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The Spinning Heart

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( 10,834 ratings, 1,253 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
The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan is set in the aftermath of Ireland's economic collapse, capturing the heart of a small rural community. Told through multiple perspectives, the story intricately weaves the personal struggles and hidden tensions of the town's residents, revealing the impact of societal change on individual lives. Each narrative adds depth to a tapestry of emotions, dreams, and resilience in the face of adversity.
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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 book may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring the complexities of small-town life and the intricacies of the human heart through interconnected narratives. Set against the backdrop of post-Celtic Tiger Ireland, it offers a poignant and multifaceted look at the lives of various characters affected by economic downturn and personal despair, all woven with lyrical prose and deep empathy.

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The Spinning Heart

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

This stunning debut has won major acclaim, winning the Guardian First Book Award and Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards; it was shortlisted for the Dublin IMPAC Literary Award and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

Winner of the Guardian First Book Award 2013

Shortlisted for the Dublin IMPAC Literary Award 2014

Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2013

Winner of Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards 2012

'Funny, moving and beautifully written' EDNA O'BRIEN

In the aftermath of Ireland's financial collapse, dangerous tensions surface in an Irish town. As violence flares, the characters face a battle between public persona and inner desires. Through a chorus of unique voices, each struggling to tell their own kind of truth, a single authentic tale unfolds.

The Spinning Heart speaks for contemporary Ireland like no other novel. Wry, vulnerable, all-too human, it captures the language and spirit of rural Ireland and with uncanny perception articulates the words and thoughts of a generation. Technically daring and evocative of Patrick McCabe and J.M. Synge, this novel of small-town life is witty, dark and sweetly poignant.


'Filled with light and shade, love and tragedy ... if it was a song you could sing it' ANNE ENRIGHT

'Donal Ryan is the real deal ... a brilliantly realised, utterly resonant state-of-the-nation landscape' SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

'I can't imagine a more original, more perceptive or more passionate work than this. Outstanding' JOHN BOYNE

'It's furious, it's moving, it's darkly funny, it punches you right in the gut' NEW YORK TIMES

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?

The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan is praised for its emotional depth and evocative storytelling. Critics highlight its mix of light and dark elements, likening its lyrical quality to a song. The novel is lauded for its genuine character voices and humane portrayal of contemporary life, capturing a textured and compelling snapshot of a community.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781784165000

Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 April 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Black Swan

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 119g

Pages: 160

About the Author

Donal Ryan, from Nenagh, County Tipperary, has published seven number one bestselling novels and a short story collection. He has won several awards for his fiction, including the European Union Prize for Literature, the Guardian First Book Award and six Irish Book Awards, and has been shortlisted for several more, including the Costa Book Award and the Dublin International Literary Award. He was nominated for the Booker Prize in 2013 for his debut novel, The Spinning Heart, and again in 2018, for his fourth novel, From A Low and Quiet Sea. The Spinning Heart was voted Irish Book of the Decade in 2016. In 2021 Donal became the first Irish writer to be awarded the Jean Monnet Prize for European Literature. His most recent novel, Heart Be at Peace, won both Novel of the Year and Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards, and was shortlisted for Novel of the Year at the Nero Book Awards. His work has been adapted for stage and screen and translated into over twenty languages. Donal has lectured in Creative Writing at the University of Limerick since 2014 and lives in Castletroy with his wife Anne Marie and their two children.

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