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A review by stabilesero
Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
4.5
This book was picked up by a non-reader friend, purely based on the cover.
And what a wonderful pick it was.
When I read the cover and saw the Factory Girls humour was akin to Derry Girls, I had high hopes. Not because I've ever watched Derry Girls, but because I knew the humour would be up my street from the little I have heard about it. The last time I had a book compared to a TV show, it was The Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift (which was compared to Fleabag) and my god, it hit the spot.
This book was exactly the same.
From the get-go, I loved the down-to-earth sense of humour. I enjoyed the swearing, the no hiding the facts or feelings. All of the characters had their own quirks and individual humours, but overall, it encompassed everyone's attitudes and feelings towards what was going on in Ireland in the 1990s. I won't pretend I knew or understood everything about the IRA/UVF, but you don't have to. Through the bombings or murders, you felt from either side of the fence; the emotional burden or overwhelming anxiety about who was going to be next.
A coming-of-age story that doesn't miss out on real feelings and real interactions. Showing everything from the importance of small kindnesses and inclusion, to how major political decisions affect the little guys/gals at the bottom of the chain.
And what a wonderful pick it was.
When I read the cover and saw the Factory Girls humour was akin to Derry Girls, I had high hopes. Not because I've ever watched Derry Girls, but because I knew the humour would be up my street from the little I have heard about it. The last time I had a book compared to a TV show, it was The Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift (which was compared to Fleabag) and my god, it hit the spot.
This book was exactly the same.
From the get-go, I loved the down-to-earth sense of humour. I enjoyed the swearing, the no hiding the facts or feelings. All of the characters had their own quirks and individual humours, but overall, it encompassed everyone's attitudes and feelings towards what was going on in Ireland in the 1990s. I won't pretend I knew or understood everything about the IRA/UVF, but you don't have to. Through the bombings or murders, you felt from either side of the fence; the emotional burden or overwhelming anxiety about who was going to be next.
A coming-of-age story that doesn't miss out on real feelings and real interactions. Showing everything from the importance of small kindnesses and inclusion, to how major political decisions affect the little guys/gals at the bottom of the chain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Sexual harassment