Bill realized even though his life with wife and five daughters was comfortable it was lacking . His life in the 1980’s in Ireland was better than most but happiness and purpose was missing. The plight of unwed pregnant women was brutal in Ireland until 1996. They were forced to work hard in homes run by the Catholic Church and give up their babies. These girls knew a river swallowing them was better than their existence in these homes. Bill on his coal delivery encountered one of these girls and after much soul searching he knows what he has to do, even though his decision will be frowned on by many. This story follows his journey and gives an insight into the Irish society in this time period.

This novella is an incredibly powerful exploration of the horrifying truth of the Magdalene Laundries of Ireland. Set in a small Irish town in the 1980s, we are given the perspective of Bill Furlong, and the story revolves around not only his moral dilemma regarding the Laundry, but also his feelings towards his family, his upbringing and the townspeople.

This story felt so real, and the simple prose made it no less captivating. It examines the themes of morality, family, and religion beautifully. The sense of how powerful the church is within this small community is painfully evident, even though it is barely ever noted explicitly, and I think this demonstrates the strength of Keegan’s writing: she communicates so much by saying so little. I thought that centring the story on Bill as opposed to the Laundry allowed an exploration of the perspective of bystanders, a key factor in how the Laundries were allowed to continue for such a horrifically long time.

A gut punch and a masterpiece. That Keegan packs so much into a novella is Joycean (and I mean that in the best way). The Magdalen Laundries have been the source of much art, but of what I’ve experienced, only this and ANU’s theatrical production “Laundry” have specifically taken on the perspective of the bystander community (I’d be happy to know of other works that exist from this perspective). I will gladly explore Keegan’s other works after this.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Small Things Like These
by Claire Keegan
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Joan's review Mar 23, 2021 · edit
it was amazing
Read 2 times. Last read March 23, 2021.

what a thrill it is to read something special and beautifully written. Small Things Like These is a short work by claire keegan. i'm not familiar with her writings, but i will be looking to read more, as her writing is simple and spare, but compelling. a terrific author, she conveys so much more than you'd imagine could be contained in her sentences. this is a tale of a man finding the courage to do the right thing, knowing that the repercussions will be landing hard on him. i highly recommend this to any thoughful reader. i'm grateful to net galley and grove press for the opportunity to read this ARC.