This book follows the lives of three Irish women.
It is very well written and is a good saga.
Another good book by this author

It’s been so long since I read a book by Patricia Scanlan, who in the past has been a firm favourite of mine, being one of the excellent Irish writers I began to read in my late teens. I can’t for the life of me figure out why I haven’t read anything recently by this wonderful author as I thoroughly enjoyed this new book, A Family Reunion, now published in paperback. Since it’s hardback publication last year it has had a title change. It had been called The Liberation of Brigid Dunne and I can see why it would have been called that but I think this new cover and title will be sure to appeal to many more readers. It’s a long book at just over 500 pages in length but I didn’t feel as if it was a chore to read it. Instead I read huge chunks in one sitting and I found the chapters flew by as I became immersed in the story of three generations of women and how a family reunion changes their landscape forever. Old secrets, bitter resentments and many jealousies come exploding to the surface after having been kept buried for many many years.

The format of the book was perfect. We began as members of the family reunite as Sister. Brigid is celebrating her 80th birthday and her retirement at Four Winds House. Marie Claire, her niece, is coming back from Toronto. Her mother Keelin is visiting with her husband Armand from France and Imelda, her mother and Brigid’s sister, is reluctantly going to the celebration. Each of the women has had their own struggles in the past and for some they still exist in the present. Issues surrounding their family history, events that have occurred and their inability to express their feelings start to simmer to the surface and revelations come right out into the open when Imelda just can’t keep a lid on things anymore. What she says sends shockwaves through the family and a rift ensues but to understand the context for such hatred, bile and animosity to be unleashed we have to go back in time to learn of Brigid’s, Imelda and Keelin’s individual stories.

Marie Claire features more in the present and in a way she is the glue that binds the three aforementioned women together. Without her a deep chasm would open and remain so for many years. Marie Claire is dealing with her own problems as she has just discovered her boyfriend Marc has been cheating on her. Just when she thought her life and career were moving up a gear she is thrown off kilter by what she discovers. She doesn’t actually confront Marc with what she knows instead she leaves for Ireland arriving unexpectedly at the reunion much to the delight of her family. I wished she would have been stronger and made a clean break from Marc but it was like she couldn’t admit to herself that he wasn’t as perfect as she had believed him to be. Time away from her situation to become absorbed in family life once more may give her the fresh perspective that she needs but little does she bargain on the many announcements that are revealed by Imelda in a fit of rage. Can her family be pieced back together or has too much damage been done?

Once the reunion and birthday has been explored we are taken back in time to an Ireland that is very different to the one we live in today. The author does a fantastic job of exploring the way society was run and how women didn’t have a very strong place in it. Rather they were constrained and bound by family duty and obligations and dictated to by the church. It shows just how far we have come as a country and that in the past women were supressed for their views and anything that happened outside the norms of family life that would draw attention to or damage the reputation of a family would have disastrous consequences. Ireland has a very tainted history when it comes to the way the Church dominated everything and I don’t think the lives of Brigid, Imelda and Keelin would have gone on the path in which they did were it not for the rules and regulations imposed by the Church. It seems so backwards and so out of touch with how we live today and it is a stark remainder that this wasn’t all that long ago.

Imelda and Brigid live on the family farm with their parents and brothers. Imelda is the younger sister who from the outset always seemed to have such a chip on her shoulder. She is insanely jealous of Brigid and doesn’t have a great relationship with her. My initial impressions were that none of them were completely happy and Imelda allowed her anger and what she viewed as an injustice done to her to fester for so long that she just couldn’t help herself when the opportunity arose so many years later to get everything out in the open. When Brigid decides to enter the convent Imelda allows her self pity to increase and she starts to hold a grudge against her sister. She feels as if she is left to a life of slavery looking after her granny and parents and that no good life opportunities will come her way. Of course her life does go on to change and she marries and has a family of her own but still these insecurities of hers multiply.

It’s only when we reach the point where her own particular story is explored that you can begin to feel any shred of sympathy or understanding for her .Yet at the same time I did think a lot of her wrongdoings and the opinions she held were of her own creation. She came across as bitter and closed off and not a person able to fully relax and open up and allow love and contentment into her life. Her personality and stance affected those around her and you couldn’t blame the various characters for the way they felt about her. It’s only as we near the end and the group of women take a religious and spiritual tour of sorts to Iona and the surrounding area that Imelda reveals her true self and things made much more sense. Yet her actions with regard to both Keelin and Brigid, I’m not so sure would I have been as forthcoming with my forgiveness.

