Movingly written, this is a sad but not a dismal story, given Shell's resilient personality and the support she gets from a generous-hearted priest. This debut novel is a fine and memorable achievement: it never sells its characters short and always stays close to what was thought to have happened at the time
Independent
In a densely woven tapestry of poetic language, sensations, and childhood experience, Dowd's characters stumble through life, bewildered and bereaved, reviving feelings and emotions that are most usually pushed into the back recesses of the mind
Guardian
It's a beautifully written, lyrical story
PEN
This story is told with the innocence and naivety of a young girl and leaves the reader to feel the true emotion behind it. This story will have you hooked; you will go through the usual emotions a well-written book should stir up - laughter, sadness, anger, and compassion
Irish Post
A superb first novel, beautifully written, deeply moving and full of heartbreak. Siobhan Dowd writes without judgement but with enormous sympathy and understanding
Love Reading 4 Kids
A compelling story, well told . . . It is compulsive reading
Oxford Times
A very human account to make readers weep yet also rejoice at the support she gains from her younger brother and sister
The Bookseller
It heaves with memories of another lifetime, like a family album. This is, above all, an affectionate novel . . . it should be read by anyone who is or ever was a teenager
Irish Independent