I've now read a few of Donal Ryan's works and this is another gloriously lyrical piece of writing, exploring generations of women in an Irish family. Moving and tender, Ryan creates very human characters that make you care, and all set in the beautiful and harsh Irish landscape. Ryan is surely one of the best 'new-ish' writers around today. A very strong 4 stars.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

Irish women and the men who infiltrate the families of the eternally bonded and loyal women who live through the generations together.
All is well no matter what occurs

This has to be one of my most favourite reads of the year. Racing along at great speed we are there with these strong women as they bind their lives together in this Irish village. It is full of humour and sadness at different times, but thoroughly engaging throughout. I couldnt put it down..

This book is a family drama that speaks to so much more- hiding within its pages a profound tale of love, family trauma and shame, all set against a rapidly modernising society.

We follow Saoirse as she navigates being a woman in a society that does not like to give them much agency, and where she is shamed regardless of what she does.

I found it deeply moving and lyrical, and it makes me want to devour pretty much everything else he has ever written.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Donal Ryan is on top form in his latest novel. I loved his first two books, The Spinning Heart and The Thing About December, but felt his later books didn’t quite show his incredible talent as a writer to best effect. However, this one demonstrates yet again what a fantastic writer he can be. I absolutely loved this tale of four generations of Aylward women living in rural Ireland, outspoken, determined, brave and independent women who deal with all the challenges life throws at them with wit and wisdom and compassion. Day-to-day life in a small community is brilliantly evoked, as is the impact events in the wider world has on all of them. Vivid characterisation, wonderful dialogue, a real sense of time and place, and expert pacing. Narrated in a series of short vignettes rather than a sustained narrative, the book covers about three decades in the life of these unforgettable women with insight, empathy, tenderness and humour. A marvellous read.

This novel is set in rural Ireland in the 1980's and tells the story of four generations of formidable women living together as a family unit. It is a fabulous portrayal of life with all its ups and downs as they battle against each other while also wholeheartedly supporting each other throughout . Ryan crafts his characters so well, from the matriarch Nana, her daughter in law Eileen, Eileen's daughter Saoirse and Saoirse's baby Pearl that you are invested in the tale from the opening page. The men in the story play a secondary role in this beautiful work about small town Irish life. It is funny and sad as we watch these women make their way in life, bringing up children, being betrayed, falling in love and doing their best for each other.
It is an easy read with short chapters that are sharp and carefully edited to pack a punch. Donal Ryan is a magnificent writer who has managed to once again capture the very essence of rural Ireland with his witty dialogue and his characterisations.

i really really liked this!!! centred around a family of women in rural ireland, it unfolds over the years and tells their stories of their lives and how the events around them shaped them. i really loved the stream of consciousness, gentle way this was written, the exact writing i love where you get wrapped up tightly by the beautiful words and sentences.

If there’s one Irish writer I look forward to a new book by more than any other, it’s Donal Ryan. I’ve been a fan since he first published ‘The spinning heart’ back in 2022 and yet again he doesn’t disappoint, with this story of three generations of women living in a house in a small estate in rural Tipperary.

Tragedy strikes in the first few pages of this book when an unnamed man dies on the very day his daughter Saoirse is born, and along with her mother Eileen and the man’s mother Nana, we meet three generations of the Alyward women in the aftermath. After that, there aren’t a lot of men about, thoughNana has two sons, of whom one she says:

I was never able to have any more after Chris, you know. Whatever he was at inside in me he made a pure hames of my pipework. He started as he meant to go on, anyway, and that’s for sure.


One of the things I love most about Donal Ryan, and it’s in each of his books, is the empathy he has for his characters. They are written with such compassion, and feel so real, there were times when I felt I could close my eyes and I was in the room with them.

You know the characters by their speech - Nana comes across loud and clear and I always enjoyed the banter between her and Eileen, her daughter in law. There’s a serious slagging goes on between those pair and as a character says at one point, if you were passing the house and you heard them you’d think they were at each others throats. But that’s not the case - they’ve been living in each others pockets for forty years and have a deep love and respect for one another.


‘The queen of dirt island’ is linked to the excellent ‘Strange Flowers’ and there’s a number of recurring characters, such as Josh and Honey. I like how Ryan does this - it gives his books a strong sense of community and place. You can certainly read this as a stand alone but I think there’s a depth that comes from knowing the history of the characters from ‘Strange Flowers.’

