The Home Scar

Reviews

Her beautifully simple style belies psychological complexity . . . and her tone is wryly accepting Picks at the wounds only a mother can inflict . . . ambitious . . . intricate Wonderful Thoughtful, understated . . . it has a quiet power With her usual effortless writing style and ability to make characters pop off the page, [The Home Scar] is a moving read A powerful story about legacy and loss and the possibility of reconciliation [MacMahon's] exploration of connection, to each other and the ones we've lost, is . . . sensitively done and wrapped in the rich storytelling that has made her a notable name in Irish literature A very grown-up novel about life and love, of course, and above all, the repercussions of a disrupted childhood . . . a real tour de force Kathleen MacMahon's subject is memory itself: how we remember - and the impact upon our future lives when our memories deceive us. Compassionate and poignant, The Home Scar is a work of considerable moral power An exceptional novel by one of Ireland's foremost literary talents. A book not to be missed Such a treat . . . another stunner from Kathleen MacMahon A delight - I loved every word of it A love story to the west of Ireland as much as it is a family mystery, this beautifully written novel will entrance anyone who has memories of childhood holidays spent in the area. MacMahon's fourth novel ... is another eloquently written and elegantly shaped novel that lays bare those scars that many of us carry and cover. An understated, powerful read. MacMahon writes with such beautiful simplicity, conjuring real and complex people straight off the page . . . subtle and authentic Quiet and bleakly beautiful . . . like the siblings and Ireland, it will leave a permanent mark on those who venture into its depths An exceptional novel about a brother and sister returning to the west of Ireland and to a summer of their past. A gorgeous story of sibling love. It reads like a psychological adventure story into memory A spell-binding story of inherited grief and the unbreakable bond between siblings as they unpick memories of their shared past . . . [MacMahon's] characters feel authentic and relatable for all their flaws An intriguing, meticulous and generation-spanning story of love, loss and healing The Home Scar once again displays Kathleen MacMahon's gimlet-eyed understanding of grown-up frailty One of Ireland's finest twenty-first century writers Expand reviews