Mairéad Hearne chooses her books of 2023 for your winter reading
by Mairéad Hearne
With bookshops bursting with choice, it can be somewhat daunting to decide on your next read, so let me help you with my selection of 2023 publications from Irish writers that provide a good mix of perfect escapism with a healthy dose of reality.
Included in this list, because they are both phenomenal reads, are the award-winning novels The Bee Sting by Paul Murray, winner of the An Post Irish Book Awards 2023 Eason Novel of the Year and Prophet Song by Paul Lynch, winner of The Booker Prize 2023.
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (Oneworld)
Prophet Song is a truly riveting experience. Described as dystopian, it is, in fact, a reflection of what life is like for many refugees today who seek another life away from the despotic governance of their own homes. The terror, the hatred, the descent into chaos is all very vividly portrayed, leaving revulsion in its wake. Profound and hair-raising, Prophet Song is a book for our time, an imperative and compelling read that will shake you to the core and remind you of the fragility of our society.
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (Penguin)
Oozing with warmth, wit, and dark comedy, this is a seriously impressive piece of work. The story of a family in crisis, The Bee Sting is a tale of lies, deception, grief, passion, love, and self-discovery. While at times quite a sombre read, it is also filled with cracking dialogue and unconventional personalities. It is a novel that really produces the unexpected. A captivating read from start to finish, The Bee Sting is poignant, melancholy, and funny, with a complex cast of breath-taking characters. It really is an outstanding and first-rate adventure.
The Lock-up by John Banville (Faber)
John Banville creates an atmosphere and sets a scene excellently. There is a mystery to be solved at the core of this tale, but it is also the story of two individuals with diverse opinions forced to work alongside each other which adds an extra layer of tension to the novel.
No fancy tech equipment or forensic investigative techniques were available in Ireland in the 1950s, when The Lock Up is set, so other methods were necessary to uncover the truth. This does slow the book down but not in any bad way. It is a well-paced crime novel, with a literary edge and, although a recent publication, it has a classic style that engages and intrigues the reader.
A Winter to Remember by Roisin Meaney (Hachette)
Set in the weeks coming up to Christmas, you can’t help but think of sleigh bells and twinkling fairy lights when turning the pages of this delightful, reassuring, and uplifting tale. An atmospheric read and, although raising many difficult themes, all handled sensitively, A Winter to Remember is imbued with optimism, warmth, and humour, carrying a very strong message about the need for community when times get tough.
An Island Christmas (Nollaig Oileánach) by Micheál Ó Conghaile, translated from the Irish by Mìcheál Ó hAodha (Mercier Press)
Micheál Ó Conghaile is a native Irish speaker, reared on the now abandoned island of Inis Treabhair off the coast of Connemara. Through his memories, Ó Conghaile recalls his years as a young boy, reflecting on the self-sufficiency of the islanders to survive.
Ó Conghaile regularly meanders off course with the style of a natural seanchaí, providing a genuine and first-hand account of life on Inis Treabhair, where the ghosts of the past now linger in the wind and in the minds of its last inhabitants.
Life At Full Tilt: The Selected Writings of Dervla Murphy edited by Ethel Crowley (Eland)
From the 1930s to the 2010s, Ethel Crowley has provided the reader with an outstanding overview into the unparalleled life of Dervla Murphy. She was a wanderer and an adventurer who brought people on the most phenomenal journeys from the comfort of their home.
Witness to many world events, across politics and geography, she was a real-life adventurer, an explorer and a campaigner against injustice who went beyond the reaches of most of her generation. Ethel Crowley has truly captured the essence of Dervla Murphy within these pages. Life At Full Tilt is a superb anthology and a book for all seasons.
An Invitation to the Kennedys by Emily Hourican (Hachette)
The previous three books in The Guinness Girls series immersed the reader in the lavish and plush world of the Guinness family. Emily Hourican has now widened her scope to America, introducing us to Joseph and Rose Kennedy, and their daughter Katherine ‘Kick’ Kennedy.
Capturing the tension of the late 1930s, this is a very glamorous read with the underlying and palpable dread of a society teetering on the verge of chaos. An Invitation to the Kennedys is a compelling and elegant addition to a wonderfully researched series, sweeping the reader up in the drama, the fashion, the politics, and the romance of the time.
