Excavating the Rooneysance
+ other contemporary Irish favs
If I had to distill my favorite book genre into one sentence, it would be difficult, but not impossible. I most enjoy intergenerational fiction that explores relationship dynamics, usually set against a turbulent — but highly specific — landscape. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Irish writers, with their steep literary tradition and keen eye for exploring familial trauma, often fit the bill.
I first read Sally Rooney’s Normal People back in 2018, and I loved the delicate way she wrote about love and how humans can hurt each other. Soon after, I gobbled up Conversations with Friends, and in 2021, I spent a whole day reading Beautiful World, Where Are You in DC’s Rose Park.
I also watched the entirety of the Hulu version of Normal People (admittedly, mostly for Paul Mescal’s iconic chain).
When galleys for Rooney’s latest novel Intermezzo made their way to advanced readers, the book soon became the “it girl” accessory of the summer. We can argue whether that’s good or bad, but I love how Hannah-Rose Yee put it for Vogue Australia:
“I don’t mind if her books have become an aesthetic. Since mono-culture died with Game of Thrones, there aren’t many things that can unite people and make it feel like we’re all consuming and talking about the same thing at once. How nice that the thing that we’re all invested in is a book!”
If you feel like Irish writers are really “having a moment,” you’re not wrong. Last year, four Irish authors were nominated for the Booker Prize, the most ever in a single year. From Colm Tóibín to Naoise Dolan, Irish novelists continue to churn bestsellers.
And this isn’t just the “Rooney effect” (although she has certainly brought more attention to the Emerald Isle). Over the past few decades, Ireland has invested heavily in supporting authors with subsidized grants and public humanities fellowships. In an interview with the BBC, Gaby Wood, chief executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, noted that Ireland has a unique tradition of backing emerging talent:
“Ireland believes in its writers and understands the economic challenges they face — a room of one’s own — is not easy to come by… Literature is both familiar and respected in Ireland — it feels like something you can take part in, and something on which the present is built.”
All that to say, there are dozens of contemporary Irish authors beyond Sally Rooney that I encourage you to check out. Here are just three books by authors I am most keen to share:
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
Taking place in Cork City during the Recession, this book follows Rachel, a student who is lost in a way recognizable to most 20-somethings. While working in a bookstore, she befriends the charismatic James, who soon becomes the epicenter of her life. Rachel eventually falls for her married professor, and things spin out of control.
This book is funny and charming, but also packs a punch when it comes to contemporary Irish issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights. You may know Caroline O’Donoghue as the host of the delightful podcast “Sentimental Garbage” and this book strikes a similar tone.1
Read if you like: messy friendships, partying too much, frazzled journalists
Foster by Claire Keegan
I love to give Claire Keegan’s books as gifts because each one is like a small jewel.2 In such few words (Foster is just 95 pages), Keegan does more than most long-winded authors ever can.
To be clear, this setting is not Sally Rooney’s Ireland. The characters don’t languish over email or pontificate about freedom of the self. Instead, they deal with the 1980’s Troubles and having too many mouths to feed. Keegan, though, doesn’t hit you over the head with trauma. Instead, her story brims with compassion.
Read if you like: A book you can read in one sitting, parables, “Billy Elliot”
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
The Bee Sting, which the New York Times selected as one if its best books of 2023, takes place in a small Irish town amid the 2008 financial crisis. The Barneses — parents Dickie and Imelda and children Cass and PJ — are each going through difficult circumstances, but can’t seem to make their way to one another.
Clocking in at 600+ pages, this book is what I like to call a “thickie” (meant as a compliment). Told from alternating perspectives, we learn about dead-end jobs, clandestine love affairs, bad friendships, end-of-the-world preparation, and a lot more. I loved this book so much.
Read if you like: long, satisfying reads like Pachinko, family dynamics, discovering your parents have lives, too
Happy reading! 📚
XOX
Alli
PS — if you like to listen to music while you read/journal/craft, I recommend my friend Jenna’s dreamy Sally Rooney playlist 🎵🎶
I especially recommend the episode about the Twilight series with actress Maisie Peters.
After Foster, check out Small Things Like These, a subtle book that left me devastated. A movie version starring Cillian Murphy is coming out in November!
I really loved Trespasses by Louise Kennedy!