As a young woman, Roseanne McNulty was one of the most beautiful and beguiling girls in County Sligo, Ireland. Now, as her hundredth year draws near, she is a patient at Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital, and she decides to record the events of her life.

As Roseanne revisits her past, hiding the manuscript beneath the floorboards in her bedroom, she learns that Roscommon Hospital will be closed in a few months and that her caregiver, Dr. Grene, has been asked to evaluate the patients and decide if they can return to society. Roseanne is of particular interest to Dr. Grene, and as he researches her case he discovers a document written by a local priest that tells a very different story of Roseanne's life than what she recalls. As doctor and patient attempt to understand each other, they begin to uncover long-buried secrets about themselves.

General consensus seems to be that this is beautifully written, sad, disturbing & haunting story - so why do I feel that I should be more appreciative of it than I am?

Mainly because I expected to dislike Fr Gaunt & Roseanne's mother-in-law for their actions, usually this sort of thing really riles me & I thought I would be full of righteous indignation for the way Roseanne was treated...but to be honest I was a bit indifferent.

Overall a good enough read but it failed to evoke the emotions I had expected from its press.

Added to my "PRIZE WINNERS" Bookbox as it won the Costa Book of the Year 2008 & was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

Taken out of the Book Box, sounds interesting !

An interesting novel based on how differently memories are perceived - the same life events told by Roseanne and then completely differently remembered by Fr Gaunt. Of course I was inclined to believe Roseanne's side of story - it being a sad but well known fact how un/married women were treated in Ireland back in those days. It was beautifully written but did drag occasionally and the ending was somehow to be expected yet still wonderfully written

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Picked up at Old Gang Meetup because it was ringing a bell with me. Probably heading for the obcz while I remember why!

Released to obcz

The 2016 UK Bookcrossing Unconvention will be held in Birmingham, 23-25 September 2016. Visit http://2016.bcukunconvention.co.uk/ for details!

Now available on the Official BookCrossing Zone bookshelf in The Glencorse Centre, 4 Firth Road, Auchendinny, Midlothian, EH26 0QZ

The OBCZ books will be held in a small bookcase in the cafe area and will be clearly labelled.

Although this book is registered at www.bookcrossing.com, you don't have to be a member. It's perfectly OK to just take the book and enjoy it. Of course, if you can visit the website and let us know that you've picked it up, that would be even better - you don't even have to join, you can add your comments anonymously - you can also post your review when you've read it, then return it or pass it on to someone else.

If you do join Bookcrossing, you'll be able to see what happens to it afterwards - for ever!

The 2016 UK Bookcrossing Unconvention will be held in Birmingham, 23-25 September 2016. Visit http://2016.bcukunconvention.co.uk/ for details!

Retrieved from obcz

Released to obcz

Although this book is registered at www.bookcrossing.com, you don't have to be a member. It's perfectly OK to just take the book and enjoy it. Of course, if you can visit the website and let us know that you've picked it up, that would be even better - you don't even have to join, you can add your comments anonymously - you can also post your review when you've read it, then return it or pass it on to someone else.

If you do join Bookcrossing, you'll be able to see what happens to it afterwards - for ever!

Retrieved from obcz

Although this book is registered at www.bookcrossing.com, you don't have to be a member. It's perfectly OK to just take the book and enjoy it. Of course, if you can visit the website and let us know that you've picked it up, that would be even better - you don't even have to join, you can add your comments anonymously - you can also post your review when you've read it, then return it or pass it on to someone else.

If you do join Bookcrossing, you'll be able to see what happens to it afterwards - for ever!

retrieved from lfl

Although this book is registered at www.bookcrossing.com, you don't have to be a member. It's perfectly OK to just take the book and enjoy it. Of course, if you can visit the website and let us know that you've picked it up, that would be even better - you don't even have to join, you can add your comments anonymously - you can also post your review when you've read it, then return it or pass it on to someone else.

If you do join Bookcrossing, you'll be able to see what happens to it afterwards - for ever!