A great read of literary fiction from a very well know author . I have read and enjoyed all his books and this one is no exception

I ADORED this book when I read it, however I did not get to submit full review in time as unfortunately I lost my devices when my house was burgled and it took me a long time to replace my belongings and just get back on track. I have an ereader again (and a laptop, although I am not reactivating my blog and have started a bookstagram instead) and I hope to review again in the future.

There was much to enjoy here, but I found I couldn't connect with it. I'd read more from this author in the future though.

Abandoned at 11%. The main character is a whiny egotist and I couldn't bear to spend another moment in her miserable company. Fierce and funny, the blurb describes her voice as. Not the words I'd have chosen. Plus there is really no need for the excessively foul language - it's supposed to be art.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

A beautiful and heartbreaking novel set in deep Ireland.
Donal Ryan puts us perfectly in Melody's shoes. We feel the her need for atonement and the remorse that she feels for her past. We understand her worry for her father and her love for her new friend, Mary, we watch her try to deal with the problems of a small traditional town whilst carrying someone other than her husband's child. Ryan perfectly describes the importance of female friendship and the possibility that these two women from entirely different backgrounds can fit together in each other's lives so wonderfully.
Ryan's novel will leave to you think about the importance of those around us and the unequivocal love that they give us.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eBook copy of this in exchange for a review.

Really couldn't wrap my head around a male author trying to convey what it feels like to be pregnant.
Sorry. Just did not buy it.

It's possible that Donal Ryan is my favourite contemporary adult author. This is his fourth book and I loved it just as much as the others (excluding Thing About December, his masterpiece to date) There's no compromise in his assessment of these characters, he is as aware of their weaknesses as their strengths. I won't deny that this book was hard going at times, the eye theme of motherhood and childlessness was always going to be tough. The protagonist's mid life crisis was carefully told, despite the horrible consequences. Ryan's gift is in his characters complexity, motivations are slowly shown not told to us and most are emotionally mature. I am a big fan and hope he is soon to receive more recognition.

All We Shall Know is a masterpiece of Irish writing, a thoroughly convincing female-driven narrative with a wholly authentic voice. A book that I truly enjoyed.

Enjoyed this a lot. Beautifully written and great insight into the Irish travelling communities.
Told through the 40 weeks of an illicit pregnancy... between a married Irish teacher and her 17 year old traveller pupil... Melody is our flawed heroine. I feel wiser and richer for having read this, the first for me by this author

I think I might just be in love with Donal Ryan. How does a man write women like this? Both Melody and Mary are exquisitely drawn and Melody's story is the first one that has brought me to tears in a very long time. Her guilt, her confusion and her fractured narrative weave a spell on the reader that makes the book almost impossible to put down. I Loved 'THe Spinning Heart' but this is on another level altogether. The story of her pregnancy, her disastrous relationship and the shifting sands of her developing friendship with young traveller Mary is compelling throughout. The skilfully painted fleeting moments of the past weave seamlessly with Melody's present to create a complex, rich and captivating portrait of her life laid bare before us. I can't wait for this to be our book group choice as there is literally so much to talk about in this novel. It's not just Ryan's fabulous writing but his characters too that make this a story that you can't look away from. I barely ever give five stars to novels - but if I could, I'd give six to this. Masterful, moving and unforgettable. An absolute must-read

With many thanks to Doubleday/Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

Grief, remorse, redemption - universal themes but handled in an original and sensitive way by this talented Irish author. I had read his first novel The Spinning Heart and enjoyed it but liked this new one even more. This is more structured, with fewer but very engaging characters, particularly Melody, and a fascinating subplot featuring the Irish Traveller community. We follow Melody’s emotional journey from a low point, grieving for her unborn babies, raging with herself for the loss of her best friend and her marriage, slowly picking herself up and seeking to make amends for the damage she has done. Quality writing.

Melody Shee is pregnant and alone. Her husband, Pat, left her when she told him about her affair. But even he doesn’t know the truth. Melody doesn’t dare tell anyone that she slept with 17 year-old Martin Toppy. She was supposed to be teaching him to read and write.

Melody doesn’t know what to do. She is angry; at Pat and at the world, but mostly at herself. How has she ended up like this? She has no-one to turn to except her Dad, but she doesn’t want to break his heart. Other people have friends, but not Melody.

Enter Mary Crothery, a young Traveller woman who has a way of seeing through the walls Mary has built around herself. As an unlikely friendship is formed, Melody finds herself being drawn to into the Travelling community more and more. She cares about what happens to Melody. She also cares about what happens to Martin, despite everything that has happened. Or maybe because of it, she’s not really sure.

Ryan has a great way with the Irish dialect that draws you in and makes his exploration of rural communities in contemporary Ireland a joy to read. His prose is lyrical, yet concise. At less than 200 pages, All We Shall Know packs an emotional punch.