TLC Book Tours Book Review: Eggshells

About Eggshells

Paperback: 256 pages

Publisher: Melville House (March 14, 2017)

— Irish Book of the Year Finalist!

A whimsical, touching debut about loneliness, friendship and hope…

Vivian doesn’t feel like she fits in — and never has. As a child, she was so whimsical that her parents told her she was “left by fairies.” Now, living alone in Dublin, the neighbors treat her like she’s crazy, her older sister condescends to her, social workers seem to have registered her as troubled, and she hasn’t a friend in the world.

So, she decides it’s time to change her life: She begins by advertising for a friend. Not just any friend. She wants one named Penelope.

Meanwhile, she roams the city, mapping out a new neighborhood every day, seeking her escape route to a better world, the other world her parents told her she came from.

And then one day someone named Penelope answers her ad for a friend. And from that moment on, Vivian’s life begins to change.

Debut author Caitriona Lally offers readers an exhilaratingly fresh take on the Irish love for lyricism, humor, and inventive wordplay in a book that is, in itself, deeply charming, and deeply moving.

“This urban fairy tale delivers something that is both subtle and profound in its examination of the human soul. Magically delicious.”—Kirkus

“A whimsical jaunt through Dublin and a modern take on many old Irish folktakes…Humorous, charming, and original.”—Booklist

“Inventive, funny and, ultimately, moving.” — Claire Kilroy, The Guardian

“Full of action and humour as its beguiling narrator takes her surreal jaunts around the capital in search of a portal to another world…. The black comedy gives the book a jaunty quality that complements the dazzling trip around Dublin.” — Sarah Gilmartin, The Irish Times

“Delightfully quirky… Vivian’s voice alone is enough to keep us reading, charmed by her unique brand of manic, word-hoarding wit.” — The Irish Independent 

“The book’s style calls to mind The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Engaging and humorous.” — The Dublin Inquirer

“This is a strange, lyrical, fantastical, and slightly disturbing book that left me feeling a bit dizzy each time I would read a few chapters… a fresh take on wordplay and humor… Vivian is a sympathetic, and utterly unforgettable, character.” — Jennifer Ohzourk, St. Louis Public Library

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Review: When a book starts with the main character mailing her aunts ashes to her various friends, you know the story is going to be unique.

Vivian was the kind of character that is sticks with you long after the story is done. 

In the midst of my own personal dilemmas this wasn't an easy read, though it was a short one. It has moments of hilarity and seriousness. OK sometimes things are really downright depressing with Vivian.

Its a book that you will definitely want to talk about because it makes you think. (Basically about how one woman could be so....erm....odd?) Vivian in a quest for a friend, advertises for one..and not just any one, she wants one called Penelope.

Yeah, she's a odd duck, Vivian is.

This is definitely a great book and weird...it ranks up there with The Roanoke Girls for unusual reads of 2017

Rating: 4 flowers

About Caitriona Lally

CAITRIONA LALLY studied English Literature in Trinity College Dublin.  She has had a colorful employment history, working as an abstract writer and a copywriter, as well as a home helper in New York and an English teacher in Japan. She has traveled extensively around Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.  Caitriona was shortlisted for “Newcomer of the Year” in the Irish Book Awards in 2015.

Connect with Caitriona on Twitter.