‘Queen of dirt island’ is divided up into small sections. At first I wasn’t sure about this, as it seemed to break up momentum, but it didn’t really bother me over the course of the book. As usual, Ryan’s pose is poetic and lyric and he varies the length of sentences for maximum effect. He writes like a dream.

He’s also not afraid to tackle issues society has faced in Ireland - unwed mothers, grief, loneliness, the troubles, mental illness, suicide, racism, infertility, violence - it’s all in there and one of the recurring themes is land and the ownership of it - the dirt island of the title - and the schisms that it opens between Eileen and her brother Richard. Brutal moments occur when you least expect them.

Ryan doesn’t flinch in his storytelling, and there’s a lot of pain in this book - as there is in the story of every family. But he also shows so clearly the love we have for each other is what carries us through, that’s all that matters in the end. These are strong women that have been through a lot but it’s the bonds they have with each other that sustain them through the worst of it. There’s a lot of tears in the book, but lots of laughs as well, as there are around the table in every family. Nobody writes better about the overlapping generations of families.


I was sad to finish this as Ryan’s masterful storytelling allowed me to disappear into this book for a few hours. I hope we see something of Saoirse and Pearl and Eileen in future, just as the Gladneys feature here. And as always, such wonderful writing and no doubt this will feature in many lists of the best Irish fiction in 2022.

”Saoirse couldn’t quite follow her grandmother’s words. They felt like a stream of sparkling water that the sun was shining on so fiercely that you couldn’t quite see the stream itself but just the light off it, blazing up from the earth and into your eyes, like the stream that ran down from the hills and through the village and into the callaghs where it met the lake. A stream of sadness, she thought, and she was happy with the words, thinking that she should write them down somewhere.”

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Doubleday for the copy for review.

This is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. It tells the story of three generations of women living together in a small rural town in Ireland.
Everything about it is fabulous. Mary, Eileen and Saoirse are three very strong women, who’s
lives are told in such away as to make you feel like you know these people, you’ve met them, they could be your neighbours.
The writing is divine. Donal Ryan has an amazing ability to write about women, how they think, how the feel how they live. He is a master of his craft and I can’t wait for his next tale. Many thanks to #NetGalley for my advanced copy of this wonderful book. I would give it definitely 5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is an almost epic story of women's lives in an Irish village. Ryan deals with some sensitive issues, such as rape, mental health and death, with aplomb and an enviable lyricism. At its essence it's a story about family in all its guises, ups and downs, and overarching love. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Shamefully, this was my first novel by Donal Ryan, but what a glorious surprise it turned out to be. I loved everything about it: from the short, vignette-style chapters, to the lilting, lyrical prose; from the shrewdly drawn cast of female protagonists, to the pithy, witty dialogue. What more can I say? I need this author in my life.

The Queen of Dirt Island is the story of four generations of Aylward woman, who share a home in rural Ireland: Nana Mary, her widowed daughter-in law Eileen, granddaughter Saoirse, and later, great-granddaughter Pearl.

Narrated by Saoirse — who we first meet as a child — and told over a period of some 30 years, it studies the minutiae of their daily lives: the tribulations and squabbles, the family secrets, the love affairs, joys and disappointments. Part coming-of-age and part family saga, it is an immersive, captivating read that also briefly touches upon themes — such as sectarianism — specific to its Irish setting:

Who knew that small, ordinary lives could be so fascinating! But in the hands of Conal Ryan, this is exactly what they are. And it’s is all down to his mastery of characterization. I could not get enough of these strong, stubborn, outspoken Aylward women. Their living together should have been a recipe for disaster, but it was in fact the making of them.

Despite regular spats — and, oh, the hilarious epithets thrown back and forth between Mary and Eileen! — the women are a fiercely loyal unit. They understand each other and are capable of the greatest tenderness. But it is the unconditional love they share that truly shines, weaving through the narrative like an unbreakable golden thread.

I’m stunned that a male author can write so convincingly about women. And not just about the way they think and behave but also about the way they interact; the intergenerational dynamics. Such empathy is an extraordinary and beautiful thing, and I cannot wait to read more of Ryan’s work.

