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 Female Irish Authors to Read this March

by Public Service Associate Juliana

I have been in love with Ireland ever since I was little and believed in fairies. Does that explain why I gravitate toward Irish writers? It seemed like a fairy trick last year when I’d start reading a novel and realize, “Another Irish author! How interesting!”

This month, in the spirit of celebrating Irish history and culture, it feels quite appropriate to highlight a few titles within this trend.

The Wren, the Wren by Anne Enright | Book

Within the first few pages, I found myself looking for other Enright titles available at the library, already wanting to read more. I’m the type of reader who likes books that are less plot-oriented and more vibe-oriented, books that are character-driven but leisurely-paced and full of everyday experiences. The Wren, the Wren pulled me right in.

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue | Book / Libby

I was impressed by this one. It’s considered “relationship fiction”, and I’d expected love and humor (it really is quite funny!), but I hadn’t expected it to navigate such serious reproductive healthcare issues in such an engaging and thoughtful way. I found myself drawing comparisons with Annie Ernaux’s powerfully moving memoir, Happening, with similar subject matter. 

Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan | Book / Libby

I read this novel when I was sick, and it gleams in my brain like a fever dream. The main character’s obsessions are so keen that I still find myself thinking about her, like when I floss, or when I’m looking for something to do and think, “Let’s just get apples and walk around.” (In fact, I discovered the Kindle edition by Vintage Digital actually features an apple on the cover!)

Stumble upon these Irish reads and more at Bexley Public Library!

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Bride of the Sea

by Public Service Associate Nichole

During a snowy Cleveland February, newlywed university students Muneer and Saeedah are expecting their first child, and he is harboring a secret: the word divorce is whispering in his ear. Soon, their marriage will end, and Muneer will return to Saudi Arabia, while Saeedah remains in Cleveland with their daughter, Hanadi. Consumed by a growing fear of losing her daughter, Saeedah disappears with the little girl, leaving Muneer to desperately search for his daughter for years. The repercussions of the abduction ripple outward, not only changing the lives of Hanadi and her parents, but also their interwoven family and friends—those who must choose sides and hide their own deeply guarded secrets.

And when Hanadi comes of age, she finds herself at the center of this conflict, torn between the world she grew up in and a family across the ocean. How can she exist between parents, between countries?

penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/671244/bride-of-the-sea-by-eman-quotah/9781951142452
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International Women’s Day

by Adult Services Librarian Leann

With origins in socialist and communist political movements in the 20th century and second wave feminism in the 1960s, the United Nations recognized March 8 as International Women’s Day in 1977. According to the UN, “it is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.” March is also recognized as Women’s History Month in the United States.