Author: Doireann Ní Ghríofa’s 

This was the March book from The Modern Literature Society, a Facebook group I joined. I was skeptical but she is an Irish writer so how bad could it be? I expected a novel but was pleasantly surprised that it is history and autobiography all wrapped up in one book.

The author sets out to explore the life of the 18th century Irish poet, Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill. There are gaps in the written history of Eibhlín’s (Eileen’s) life and the author imagines and fills in plausible details. All of Doireann’s research is done as the backdrop to her very busy life – raising four children and publishing a few translations of Eileen’s best know poem, Lament for Art O’Leary, which was written for her murdered husband in 1773. The story bounces back and forth between Doireann’s and Eileen’s life.

Goodreads Rating: * * * *

Author: Umberto Eco

I think I’m done with this author. I loved the first one I read, hated the second one, but was fooled into picking up this one.

There isn’t much of a story to comment on. A man in his early sixties has lost his entire memory due to a stroke. He returns to the village and house where he grew up and searches through boxes and boxes of books, journals and records trying to recreate his memories. It seems to be of no avail as at the end of the book he has regained his memory but he is in a coma (at least that’s what I think happened to him).

I was very tempted to “break the rules” before I was even halfway through the book.

Goodreads Rating: *