by Anna Burns
First published 2008
Patsy Doe runs her household in a small Northern Irish town until her estranged sisters arrive at her door. Each sister carries years of resentment and personal agendas that immediately upset the family's fragile peace. The women launch into bitter arguments that spiral into absurd confrontations, dragging other family members into their escalating war. Young Aoileann watches the adults around her lose control as old secrets surface and new alliances form. The sisters plot against each other while Patsy struggles to maintain her authority. Their conflicts grow more chaotic and surreal as each woman refuses to back down. Aoileann finds herself pulled between the warring factions, forced to navigate the adult world of grudges and betrayals. The family fractures under the weight of unspoken truths that finally demand acknowledgment.
Genres: domestic-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: dysfunctional-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Northern Ireland
Period: 21st Century
Unknown Binding · Clipper Large Print