'I loved this novel for its rawness its assured writing and its empathetic characters.
Caragh Maxwell is a writer to watch.' Irish Examiner For fans of Sally Rooney and Megan
Nolan comes a remarkable new Irish debut about growing up and moving backwards What do you
do when you've ruined your life? You go home to your mother if you're lucky enough still to
have one. Saoirse Maher wouldn't recommend it. Leaving home wasn't supposed to be
temporary. When she moved to London Saoirse was leaving Ireland behind for good and with it
her messy broken family. But it turns out that starting again isn't as easy as she imagined
and when her five-year relationship goes south Saoirse finds herself out of options. And so
here she is trudging back to her mother Máire's house up a side road on the outskirts of Irish
civilisation. Except the world she comes back to is nothing like the one she left behind.
Her mother has a new family and everyone else seems to be moving on. But between the drinking
drugs and an entirely healthy not-problematic-at-all-thanks relationship with Charlie
there's plenty to distract her. Don't look too closely and everything's fine. Saoirse is
just fine. 'This is such an absorbing read shocking and brutal at times but incredibly
tender at others. Fans of Megan Nolan or Niamh Mulvey will love it.' NIAMH HARGAN
