This was a very beautiful and moving book that broke my heart. I did find it frustrating at times, but in such a relatable way that rang true to my experience as a young adult. There’s definitely this feeling of being completely paralysed by the choices you suddenly have to make, and how it’s impossible to make a choice that will make everyone happy. Sometimes it’s easier just to do nothing and let yourself be pulled along until you realise you can’t do it any more. All very ‘Good Luck Babe’.

Some of the language around queerness maybe felt anachronistic for it being set in the 90s? But I can’t say for certain having not grown up in this part of the world at this time. The side characters felt a bit flat, and there were certain things that might have been fleshed out more but overall I enjoyed it even if it was a bit of a painful read at times!

4.5 stars

Beautiful, devastating, real.

"There isn't anything left of me but the useless blood my heart keeps circulating. You can have all of it, if you want. I have no use for it now. "

This book!!! Normal People but make it queer! The bisexual girlies like me are going to live for the tension, the secrecy, the comp-het, the spiciness… gorgeous depiction of first loves and the way they stay with us into adulthood.

This is going to be very easy to recommend to people. It has that kind of flowery and honest desciriptions about love and longing that a lot of people (me included) loves! It's coming of age, it's lesbian, it's irish, it has religious imagery. It made me cry a lot because it's very touching and I'm an emotional and sad person. A strong debut! Recommended for fans of Call Me By Your Name and people who are very into yearning!