Welcome to a new Friday series of posts! The objective of this series is to shed light on books I may plan to read because they seem interesting, but haven’t yet gotten around to enjoying.
The first book I want to cover is Tish Delaney’s Before My Actual Heart Breaks, which seems to be a highly rated novel amongst critics. The reason it is actually most appealing to me is its setting of the Northern Irish Troubles, and it explores a Republican/Nationalist side of the division. It is always interesting to see how the events of the Troubles are displayed in the media, particularly when honed in on a small amount of characters. The film Belfast comes to mind.
Another reason this novel is on my radar is because it stands as Delaney’s debut work. That seems inconsequential, but an author’s debut truly means a lot to their prospects and likelihood of writing and publishing another novel. The strong reception around Before My Actual Heart Breaks makes one thing clear: Delaney is not only a writer with talent, but one who can tackle the sensitivity of (Northern) Ireland’s political and religious feuds with the maturity required.
I actually had this novel in my hands a few months back when standing in a Waterstones (having been drawn to its vibrant yellow cover), and now I regret holding off. But with so many other books to get through, I guess it will sit on the back burner for another while. But I am mostly certain that I will enjoy my time with it, once I eventually get myself a copy.
If an exploration of a woman broken since her childhood by her family and country’s divisions sounds like your thing, then you should check it out. From the spoiler-free bits I have read online, it definitely seems like an emotional, dramatic, and tragic read.
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