The Saint of Lost Things

Trapped in a bungalow made by her rotten bastard granda’s hands to rid himself of the no good bloody fuckin woman, alone with Aunt Bell who grudges every moment of life with her and still mourning her poor mammy, Lindy Morris broke my heart a hundred times over. For she had once escaped the bigoted hatred that rural Ireland and her kin have served her. Despised for her mere existence, after that beautiful taste of freedom and living. She has been back for more than 30 years living a tiny life, broken only by trips to the clinic for her self harm. Because Lindy is just like her mother.

This is not a pretty little story, it’s a tragic tale of racism, familial abuse, not so good catholic forgiveness, and heartbreak and mental health problems, it’s a slow burn to begin, but I promise it disappoints in no way.

This is a fantastically well written book, a wonderful writing style, beautifully laced with northern Irish vernacular and narrated with perfection by Bronagh Waugh.

I’d like to thank Bolinda audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review.

🎧Audiobook review🎧

Wow! I really hope I can do justice to this amazing book in my review.

The blurb doesn't tell you much, and I'm not going to spoil it...

'Lindy Morris is stuck. She lives in rural Ireland, banished to a lonely bungalow by her Granda Morris, with only Auntie Bell and the TV for company'.

Lindy has lived her life in the stern glare of her Granda, who hates her for the mistakes of her parents. It's a bleak rain lashed atmosphere, dominated by Granda's misogynistic, Catholic patriarchy. Granda's hate fuels Lindy's self-loathing, lack of confidence and desire to escape.

The character writing is simply exquisite. Lindy's every thought, word and deed creates a perfect pure character voice, completely believable, true and compelling. The character writing alone would carry it, and then the plot kicks in, a little bit of hope and plenty of loss.

There's bleak razor sharp dry humour, delivered with a sneer and a knowing sideways glance.

Character, humour and a lot of emotion, unafraid to dwell in the loss and the bleakness

The narration by Bronaugh Waugh is a joy,

A definite five star read or listen, I loved it more the farther I got into the story and was sorry when it finished.

Very highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bolinda Audio

This book is an absolute stunner. It’s so clever; Tish Delaney has achieved the perfect balance between comedy and tragedy. The backstory is revealed in stages. At the beginning we learn that Lindy is trapped in house with her aunt Bel. A controlling and demanding woman, marginally better than the foul mouthed Granda, ego basically thinks all women are a waste of space. It’s a home full of dark secrets; past events have resonated through the decades leaving a trail of hurt, resentment, loathing and loss. It all sounds pretty grim; it is, but there are real pearls of comic observation which balance the dark moments. I was unexpectedly entertained by Lindy’s observations about her aunt’s breast, one of which kept doing a Houdini like escape from her bra and needed to be retrieved and returned.

Tish Delaney has acute observational skills. She takes the mundane to the next level and makes it not only interesting but riveting. I was fascinated by Lindys backstory which takes the character to London with her friend. They’re clearly two country girls well out of their depth in the big city and unprepared for the dramatic changes the move brings to each of their lives. I don’t want to give away the story, but the plotting is complex as Lindy struggles to understand how her life has been defined by events from the past. She’s determined to find answers and the book is the story of her journey of discovery, I warmed to her from the first few pages and she takes your heart with her as her story unfolds. I polished this off in a couple of sittings. The narration throughout is excellent and added to the experience.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Gorgeous. Loved it. So raw and beautifully written. Tish Delaney, you have written my heart. It was like reading home.

Lady Lindy <3 I’ve had this on my shelves for yonks but never got around to it - I don’t know why as I adored Delaney’s debut. When I was approved for the audiobook on Netgalley, it gave me the kick up the arse I needed, and I am so glad it did, because this is a strong contender for my novel of the year.

Lindy Morris is a 50-something woman who has wasted her life. She’s rotting away in a shitty bungalow in rural Tyrone with only her bad-tempered aunt for company. Lindy has ended up in this situation due to an abusive grandfather and the death of her beloved mother - Granda Morris, an absolute monster of a man, deemed Lindy “the wrong child” (she was born out of wedlock) when she was very young and she’s been treated like dirt ever since.

But it wasn’t always like this. Split between past and present timelines, both narrated by Lindy, The Saint of Lost Things is a journey through one woman’s life, her misfortunes and her mistakes. Tish Delaney is a master of character, place and balancing the light and the dark, and her abilities are in full force here. Lindy is hopeless, yet filled with hope - this contradiction of terms is masterfully articulated through a deep-dive into her innermost thoughts and desires. Armed with a sardonic wit and a tough-as-nails exterior, Lindy is a survivor of a deeply repressive home life and this instinct for survival is what carries her through. The plot is slowly revealed; it might be slow-moving for some but for me, it was one to luxuriate in. Delaney uses the dual timelines to set up Lindy’s backstory but also to give us a better view into Ireland’s repressive history. It’s hard to explain further without spoilers but it’s rage-inducing and heart-breaking.

Almost everyone in this novel is terrible - Granda Morris takes the cake, but Lindy’s aunt Bel isn’t much better, and there’s a special place in hell for one Christopher Caldwell. There are some bright spots in Lindy's life - her beloved, largely absent pal Miriam and the delightful Fr. Buliwaji - but acute loneliess is the mainstay in poor auld Lindy's life. Rather than dragging you down, though, the reader is always rooting for Lindy, desperately wanting things to improve for her. It's a testament to the strength of the character and the writing.

I can’t praise Bronagh Waugh’s narration of this one enough - it’s astonishing and elevated the book from a 4 star to a 5 for me. Rural Northern Irish accents aren’t easy to nail but the subtle changes between characters show Waugh to be a master of them. The vocal deliveries lend so much to the characters - Lindy’s sarcastic wit is full-throttle, Bel is like nails on a chalkboard. Granda Morris doesn't say much but when he does, you’ll feel shivers down your spine.

I described Before My Actual Heart Breaks, Delaney’s debut, as a triumph: The Saint of Lost Things cements her as the island’s most underrated author. It’s a wonderful, life-affirming read that will have you in giggles and in tears and I am sure it’ll be one of my favourite books of the year.

a beautiful book that dances the line between tragic and comedic well. tish delaney has a talent for honing in on the little things, the tiny details, the unspoken feelings. this is a novel filled with heartbreak and anger.

narrator is a perfect pick for the audiobook, it has a great cadence and just the right amount of emotion injected into it

This is such an easy one to write a review for.
So easy to listen to and the extra attention to details with adapting the 'native tongue' is a real perk. Lovely story- fabulous logs from the character and a flow that felt really immersive.
I felt like I was there. It felt beautiful.