Brigid is a complex character who wrestles with her conscience throughout the story. She harbours a deep secret that has eaten away at her ever since she entered the convent. It seemed to be me a rash decision was made on her part to become a nun in order to escape country life and I sensed there had to be a much deeper reason behind it. Whether it was the right thing or not to do remained to be seen for a very long time. Brigid known as mere to Marie Claire and Keelin was the anthesis of Imelda and I think this really got Imelda’s back up. Why do her daughter and granddaughter turn to their Aunt for advice and support rather than her? Brigid was calm and serene on the outside and for many years worked on the missions in Africa, helping children and families. She is dedicated to this work but there is always a little sense of the rebel about her that she doesn’t always conform to the rules and regulations imposed by the Church and convent. Yet she would never leave and I questioned what was keeping her there and what was her dark secret?

Brigid was a real matriarchal figure and her life could have been ruined despite her great age. Instead she turns a nasty experience into one which will benefit her and change her outlook. Maybe it was the right time for everything to be brought out into the open. She begins to question herself and the many indoctrinations of the church. She feels as if she has been brainwashed to think in one way and that there are in fact many other possibilities and opinions out there. She starts to realise that the Church uses suppression as a form of control upon the lives of those who ‘work’ for it and the women of Ireland. Women’s inequality and the church and state control is expertly highlighted throughout the book but not done so in an overbearing manner.

As for Keelin, to me she was the most free spirited of them all and with Armand she had found her comfort zone running retreats in France. But she too harboured her own secret which I must say was very surprising. I found her journey that we read of in the past really helped me to understand her and the relationship she had with both Marie Claire and Brigid in the present. I think Keelin couldn’t connect at all to Imelda as a mother and one action of Imelda’s in particular damaged the mother daughter relationship almost beyond repair. Keelin experienced a similar journey to that of Brigid’s but the path that she threaded was a very different one. Through her experiences another aspect of Irish history was explored and my sense of injustice grew and grew.

I think Patricia Scanlan did a fantastic job of highlighting the many faults of Ireland as a state and how we have been dominated by the Church’s control and its teachings. You will perhaps want to stop every so often and look up bits of information which will enhance your understanding and appreciation of the brilliant story that unfolded. I thoroughly enjoyed A Family Reunion, yes there are aspects that will divide opinion but I know what side I am planted on. This book has reignited my love for Patricia’s writing and I look forward to reading her next book.

A family drama beginning in 1953 with various female family members having their say. You know when you pick up a book by this author that you are in for a treat especially when the arguments start and the insults are thrown - can’t beat a good insult when they are as funny as these! I far preferred 1 of the ladies to the other goody two shoes who thought themselves perfect. There were some interesting facts and great descriptions of places but a little too much about Catholicism and all that entailed. It was an enjoyable read and would be a great gift for someone now that time of the year is approaching

This spellbinding story of the lives of four women spans three generations At the age of sixteen Brigid Dunne determines that the only escape from a life of drudgery in a small town in Ireland is to enter the convent never imagining that the fall out from this decision will shape the lives of the women of her family for more than sixty years culminating in a showdown at her eightieth birthday party.
I have been reading Patricia Scanlan's stories of emancipated women for almost thirty years and this one doesn't disappoint. I love that she always lets the reader see events from all points of view so we can see exactly how and why a character reacts in a certain way. I highly recommend this book.

I enjoyed this story. The characters were intriguing but I strongly disliked Imelda from start to finish. The story followed three (female) generations of a family. For me, it really drums home that communication is key. Their lives would have been very different had they communicated.

I’ve been a huge fan of Patricia’s for many years and have read all her books, so I was thrilled to have the chance to read this one. I wasn’t disappointed.

Four women from the same family – sisters Brigid and Imelda, and Imelda’s daughter (Keelin) and granddaughter (Marie-Claire) – and the occasion of Brigid’s 80th birthday. Brigid is a nun, but Imelda has always been jealous of her older sister. There’s also tension between Imelda and Keelin, and everything comes to a head at Brigid’s birthday party.

A beautiful book that I didn’t want to put down; it had Patricia’s usual warmth, humour, and real-life situations, and I really didn’t want it to end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

#TheLiberationofBrigidDunne #NetGalley It's been a while since I read a Patricia Scanlan novel and I was excited to have the opportunity to read and review this one. This did not disappoint. A true family saga featuring the highs and lows of three generations of the family - Brigid (and Imelda), Keelin and Marie-Claire. A lovely read, heartwarming and heart wrenching in parts, I could not put this down. A well deserved 5 stars.

Patricia at her best lovely story intertwined with real historical events and characters from Irelands history.

Having read Patricia Scanlan’s previous books and enjoying them immensely, I was a little disappointed in this one. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, it’s just I found it a little plodding and drawn out. Very spiritual as well. If you like the family sagas then give it a try. #NetGalley#TheLiberationofBrigidDunne

With thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the arc, which was an excellent read.
The Liberation of Brigid Dunne by Patricia Scanlan was a riveting read, at the time of a world pandemic and lockdowns caused by the Coronavirus. It told the story of Brigid Dunne who became a nun in Ireland and retired at eighty. It was the story of her and her sister’s Imelda lives growing up in a catholic environment in the 1950’s. Then Imelda’s daughter Keeley, growing up and then her daughter’s life. It is four generations of woman from the same family all growing up and coming together to enjoy each other’s company.
It is a refreshing and humorous storyline and at times there are angry, bitter episodes and others funny, entertaining episodes. A story of life, love, death and birth.
Highly recommended.

