How lucky are we in Ireland to have such great writers! Donal Ryan’s latest wonderful offering is indeed a tale of Strange Flowers. The language is beautiful, ornate, and precisely selected for the register required of each individual character, each voice, each story. His characterisation is wonderful, allowing us to learn only as much as he wishes about each character, until the need arises. Paddy and Kit were humble, likeable, appreciative of all, as was Alex too but Moll was much more difficult to assess, until the story culminated with an explanation of all. The different strands of each character’s life were beautifully connected to give us a story rich in emotion, passion and the limitations and restrictions of traditional Irish society.

Ryan is so accomplished at only revealing information that is required for the telling, and saving more for later, to keep us interested, to force us to read on. It’ s told in the present tense, first person from the point of view of Molly, Paddy, Kit, Joshua, Honey, Ellen. He drip feeds nuggets of information until all the pieces fall together like a jigsaw puzzle, simple, understated but beautiful.