Kirkus, 1 of 10 Fiction Books to Look for This Year 

"Inspired by the true story of the 'elephant angel' of Belfast, Walsh's debut is a stirring tale of grief, loss, and survival against the chaotic backdrop of the war and the IRA's actions. The unique setting of Belfast during WWII makes this book stand out . . . Overall, fans of WWII fiction and historical fiction will enjoy this fresh take on the era." —Booklist

"Walsh fictionalizes in her charming debut a little-known true story from WWII, that of a female Irish zookeeper and a 3,000-pound young elephant. The year is 1940 when 20-year-old Hettie Quin, a part-time zookeeper, waits at the Belfast docks for the arrival of Bellevue Zoo’s latest attraction—a three-year-old elephant named Violet . . . Hettie’s devotion to Violet forms the emotional core of this novel, which does an excellent job of recreating daily life in Belfast during WWII. Hettie and Violet’s bond is one to treasure." —Publishers Weekly

“Walsh delivers a turbulent portrait of life in a divided city . . . A unique perspective of a country at war and the lengths people will go for those they love.” —Kirkus Reviews


"Sensitively rendered and finely drawn, this remarkable story, based on true events, is both uplifting and heartbreaking." —Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and The Exiles

"The Elephant of Belfast is a story of hope and survival against the odds, and the power of love to heal in the midst of heartbreak. S. Kirk Walsh has written an unforgettable portrait of war and endurance in a novel about courage, persistence, and the essence of what makes us human. Walsh’s tale unearths a world and moment in history that few of us know about and with her astonishing craftsmanship, takes readers deep into Belfast during World War II. This is a marvelous debut. Tender and compelling, you inhabit the world of Hettie and her relationship with Violet the elephant completely. This is historical fiction at its finest—as readers we are transported to the past, yet the themes are timeless. I was drawn in and moved by the lives of Walsh’s characters, which she has rendered with empathy and ingenuity. The ultimate triumph of unlikely love and friendship stayed with me long after I finished reading.” —Nina McConigley, author of Cowboys and East Indians, winner of the PEN Open Book Award 

"The Elephant of Belfast boasts not one but two dauntless heroines: Hetty, a young Irish zookeeper and Violet, a young Indian elephant. From their first meeting, Hettie is determined to protect Violet and as dangers mount, we cannot help cheering on her devotion and her resourcefulness. Walsh has written a novel of deep affection and knife-edge suspense. A brilliant debut." —Margot Livesey, author of Mercury: A Novel

"Cinematic in scope and brimming with emotion, The Elephant of Belfast imagines the life of a young woman zookeeper who, in the wake of family tragedy, develops a strong bond with an Asian elephant under her care. S. Kirk Walsh delivers a powerful depiction of the devastations of the Belfast Blitz, even as she poignantly renders her heroine’s coming of age and sexual awakening. With a tender portrait of one woman’s persistence at its heart, this is a soaring work of historical imagination." —Karen Olsson, author of The Weil Conjectures and All the Houses  

"In S. Kirk Walsh's hands, the city of Belfast, its zoo, and the creatures who resided there during the Belfast Blitz, come vividly and brilliantly alive. The Elephant of Belfast is impeccably researched and thrillingly suspenseful. I churned through the pages, anxious to know what became of Hettie Quin and Violet, the elephant in her charge: a heartbreaking animal heroine to rival Tarka the otter and the rabbits of Watership Down." —Louisa Hall, author of Trinity & Speak     

"The Elephant of Belfast knocked me flat and picked me up, not just once but many times over the course of S. Kirk Walsh's deeply satisfying telling. There's so much life in these pages, life as well as death—we're in wartime Belfast, dear reader, and the Luftwaffe is dropping bombs—that I couldn't help but feel changed by the end, experienced. Only the best novels do that, and the very fine Elephant of Belfast belongs in that rank." —Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn’s Long Half-Time Walk

“A zoo in wartime Belfast and a young woman's fierce love for the elephant in her care come vividly to life in this beautiful, beguiling, and atmospheric debut novel.” —Dominic Smith, author of The Last Painting of Sara de Vos

"The Elephant of Belfast is a lovely book about a fascinating piece of history, and its two heroines—animal and human—are enthralling and beautifully drawn. S. Kirk Walsh writes wonderfully about heartbreak both personal and historic." —Elizabeth McCracken, author of Bowlaway  

"An elephant, a young zookeeper, the city of Belfast, bombings, and an IRA member are the improbable characters in this captivating and intimately felt novel that tells the story of a young woman’s uncommon devotion and courage under fire." —Lily Tuck, author of Sisters and The Double Life of Liliane