then throws on a pair of earrings for going to the pub afterwards...Oh it's a definite type...My brother has just started going out with one of them, a complete Aisling...Goes home every weekend to play camogie and has a lot of strong opinions about tea.' I rack my brains. She sound very familiar; I bet Majella knows her. 'Is she nice?' Updo asks, and I feel myself tense up...'Oh god, yeah, she' s lovely', Kerry said, to my relief. 'He's mad about her.'"

The first in the popular Aisling series following the exploits of late-twenties Irish girl, Aisling, who embodies a specific type of character, familiar those those from rural Ireland around Dublin: "small-town girl, big heart, no clue". Working for Pensions Plus company in Dublin, she splits her time between long-term boyrfriendJohn's (from rural Knocknamanagh aka Knock) Dublin house-share with mates and her parents back home in Ballygobbard (AKA BGB) that neighbours Knock. Her beloved Daddy and Mammy and best friend Majella keep her right, until a holiday in Tenerife with John demonstratea unwillingness to 'put a ring in it', causing Ais to break up with him and start some new, single-woman adventures adventures.

From the first page I adored this, reminding me of the humerous and affectionate Marian Keyes' Rachel Walsh stories. Lighthearted engaging and most importantly only very gently poking fun and Aisling and her life. I loved their dialect, despite as an English person having to look up how to pronounce some of the characters' names and Ais's exploits down home and in Dublin AKA the big city. It made me want to jump on a plane to Ireland, have been to Dublin and Cork only years ago. There's joy and some sadness and I very much look forward to reading the next book in the series. I've heard from other bookstagrammers it's even better on audio book.
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wallflovver's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

i honestly don't know i feel about this book? in ways i really liked aisling, in other ways i didn't like her character 

i enjoyed her being a reliable and sensible girl, and she did make me laugh! 

i feel like the things i don't like about her come from a place of "not like other girls" internalised misogyny that was rife in the 2010s.. so i tried not to hold it against her

i wasn't aware of the saddest event of this book before going into it, and it really made me weep! aisling was a pretty light hearted read until it wasnt. there's a few heavy issues raised in this book towards the end (see my content warnings), both of which i felt were handled really well! 

there's also constant casual references to weight watchers and an unhealthy relationship with food that really feels unsettling to read in 2022.. 

though, i think i will be reading the aisling sequels! hoping to see some character development for her! 

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