Its always a treat to read a Patricia Scanlan novel, and this one didn't disappoint.

The story is of three generations of women growing up in a very different Irish societies.

The plot goes from Ireland in the 1950s where religion had a big hold on society, right up until the Noughties referendum's to legalise same sex marriage, and abortions. The Irish society that I now call home.

Brigid Dunne of the title is a nun who lived a very interesting life as a missionary in Africa. When she retires you comes back to rural Ireland to live out her retirement and reconnects with her sister,

A lovely story about 3 generations of the same family, firstly Brigid and her younger sister Imelda, imelda ‘s daughter Keelin and Keelin’s daughter Marie-Claire. We follow Brigid who sees entering the convent as an escape from her family and her sister Imelda who is left to look after the family while Brigid goes to Africa to a mission. The sisters were never close but this makes Imelda very bitter about being left behind so when we flash forward to Brigid 80th birthday party Imelda still has a high chip on her shoulder. With all the women having secrets that could change the family. Can they be honest and heal the rift before it’s too late? Brigid is a great character who doesn’t let age get in the way of learning and is open to new experiences with her niece and great niece. A lovely read.

Another great read from Patricia Scanlan! This is a story about a nun, Brigid Dunne, and her family. Brigid is a young girl living in the West of Ireland who decides to join the convent just to get away. She is lauded by family and friends but she feels guilty as she has not received the "calling" but sees it as an escape. Everyone is delighted except for her sister Imelda. She is left behind to care for the family and has fallen in love with a boy who doesn't even see her. Eventually she marries another boy to help her escape too. She has a family and is devastated when her daughter Keelin decides to follow her aunt Brigid into the religious orders.

The story begins with a party for Brigids 80th birthday. The bad feelings surface, old secrets are aired and all are upset. The liberation of Brigid follows what happens after. How will she spend her time? How will she forgive her sister and how will old wounds repair? It is a story of family, especially sisters but it covers the power of the church, the resentments that creates, the history of womens liberation in Ireland from the 1960s to the present day and how this impacts on the different women.

Let me start by saying I have always been a huge fan of Patricia Scanlan and have read all of her books so I was really excited to read this one.
This is a book about Reverend Mother Brigid who is approaching her 80th birthday, her sister Imelda and her daughter Keelin, a former nun and her daughter Marie-Clare and their tense family relationship.
I did enjoy this book and found myself feeling inspired afterwards to visit some of the places mentioned in the book but felt it was lacking some of the warmth and humour of the author's previous books.
I found it very dark and intense in places but maybe that was deliberate to convey the story of the history of women in Ireland. An interesting read but not one of my favourites.

Whenever I hear that Patricia Scanlan has a new book coming out I always am so excited to read it. Having read all her previous books and loved them all I couldn’t wait to start this one. Whilst I read and finished this book unfortunately at times I felt it dragged a bit . Maybe it was all the characters and trying to keep tabs on who everyone was , it just wasn’t what I expected from this author. The story was really good in places but did find myself skim reading quite a bit on the last few chapters. 3.5 🌟

I have been a big fan of Patricia Scanlan for many years and I was delighted to get an opportunity to read her newest book, The Liberation of Brigid Dunne. I can happily say I wasn't disappointed, this novel is another triumph from Scanlan, who simply never fails to deliver in her writing. I read this book over the course of a day and I can't wait to read more from the author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC

I absolutely loved the book, such a great story. Every one has their struggles and secrets even families. I loved Brigid the nun and her story and the relationship she had with her sister and niece. Would highly recommend, Patricia Scanlan never disappoints

I started off just loving this book and especially all the female characters The plot was quite engaging but about half way I felt it was just going on too long. The changing of times and locations was good but the necessity to move the story along sometimes meant the more interesting parts of the women’s lives were missed out. So although that sounds like a contradiction I do think huge chunks could have been left out and more of what the women really went through included.
I don’t want to give any spoilers so it’s difficult to be more specific.
I did love the conversations though they were beautifully written and I felt I was in the room listening.

The story of Brigid, Imelda, Keelin and Marie-Claire: four women from the same family all keeping secrets.

Imelda has always been jealous of her sister Brigid. She hates that Brigid left their small rural village in Ireland to become a nun and she got left behind. At Brigid’s 80th birthday party, Imelda reveals secrets that throw everyone into disarray. As even more secrets come to light, can the sisters overlook the mistakes and bitterness of the past if they are to remain in each other's lives?

Powerful. Emotional. Compelling. This is an excellent book.

I enjoyed this insightful drama very much. The storyline flows at a great pace, and the characters are well fleshed out. Highly recommended!