Saoirse

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What to expect

RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK

'Beautifully written and enticingly intriguing' - Liz Nugent, author of Strange Sally Diamond

'Audacious and propulsive, a story surges with emotion - this is a dazzling novel' - Colin Walsh, author of Kala

Exploring the fine line between dishonesty and reinvention, Saoirse is an evocative and compelling story of a woman perpetually in flight. A book for fans of Trespasses by Louise Kennedy and Barbara's Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead.

In the wilds of Donegal, Ireland, 1999, Saoirse is an artist living an outwardly idyllic life. Her tender husband Daithí and two beloved daughters are regular subjects for her work, and in them she has found the safe home that she has always longed for. She tends not to talk about her past, and those that love her have learned to accept that the full story is too painful for her to disclose.

When her Dublin exhibition unexpectedly wins a prestigious award that invites a swarm of publicity, Saoirse is left panic stricken. The unanticipated recognition threatens to expose a decade's worth of buried memories and past crimes. Because what her family and friends don't know is that Saoirse has been on the run since she was seventeen, she has stolen an identity to survive, and whilst Ireland might now be her home, it wasn't her first - and now her past life is poised to reclaim her.

The novel weaves between flashbacks to a complicated childhood in Michigan, and Saoirse's journey to and in Ireland to forge safety for herself.

Critics Review

'Audacious and propulsive, a story that surges with emotional vitality - this is a dazzling novel'
author of Kala
'A beautifully wrought, deeply human story of the power of creativity in the face of survival. By turns funny and moving, with an unforgettable cast of characters (with a special mention to Daithí, the Mr Darcy of Donegal) Saoirse brims with humanity and hope'
author of Snowflake
'Saoirse is a delicious literary jigsaw, leaving the reader to piece together the memories, paintings and confessions of our eponymous heroine. Beautifully written and enticingly intriguing, Charleen Hurtubise is a shiny new star in the Irish literary firmament'
author of Strange Sally Diamond
'Utterly beautiful with lyrical prose and storytelling, I loved this!
Prima
'Hurtubise places her memorable heroine at the centre of a propulsive and twisty plot, and makes Saoirse's desire for freedom palpable on every page. It's a knockout'
Publishers Weekly
'A deeply powerful story, it combines propulsive storytelling with writing of real intimacy and lyrical beauty; it shimmers with emotion, the heart of its heroine - and her will to survive - and hope'
editor-in-chief of BookBrunch
'Compelling ... searing and intimate'
New York Times
'Saoirse is utterly absorbing as both a character study and a mystery. Beautifully written, with poignancy and depth, this is one that will stay with me'
Jo Spain
'Wow! This book is absolutely BRILLIANT and I predict great things next year when it's released. The story, characters, settings ... it's the whole package wrapped up into a beautifully written page-turner. My heart was in my mouth at times and I rooted for Saoirse all the way. Very, VERY highly recommended'
Netgalley review
'Stunning story-telling'
Good Housekeeping

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