Mary and O'Neil

The best book I have read for years. A lesson to other authors on how to write moving narrative about everyday life. So poignant and memorable. Am recommending it to all my bookish friends. Totally different to the post vampire apocolypse trilogy (although I loved that too)Reminds me of Colleen McCulloch - The Ladies of Missalongi which is another perfect read.

Enjoyed this

The first Justin Cronan book i read was The Passage which is one of the best books i have read so was interested in reading more of his work. Mary and O'Neil ,to be very honest,was a dissappointment.An ok storyline but nothing to talk about.

Not sure about this book...after reading his other books The Twelve and The Passage I think Justin needs to stick to what he does best and thats writting horror

Excellent

I have to say that this Mr Cronin is enfuriatingly good - by which I mean it drives me crazy that I'm always left wanting MORE. Having read his epic "The Passage" and eagerly awaiting the 2nd part of the trilogy I thought I would check out his earlier books and I started with this one. I love his style of writing, his descriptive prose and the way he makes me think and want more - clever Mr Cronin he 'gets me hooked' then leaves me 'begging for more' - oh dear that sounds a bit rude but if I had called him the 'Crack Cocaine' of prose that might have been even worse. But hey I've said it now !!!! Please Please Please Mr Cronin - WRITE FASTER !!!!!!!

Fans of `The Passage' seeking out Cronin's earlier work expecting more of the same may get a surprise with this one. `Mary & O'Neil' is a resolutely literary novel, a study of family relationships told through eight interconnected stories.The tales span the years 1979 to 2000 and detail the significant events that occur in the lives of the title characters and their families and friends. The book's central theme is the cycle of Life - growing up, marriage, birth and death are all covered (though not necessarily in that order).This is an elegantly written, sedately paced work; although not one for those who like non-stop action, the universal themes will resonate with most readers. The episodic structure works well as it enables different characters to take a turn centre stage and in some ways reflects how we actually mark the lives of others - noticing births, deaths and marriages without always knowing what happens between these milestones.Overall, a thoughtful work that is recommended.

A warm bubble bath is the best way to describe this book.Yes it did have 8 different view points with, really 8 different stories but when you reach the end of the book, you wonder what you have actually read. You've just happily laid in the book, unaware of anything that is going on around you, hapily enjoying it I must admit but then not memorable.As the title suggests, it does revolve around two characters, Mary And O'Neil but it takes a few pages to be turnedbefore you actually really meet this couple and then you wonder how they meet because that again comes nearer to the end.It's a very poignant book which to me showed that nothing is straight forward and even when you love some one dearly, it doesn't necessarily say that they know the ins and outs of everything that goes on in their lives. To O'Neil, this is smoething that takes time to overcome, and questionably, does he overcome?This is completely different to Cronin's more well known novel The Passage, highlighting how possibly Cronin can turn his pen to any genre.If you want fast moving, non stop then The Passage is for you, but if you want to slower the pace, possibly daydream in between then Mary & O'Neil is the book for you.