Other People’s Lives by MacMahon, Kathleen

Description

A brilliantly observed, funny, poignant and utterly real portrait of a mid-life woman and her family. I loved it. Claire Fuller

An elegant and beautifully-observed novel by one of our finest contemporary writers Louise Kennedy

I found myself taking screenshots to send to friends because MacMahon nails it over and over again Claire Kilroy

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Marriage was the biggest decision of their lives and yet they made it so lightly it was barely a decision at all

As schoolgirls, Justine and her best friend Iseult dreamed of a future that revolved around marriage. They saw it as a happy ending, never imagining for a moment that the reality would be more complicated.

Coming up to fifty, they’re still best friends. Justine has been married to Iseult s brother for twenty-five years and lives in her childhood home. Iseult has spent her adult life abroad, her marriage clearly unhappy for reasons she won’t discuss.

When Justine s daughter suddenly announces her engagement, Justine is thrown into planning a big family wedding. Afraid that her daughter is making a mistake, she finds herself questioning the choices she and Iseult made decades earlier. This crisis of confidence tests Justine in new and unexpected ways.

From the Women s Prize longlisted author of Nothing But Blue Sky and The Home Scar, Other People s Lives is a captivating story about the decisions we make in a heartbeat, and their lifelong consequences.

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A book to inhale Belinda McKeon

‘Warm-hearted and relatable, perfectly captures the messiness of modern family life’ Aingeala Flannery

MacMahon is an astute chronicler of modern life David Park

‘A tender-hearted portrait of modern life, told with MacMahon s trademark wit and warmth. I flew through it Louise Nealon

Beautiful Hilary Fannin

Incisive, witty and tender, there s not a woman in the country who won t relate to this fine and thought-provoking novel. Christine Dwyer Hickey

Thoughtful and provocative, a beautifully narrated story of friendship and marriage Anna Fitzgerald

‘Simply exquisite. MacMahon is one of Ireland’s finest writers. Anne Griffin

Perceptive, tender, astute, beguiling Martina Devlin

I really and truly loved this tender, deeply satisfying novel Orla Mackey

So beautifully observed, so penetrating, so coolly aware of the texture of people s lives. Neil Hegarty

This wise, truthful novel explores brilliantly all the complexity of women’s lives Anne Tiernan

Thought-provoking and utterly absorbing Sin ad Crowley