This is a good novel on the topic of surviving domestic abuse and dealing with alcoholism. It's realistic, and deals with heavy subjects, but the main character has survived to worst of things, and is building a future for herself and her family as best she can, with some success. ( )

DO NOT read this book. Not if you've been a victim of domestic abuse. Not unless you can live under smothering apprehension and depression. Not if you don't want to live through Doyle's book which is so well-written you feel you've suffered the whole 17 years Paula was with her husband in only 188 pages. The writing mirrors the angst of the woman in the story. Staccato sentences filled with self-loathing and delusion. I actually had to quit reading for about a month before I could finish. Powerful. Awful. Great writing. ( )

This was my first novel from this author, and though the plot was simple, the struggles of average people were palpable. The story was genuine and I really felt empathic to the narrator’s struggles. However, towards the end, I did find myself becoming a little impatient with Paula’s constant excuses and lack of actions. I guess that goes to show how our individual struggles are sometimes our own making…and resolving. ( )

This is a powerful book -- a character study of an alcoholic woman looking back on her life upon learning of the violent death of her husband, Charlo. She had kicked Charlo out a year earlier, after seventeen years of serious abuse. Paula tries to understand how Charlo could have hit her that first time, and why she believed, and continued to believe despite escalating violence, that everything would be all right. We see both Paula's strengths and weaknesses, her relationships with Charlo, her sisters and her children. Her voice is strong and this book is so well written. Life is seldom easy and everyone has a story -- Paula's will move you. ( )

This is the mesmerizing, powerful and vicious story of an alcoholic, abused housewife in Dublin. The depth of emotion in the story is impressive. The pace and dialogue were spot-on. I've known more than one battered woman, and the main character in this story captures the strength and the terror of that situation.

Very powerful novel, highly recommended, though it's not enjoyable due to its subject matter. It's not over-dramatized; it's simply in-your-face realism. ( )