Reviews
Richly layered plotting and an impressive evocation of setting make a good foundation for O'Brien's deft, poised, and compassionate fashioning of her...character, O'Brien's dense patchwork of past and present in varied voices...is lush with wild yet carefully bridled language...vivid in imagery, Richly layered plotting and an impressive evocation of setting make a good foundation for O'Brien's deft, poised, and compassionate fashioning of her...character Booklist, ALA O'Brien's dense patchwork of past and present in varied voices...is lush with wild yet carefully bridled language...vivid in imagery Elle [O'Brien] evokes the cruelty of estrangement while allowing her characters to remain sympathetic and giving them real voice. Publishers Weekly, Starred [O'Brien's] constitutes one of the scant handful of careers in English-speaking letters that unquestionably deserves to be called great. Los Angeles Times O'Brien has always been a writer of uncompromising perceptiveness...she cuts to the quick with rapier insight cloaked in poetry. Bookpage, Her fiction remains so vital and engaged, so contemptuous of piety and convention, so hostile to sentiment and so willing to risk real feeling . . . We have now a shelf full of novels and story collections that constitute one of the scant handful of careers in English-speaking letters that unquestionably deserves to be called great., "You'll turn the pages of this book with the greatest reluctance, and that is because each page is so seductive, so dazzling, you won't want to leave it. Whether the setting is Brooklyn or London or the County Clare itself, richness of detail and atmosphere draws you in."--Frank McCourt, A delicate, everyday, even humorous love between mother and daughter is revealed as the grandest of passions."—Nuala O'Faolain The powerful bonds and deep divisions between mothers and daughters form the dark currents beneath The Light of Evening . . . O'Brien is still writing beautifully about the often painful and startling ways in which women learn about men, about love, about the world—and about themselves."—Francine Prose, starred review People Magazine You'll turn the pages of this book with the greatest reluctance, and that is because each page is so seductive, so dazzling, you won't want to leave it. Whether the setting is Brooklyn or London or the County Clare itself, richness of detail and atmosphere draws you in."—Frank McCourt Fully merits the adjective #145;bravura.'" The Los Angeles Times Philip Roth has called Edna O'Brien the most gifted woman now writing fiction in English, and it is hard not to agree." The Wall Street Journal O'Brien's vivid, musical prose wafts us into the past, enveloping us in its sights and sounds and smells . . . surprising yet satisfying." Boston Globe [O'Brien] understands the honeycomb of family life like few writers at work today." Cleveland Plain Dealer Lush with wild yet carefully bridled language and vivid in imagery." Elle Her fiction remains so vital and engaged, so contemptuous of piety and convention, so hostile to sentiment and so willing to risk real feeling . . . We have now a shelf full of novels and story collections that constitute one of the scant handful of careers in English-speaking letters that unquestionably deserves to be called great." The Los Angeles Times Reading Edna O'Brien is like going into a special place full of radiant energy and intense understanding, unlike any other reading enclosure I know."—Alice Munro, " A delicate, everyday, even humorous love between mother and daughter is revealed as the grandest of passions." -- Nuala O' Faolain, Philip Roth has called Edna O'Brien the most gifted woman now writing fiction in English, and it is hard not to agree., ...graceful, bittersweet new novel about the ache of maternal love...one of Ireland's finest novelists...She manages to touch on life's most complex and painful issues in ways that are both deft and tender..., "A delicate, everyday, even humorous love between mother and daughter is revealed as the grandest of passions.--Nuala O'Faolain "The powerful bonds and deep divisions between mothers and daughters form the dark currents beneath The Light of Evening . . . O'Brien is still writing beautifully about the often painful and startling ways in which women learn about men, about love, about the world--and about themselves.--Francine Prose, starred review People Magazine "You'll turn the pages of this book with the greatest reluctance, and that is because each page is so seductive, so dazzling, you won't want to leave it. Whether the setting is Brooklyn or London or the County Clare itself, richness of detail and atmosphere draws you in.