Donal Ryan’s books have one foot in an “old-fashioned” Ireland where people live on small farms and in each other’s pockets and the other foot in a very progressive Ireland where people have an unexpected degree of acceptance of difference - the actuality of a theocracy turning into a society that has no problem with gay marriage, abortion, etc, in fact.

In Queen of Dirt Island, Saoirse is the central character, though her mother is the “Queen” whose inheritance shows us the slimy side of housing developments, and land banks. All seems happy out to begin, then there’s a shocking death almost immediately and it’s a sign of Ryan’s skill that the reader had already got to like the victim. Saoirse, her mother and her paternal granny all share a home and sexuall innocent , impregnated casually and unknown to the famous father, soon has a daughter to provide four generations of women, which permits Ryan to examine a multiplicity of situations.

The first hundred pages can be like those teasing TV art shows, where it takes time to realise what the full picture will be. But the slabs of prose are a pleasure individually and in their cumulative interlocking..

Then though, Josh and Honey from his previous book, Strange Flowers, appear and I found this unsettling as I tried to remember their circumstances and significances in that book.

But the story took over again and it kept the reader engaged until a perhaps too-happy ending.

Excellent writing.

The Queen of Dirt Island was my first book by Donal Ryan. I didn’t realise it was a follow up to another book and it was fine as a stand-alone. It took me awhile to get used to the writing style and the story seemed disjointed in places, but I loved the characters and their interactions. Although this novel wasn’t engrossing or fast-paced, it was certainly original and memorable.

I was sent a copy of The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan to read and review by NetGalley. At first I didn’t quite know what to make of this novel as it seemed to be just a collection of short anecdotes. However, the further I got into the book the more it became a story and I got quite used to the short chapters. I really loved the relationship between the three female protagonists, there was so much love and respect between them. This was the first book I had read by Donal Ryan but I shall certainly be reading more in the future. A beautifully written, heartfelt book.

Set in Ireland this story covers the lives of one family mainly through the eyes of a girl called Saoirse born to Eileen shortly after her marriage to the father . After taking them home from hospital the father headed out to work and was killed along with his friend in a car crash. Eileen ostracised by her family because she became pregnant before marriage she remained close to her mother in law who helped her raise Saoirse , although at times it was a love/hate relationship they relied on each other . The mother in law ran a farm with the help of her other 2 sons one of whom was imprisoned for hiding guns for the I.R.A and the other eventually had a breakdown after the death of his wife . Saoirse became pregnant after going to a pop concert in the town where she ended up in a van with the singer of one of the bands. She gave birth to another girl called Pearl and eventually fell for a friend of the family who was married but whose wife was working away for months at a time. This relationship broke down eventually as he returned to his wife and moved away. Saoirse's brother began to contact her as her father became terminally hill to try and force her to sell him some land she had been left as he was expecting a large housing development to be approved where he could cash in and make money. He was refused and things changed in the end and she retained her land . A well written story covering the lives of 4 generations of women in the family as they went about their business.

An ok read, not enough going on to really keep my interest. A story of a very insular Irish family. Maybe it's seen as a good social depiction. I did read to the end, but not gripping or anything to hold the interest. #netgalley #thequeenofdirtisland

Three generations of Aylward women.

On third day of Saoirse Aylward’s life, her Dad was tragically killed in a road collision. Leaving behind Saoirse, her Mam Eileen and her Nana Mary. They live together in mostly domestic bliss.

You wouldn’t know that they loved each other more than any others in the world. In fact you wouldn’t even guess that they liked each other sometimes.

We follow the lives of the three generations that span over the course of almost thirty years.

I’m ashamed to admit this was my first of Ryan’s novels that I’ve read. I will admit from the moment I opened the first page I was hooked on the author’s style of writing. I loved the fact that I had to try and guess what timeframe the story was set from a select few clues given.

I also adored the way the women were written. The back and forth no nonsense conversation. Very reminiscent of reading an actual conversation between family members.

A truly beautiful book that is a must read for everyone!

