A beautiful read, I loved this book. I was fortunate enough to read it via NetGalley and highly recommend it. Lyrically written, it follows a young family in a time of crisis and unrest. Mother, Ciara is fleeing a controlling marriage which has reduced her to being a person …more so far from herself and she lives in constant fear. The novel follows her as she and her two young children flee the home and escape the confines of the relationship.

It is set during the Irish housing crisis, which remains to be a very real problem throughout Ireland and the British Isles. The family live in a hotel for many months, face a distressing legal battle, the pressure and harassments of her husband, endure the challenges of starting from scratch, being alone and away from family support (Ciara’s mum and sister live in England) and so much more. Though the book covers upsetting themes, the author does so deftly and delicately, she captures so strongly the emotional battles and struggles Ciara faces. The story has many positives, you are willing Ciara on every step of the way. I loved the everyday moments of family life and interaction, the people they meet, the trips they take to the zoo and beach. It is a wonderful, wonderful read.

The greatest strengths of this book are its writing and characterisation. The characters are so real, so well formed and observed. Via reading you get so close to them, in turn making this an immersive read. There are not too many characters to keep track of, I am aware that, that can often put people off. There is an ease and warmth in O'Donnel's prose. The voice of her characters comes through too, you are able to get a sense of the kind of people they are- their quirks in spoken dialogue and personality for instance.

Due to my enjoyment of Roisin O’Donnell's writing, I was encouraged to seek more by her. Nesting is her debut novel, however she is well known for her award winning short stories. Collections of these exist. I purchased today, via Amazon Wild Quiet (the Kindle version). The first story, Ebenezer’s Memories is a captivating read. (less)