May 17

May 17 The Wren, The Wren

About the book

Author: Anne Enright
Publisher: W.W. Norton

More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.

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My Review

The Wren, The Wren was on my radar anyway, but its placement on the Women’s Prize shortlist bumped it to the top of my TBR. This one is a little tough for me to review because I recognized how good it was, but it just didn’t hold my attention very well or stick with me once I’d finished it. But I think that was because of me, not the book.

The book switches between two primary POVs: Nell, a young woman descending into an abusive relationship while romanticizing the poetry of her famous late grandfather; and Carmel, her mother, who’s still dealing with the emotional repercussions of her (scoundrel) father’s abandonment. Enright gives us a poignant look at how our generational scars persist and affect our relationships for years and years. I also appreciated the poetry she included throughout.

As I mentioned, it just felt like this book when in one side of my brain and out the other, even as I recognized its merits. To be fair, I read most of it on a plane AND I was 34 weeks pregnant, so I really do think this was me and not the book. I have nothing objectively critical to say of it, and Enright remains one of the greats.

If you love a beautifully written Irish novel that’s all character and little plot, you’re going to eat this one up.