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Early on in this novel one of the female protagonists says in relation to marriage and divorce: “And if it‘s too easy to get out of, who‘d bother trying? […] In my day the worst thing you could imagine was being unmarried - you just went with the first fellow who asked you.”

This is a character study of what happens when marriage is the only option. How does this influence the women, the men and their children?

An amazing read

#november2024 #bookspin The Coast road #doublespin The Magician of Lubin #bookspinbingo 6

Set in Ireland in 1994, The Coast Road follows two women coping with their unhappy marriages at a time when divorce is still illegal. Collette left her husband, but returned, and now her husband won‘t allow her access to her children and she lives in poverty. Izzy is frustrated and miserable, struggling to find autonomy within the confines of a marriage she cannot escape. Both are considering the high cost of personal freedom. An excellent debut.

The ideas and the bones of a great novel are here, but the execution felt somehow soulless.

This is a story about women's lives in the brink of the divorce referendum in Ireland, and about the men who deeply fear the loss of control that women's freedom of choices signifies. It should rage and burn, but it fails to ignite. Most of the characters feel like blanks, and I just could not bring myself to care.

This book follows the lives of three women in a small coastal Ireland town, Ardglas. It follows their broken lives in the year or two before Ireland legalizes divorce. I didn't realize that divorce wasn't legal in Ireland until 1996! Not the typical book I'd pick up - but it was beautifully written and a fairly easy and quick read. The families in this town lead sad lives and I was quickly drawn in by the descriptive writing. I enjoyed this book.

Hello,' he said and walked straight to the end of the table where he hung his anorak on the back of the chair.

Under the stairs, she thought, under the stairs. They had the same conversation every evening about him hanging his anorak under the stairs .... he pulled some letters and his diary and keys from the pocket of his anorak and piled them on the table. Say nothing, she said to herself, say nothing.

Ireland 1990s in the year before divorce was legalized.The story of 3 women:Colette is a poet who left her husband&sons to live a free life but returns disillusioned to the small town where she desperately tries to reconnect with her children.Izzy is unhappily married to a man who pursues his career but controls her pushing her into a life confined to their home.And then there‘s Dolores married to Donal,a cruel predatory man.👇

Want to finish this book and return to the library before I get into my October reads. Autumn weather is my favourite time to read outside - so I'm in the backyard bundled up in a sweater and warm coat getting some reading in. Hoping to get an hour or two in tonight.

#LibraryBook #AutumnWeather #WarmCoat #SweaterWeather #CoolEvening

The boy has joined Cubs which runs for an hour and a half. This means an hour or so of reading time. Not sure the light will hold out too much longer though. I'm excited to dive into this book - set in Ireland during the 90s. Can't believe the 90s is now historical!!

#LibraryBook #Ireland #90s #Women #Divorce

I love this starts with the “mystery” of an arson and then tells the stories of three women navigating complicated, messy relationships in the period leading up to Ireland‘s referendum to make divorce legal. I had no idea this didn‘t happen until the ‘90s and only passed by a hair.

It‘s a well written & entertaining debut novel. Will look out for his next!

Perfect audio book for multitasking and bedtime. I‘ve been having a difficult time finding one that works lately.

Finished up a cowl! @mabell Goes well with my new purple winter coat. ☃️

My Booker reading is going nowhere this month, as I have to read books in the order that they are due back to the library. 😛
On the bright side, it pushed me to read these three books which are all excellent. I haven't finished The Coast Road yet, but unless the ending is terrible I predict five stars. I'm also pleasantly surprised at the skill and empathy with which the male author has written the female characters.

County Donegal, 1994, just before Irish referendum allowing divorce. Women‘s friendships, women pushing against marriages, loving their children extravagantly. Scandal & dread, bits of humor. Irish “Big Little Lies”? 2024

186 “The boy was depressed […] Half the country was depressed, including herself.”

306 “The only thing that seemed to offer her comfort was the lesson she had taken from Colette–that acceptance was not the same as resignation”

A story set in 1990's Ireland looking at three marriages in a country where divorce is not legal. Some beautiful writing, but it did not blow me away. 3 🌟

The Coast Road is a quiet, simmering portrait of a small community in Ireland during the lead up to the divorce vote. It focuses on women and their choices, and how those choices are constrained both by the law and society. Gripping.

🌊 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑴𝒂𝒊𝒍 📬

I received a copy of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 by 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧, thanks to the generosity of Bibliolifestyle & Harper Via Books. This debut novel is set in “a claustrophobic coast town“ in Ireland when divorce was still illegal. The story of 2 women's “search for independence in a society that seeks to limit it“ is a “smashing debut“ & “marvel“ (Publishers Weekly) that's perfect for book clubs. Published 06/04/24.

I can‘t call it a lovely quiet read as actually it‘s a bit of a sad story about lost people! Set against the backdrop of the divorce vote in Ireland. It‘s not that long ago and there‘s a lot of lost, lonely women in this.
A good read and a great cover.

#coverlove
There‘s a sub genre at the moment- small, quiet novels set in coastal Irish towns with amazing covers.
Reading on a quiet Sunday morning.