Donal Ryan has a way of making the minutae of rural Irish life and existence extraordinary. He takes a small group of strong Alyward Tipperary women from four different generations and infuses them with such strength and power and wonder and love. The chapters are short snapshots inbued with beautiful descriptions and at times fierce language between the women that seems to deny their close relationship, but in fact, when you get to know them, it highlights just how close they are - they can speak their minds freely amongst each other. The connection between the four generations of women is stunning- nana, mother, Saoirse and Pearl are a masterpiece in characterisation. Then we have their surrounding family, with all its drama, and turmoil that adds weight to their experiences. Other characters infringe on the lives of the women bringing laughter and woes for a short time, but when all is said and done, it is the set of woman at the centre who control the story and our hearts and the interlopers are fleeting, important for as long as they are important in the lives of the central female protagonists. This story has such beauty and heart. Absolutely exquisite. It is impossible to put this book down once you begin. #thequeenofdirtisland #donalryan #netgalley #buddyread #tipperary #ruralireland

5★
“She realized that she and her mother rarely spoke properly at all. That most of Mother’s speech was indirect, utterances flung around like fistfuls of confetti, vaguely aimed and scattered randomly. But she supposed this to be the way of all parent and child relationships.”

Unlike Mother’s speech, Donal Ryan’s writing flows across the pages, sometimes in long, lyrical sentences, sometimes in short punchy phrases. I absolutely love it! I will warn those who care about such things that Ryan doesn’t use quotation marks nor do I think they are needed. Everything rund so smoothly that it sounds completely natural to me.

This is the story of the women of Ireland and some of their men. The focus is on the women, particularly on Saoirse, and how Saoirse, Mother, and Nana’s feisty spirits enable them to cope with trouble and The Troubles. In addition to religious conflict, Ireland is beset by the same social problems and protests as elsewhere: race, abortions, poverty, inequality, the list goes on.

When there are absent fathers and brothers, uncles may step in to help, which isn’t always welcome. They can try to be domineering (good luck with these women), but the banter between characters means we sometimes have to read between the lines to understand the real affection that is there.

I had read a few chapters of this, relishing the familiar style and pace, and then I was sure some of the names and places were familiar. There was nothing for it but to go back and browse through Strange Flowers, which I had read and loved several years ago. Sure enough, this picks up some of the same characters and farms and villages. It wasn’t necessary to know that, but it made it that much more enjoyable for me.

There are unwed teen mothers – oh, the shame, but oh, the loyalty. There are abusive fathers and brothers – but oh, how hard their lives are on poor farms and with The Troubles. Mother and Nana in particular gossip and argue and rant and call each other dreadful names – and then have a cup of tea, setting aside their differences.

I’ll give a long example of Mother dealing with the social services officer who has been sent to their home to enquire about teen-aged Saoirse’s well-being. Remember that everybody knows everybody.

“Concepta Quirke? Nana suddenly said. Are you Nonie Quirke’s daughter? I am, the lady said. And what are you doing going around to people’s houses tormenting them? Are you not married? I am married, the red-faced lady said. I’ve been married five years now. And would you not go home and look after your husband besides driving the roads looking for trouble where none exists? It’s my job, the lady said, and Saoirse’s curiosity now was at a screaming pitch inside her; she wanted badly to know who the lady was and what torments she was inflicting on people. She found herself enjoying Nana’s interrogations and the way that Mother was smiling at the woman, dragging on her cigarette and blowing the smoke in a thin line over the lady’s head; she could feel the disdain that Mother felt for the dumpy short-haired woman, her easy superiority.

Go on, Mother said. Tell me, Concepta, what’s on your mind? What kind of a poison-pen letter did you get this time? Am I a prostitute or a murderer or a gun-runner or what is it now? Now, now, the lady said, there’s no need to be like that. Not half there’s not, Mother said. Come on, Concepta, get it over with. ‘Coronation Street’ is starting in ten minutes.”

Such a satisfying encounter. I can just picture the woman gradually shrinking under their fierce defence.

I won’t attempt to explain Ryan’s descriptive powers, just give another example. Once, when Saoirse was very young, Nana began reminiscing, almost to herself.

”Saoirse couldn’t quite follow her grandmother’s words. They felt like a stream of sparkling water that the sun was shining on so fiercely that you couldn’t quite see the stream itself but just the light off it, blazing up from the earth and into your eyes, like the stream that ran down from the hills and through the village and into the callaghs where it met the lake. A stream of sadness, she thought, and she was happy with the words, thinking that she should write them down somewhere.”

Great characters, great story, the best writing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Doubleday for the copy for review.

Another wonderful exploration of ordinary lives, and the beauty and truth that makes them extraordinary. I was lucky enough to read an ARC, but immediately pre-ordered a copy to read again, it is that good! Love the short chapters two!