ALL THE BAD APPLES (Penguin, 2019)
This is beautiful, visceral writing, a primal scream that serves as a damning indictment of the way women have been treated in this country. – Louise O’Neill
Unflinching and gorgeously written, this feminist novel is important, timely, and a compulsive read. From the highly acclaimed author of the beloved The Accident Season comes an epic breakout novel examining the very topical and controversial issue of women’s sexual and reproductive rights, which has never been higher on the public’s radar.
When Deena’s wild older sister Mandy goes missing, presumed dead, Deena refuses to believe it’s true. Especially when letters start arriving – letters from Mandy – which proclaim that their family’s blighted history is not just bad luck or bad decisions but a curse, handed down to women from generation to generation. Mandy’s gone to find the root of the curse before it’s too late for Deena. But is the curse even real? And is Mandy still alive?
Deena’s desperate, cross-country search for her beloved sister–guided only by the notes that mysteriously appear at each destination, leading her to former Magdalene laundry sites and more – is a love letter to women and a heartbreaking cathartic journey.
Tender and fierce, full of blessings and curses, like a fiery avenging angel of a book. – Melinda Salisbury, author of The Sin Eater’s Daughter
This lyrical, furious examination of victimised, silenced Irish women is compelling. – The Guardian
It’s a gorgeous set-up for a magical realist dive into today’s teenagers confronting the hideous heritage of this country (…) This is a book to hold tightly to your chest. – The Irish Times
An astonishingly potent offering to women who break the mold. – Booklist (starred review)
Told in a mix of letters, family stories, and narrative, this devastating novel manages to find hope for the future while sending pointed messages that are as vital as they are timely. – Publishers Weekly
The echo of past trauma is hauntingly underscored by the invocation of the banshee scream, and the book has a simmering, authentically righteous fury. – BCCB
This novel will sink its teeth into you and you won’t want it to let go. – Lambda Literary