A very poignant and moving story about two people who find love where they least expect it. 16 year old Sonny is a schoolboy who works in the local butcher’s shop in Dublin. His father is a labourer, his parents argue a lot, his mother seems permanently frazzled. When Sonny goes with his father to the wealthy side of the city to help on a job, he meets the beautiful Vera. She lives alone in Montpelier Parade and is old enough to be his mother. But Sonny is instantly drawn to her and after a series of chance meetings in Dublin, their lives become intertwined. It’s an unconventional love story written in an unconventional way. But the writing is wonderful, the characters are so vividly drawn and their ‘forbidden’ relationship is incredibly moving. Both are lonely for different reasons, yet they both find shelter and comfort in each other. It’s another debut novel that I read in just a couple days. Loved it.
Montpelier Parade by Karl Geary
I’ll definitely have to read this!… I live only a few minutes walk from Montpelier Parade. It’s in Monkstown (southside suburb) of Dublin.
A wonderful coming of age love story set against a backdrop of working class Dublin. Also a poignant tale about human suffering and pain told through the elusive character Vera & the aspiratonal Sonny who is searching for a life which is different from his family.
Thanks for recommending this book, I loved it! it has certainly made my recent tube journeys a whole lot more bearable!
Always happy to help improve a tube journey 🙂
Very pleased you loved it. Try ‘Stay with Me’ next – haven’t put review up yet but it’s brilliant
So so sad, couldn’t put this one down, actually I have read most of your selection and its such a help to find a decent guide on good reads. I read The Night Circus years ago and loved it but others I have recommended to it, just didn’t get it. Thank you Sophie.
Easy, simple style (read in 3 days) but feels quality. Eerily beautiful, achingly sad. A little gem!