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Trespasses

The most beautiful, devastating love story you’ll read this year
By Louise Kennedy
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3.96 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 47,092 ratings, 4,916 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy immerses readers in a gripping narrative set against the backdrop of Northern Ireland's tumultuous past. The story follows a young teacher who becomes entangled in forbidden relationships and societal tensions during the Troubles. As personal desires clash with the harsh realities around her, she faces profound choices that could change the course of her life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This gripping tale, set against the backdrop of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, intertwines personal conflict with political tension. You might enjoy this book if you're captivated by stories that explore forbidden love and complex cultural landscapes, delivering a moving narrative filled with vivid, often starkly beautiful prose.

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From the acclaimed writer of The End of the World is a Cul de Sac comes an astonishing debut novel about the lives ordinary people, where the political invades the personal and love is never far away from violence

From the acclaimed writer of The End of the World is a Cul de Sac comes an astonishing debut novel about the lives ordinary people, where the political invades the personal and love is never far away from violence

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES – COMING SOON TO CHANNEL 4

THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER (The Times), SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023

'Intense, unflinchingly honest, it broke my heart a million times' MARIAN KEYES
'A beautiful, devastating novel' NICK HORNBY

One by one, she undid each event, each decision, each choice.
If Davy had remembered to put on a coat.
If Seamie McGeown had not found himself alone on a dark street.
If Michael Agnew had not walked through the door of the pub on a quiet night in February in his white shirt.

There is nothing special about the day Cushla meets Michael, a married man from Belfast, in the pub owned by her family. But here, love is never far from violence, and this encounter will change both of their lives forever.

As people get up each morning and go to work, school, church or the pub, the daily news rolls in of another car bomb exploded, another man beaten, killed or left for dead. In the class Cushla teaches, the vocabulary of seven-year-old children now includes phrases like β€˜petrol bomb’ and β€˜rubber bullets’. And as she is forced to tread lines she never thought she would cross, tensions in the town are escalating, threatening to destroy all she is working to hold together.

Tender and shocking, Trespasses is an unforgettable debut of people trying to live ordinary lives in extraordinary times.

______________

WINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR: DEBUT FICTION
WINNER OF THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2022
WINNER OF THE MCKITTERICK PRIZE 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2022
AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVELIST OF 2022
A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME
THE CRITICS' MOST-PICKED BOOK OF THE YEAR

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Trespasses by Louise Kennedy has received widespread acclaim for its compelling narrative and evocative portrayal of 1970s Belfast. Critics praise its masterful blend of romance and historical context, with heartfelt depictions of love amidst violence. The novel's authenticity and emotional depth are highlighted, along with Kennedy's powerful writing and vivid characterisation, establishing it as a remarkable debut.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781526623362

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 March 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 240g

Pages: 320

Collections

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About the Author

Louise Kennedy grew up in Holywood, Co. Down. Her short stories have appeared in journals including The Stinging Fly, The Tangerine, Banshee, Wasifiri and Ambit and she has written for the Guardian, Irish Times, BBC Radio 4 and RTE Radio 1. Her work has won prizes and she was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award in both 2019 and 2020. Before starting her writing career, she spent nearly thirty years working as a chef. She lives in Sligo with her husband and two children.

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