--Frank McCourt "Fully merits the adjective 'bravura.' The Los Angeles Times "Philip Roth has called Edna O'Brien the most gifted woman now writing fiction in English, and it is hard not to agree. The Wall Street Journal "O'Brien's vivid, musical prose wafts us into the past, enveloping us in its sights and sounds and smells . . . surprising yet satisfying. Boston Globe "[O'Brien] understands the honeycomb of family life like few writers at work today. Cleveland Plain Dealer "Lush with wild yet carefully bridled language and vivid in imagery. Elle "Her fiction remains so vital and engaged, so contemptuous of piety and convention, so hostile to sentiment and so willing to risk real feeling . . . We have now a shelf full of novels and story collections that constitute one of the scant handful of careers in English-speaking letters that unquestionably deserves to be called great." The Los Angeles Times "Reading Edna O'Brien is like going into a special place full of radiant energy and intense understanding, unlike any other reading enclosure I know.--Alice Munro, [O'Brien] evokes the cruelty of estrangement while allowing her characters to remain sympathetic and giving them real voice., "Reading Edna O'Brien is like going into a special place full of radiant energy and intense understanding, unlike any other reading enclosure I know."--Alice Munro, " The powerful bonds and deep divisions between mothers and daughters form the dark currents beneath The Light of Evening . . . O' Brien is still writing beautifully about the often painful and startling ways in which women learn about men, about love, about the world-- and about themselves." -- Francine Prose, starred review, ÝO'Brien¨ evokes the cruelty of estrangement while allowing her characters to remain sympathetic and giving them real voice., A delicate, everyday, even humorous love between mother and daughter is revealed as the grandest of passions."—Nuala O'Faolain The powerful bonds and deep divisions between mothers and daughters form the dark currents beneath The Light of Evening . . . O'Brien is still writing beautifully about the often painful and startling ways in which women learn about men, about love, about the world—and about themselves."—Francine Prose, starred review People Magazine You'll turn the pages of this book with the greatest reluctance, and that is because each page is so seductive, so dazzling, you won't want to leave it. Whether the setting is Brooklyn or London or the County Clare itself, richness of detail and atmosphere draws you in."—Frank McCourt Fully merits the adjective ‘bravura.'" The Los Angeles Times Philip Roth has called Edna O'Brien the most gifted woman now writing fiction in English, and it is hard not to agree." The Wall Street Journal O'Brien's vivid, musical prose wafts us into the past, enveloping us in its sights and sounds and smells . . . surprising yet satisfying." Boston Globe [O'Brien] understands the honeycomb of family life like few writers at work today." Cleveland Plain Dealer Lush with wild yet carefully bridled language and vivid in imagery." Elle Her fiction remains so vital and engaged, so contemptuous of piety and convention, so hostile to sentiment and so willing to risk real feeling . . . We have now a shelf full of novels and story collections that constitute one of the scant handful of careers in English-speaking letters that unquestionably deserves to be called great." The Los Angeles Times Reading Edna O'Brien is like going into a special place full of radiant energy and intense understanding, unlike any other reading enclosure I know."—Alice Munro, "A delicate, everyday, even humorous love between mother and daughter is revealed as the grandest of passions.e--Nuala Oe(tm)Faolain "The powerful bonds and deep divisions between mothers and daughters form the dark currents beneath The Light of Evening . . . Oe(tm)Brien is still writing beautifully about the often painful and startling ways in which women learn about men, about love, about the world--and about themselves.e--Francine Prose, starred review People Magazine "Youe(tm)ll turn the pages of this book with the greatest reluctance, and that is because each page is so seductive, so dazzling, you wone(tm)t want to leave it. Whether the setting is Brooklyn or London or the County Clare itself, richness of detail and atmosphere draws you in.e--Frank McCourt "Fully merits the adjective 'bravura.e(tm)e The Los Angeles Times "Philip Roth has called Edna Oe(tm)Brien the most gifted woman now writing fiction in English, and it is hard not to agree.e The Wall Street Journal "Oe(tm)Briene(tm)s vivid, musical prose wafts us into the past, enveloping us in its sights and sounds and smells . . . surprising yet satisfying.e Boston Globe "[Oe(tm)Brien] understands the honeycomb of family life like few writers at work today.e Cleveland Plain Dealer "Lush with wild yet carefully bridled language and vivid in imagery.e Elle "Her fiction remains so vital and engaged, so contemptuous of piety and convention, so hostile to sentiment and so willing to risk real feeling . . . We have now a shelf full of novels and story collections that constitute one of the scant handful of careers in English-speaking letters that unquestionably deserves to be called great." The Los Angeles Times "Reading Edna Oe(tm)Brien is like going into a special place full of radiant energy and intense understanding, unlike any other reading enclosure I know.e--Alice Munro, "A delicate, everyday, even humorous love between mother and daughter is revealed as the grandest of passions."--Nuala O'Faolain "The powerful bonds and deep divisions between mothers and daughters form the dark currents beneath The Light of Evening . . . O'Brien is still writing beautifully about the often painful and startling ways in which women learn about men, about love, about the world--and about themselves."--Francine Prose, starred review People Magazine "You'll turn the pages of this book with the greatest reluctance, and that is because each page is so seductive, so dazzling, you won't want to leave it. Whether the setting is Brooklyn or London or the County Clare itself, richness of detail and atmosphere draws you in."--Frank McCourt "Fully merits the adjective 'bravura.'" The Los Angeles Times "Philip Roth has called Edna O'Brien the most gifted woman now writing fiction in English, and it is hard not to agree." The Wall Street Journal "O'Brien's vivid, musical prose wafts us into the past, enveloping us in its sights and sounds and smells . . . surprising yet satisfying." Boston Globe "[O'Brien] understands the honeycomb of family life like few writers at work today." Cleveland Plain Dealer "Lush with wild yet carefully bridled language and vivid in imagery." Elle "Her fiction remains so vital and engaged, so contemptuous of piety and convention, so hostile to sentiment and so willing to risk real feeling . . . We have now a shelf full of novels and story collections that constitute one of the scant handful of careers in English-speaking letters that unquestionably deserves to be called great." The Los Angeles Times "Reading Edna O'Brien is like going into a special place full of radiant energy and intense understanding, unlike any other reading enclosure I know."--Alice Munro, O' Brien' s vivid, musical prose wafts us into the past, enveloping us in its sights and sounds and smells . . . surprising yet satisfying., "A delicate, everyday, even humorous love between mother and daughter is revealed as the grandest of passions."-Nuala O'Faolain "The powerful bonds and deep divisions between mothers and daughters form the dark currents beneath The Light of Evening . . . O'Brien is still writing beautifully about the often painful and startling ways in which women learn about men, about love, about the world-and about themselves."-Francine Prose, starred review People Magazine "You'll turn the pages of this book with the greatest reluctance, and that is because each page is so seductive, so dazzling, you won't want to leave it. Whether the setting is Brooklyn or London or the County Clare itself, richness of detail and atmosphere draws you in."-Frank McCourt "Fully merits the adjective 'bravura.'" The Los Angeles Times "Philip Roth has called Edna O'Brien the most gifted woman now writing fiction in English, and it is hard not to agree." The Wall Street Journal "O'Brien's vivid, musical prose wafts us into the past, enveloping us in its sights and sounds and smells . . . surprising yet satisfying." Boston Globe "[O'Brien] understands the honeycomb of family life like few writers at work today." Cleveland Plain Dealer "Lush with wild yet carefully bridled language and vivid in imagery." Elle "Her fiction remains so vital and engaged, so contemptuous of piety and convention, so hostile to sentiment and so willing to risk real feeling . . . We have now a shelf full of novels and story collections that constitute one of the scant handful of careers in English-speaking letters that unquestionably deserves to be called great." The Los Angeles Times "Reading Edna O'Brien is like going into a special place full of radiant energy and intense understanding, unlike any other reading enclosure I know."-Alice Munro
