Review: The Glorious Heresies

The Glorious Heresies

Lisa McInerney

Maureen has just killed a man. It was an accident of course but, now her son Jimmy has to call in a local guy, Tony to clean up the mess. Unfortunately, for Tony, he recognizes the dead man but he neglects to tell Jimmy. From this point on events take on a life of their own and we meet other characters, like Tony's son Ryan, who is about to slide down the slippery slope into the world of drug dealing and all that comes with it. Ryan's girlfriend Karine, is trying to stay with him through thick and thin but it gets harder every day.

Maureen is haunted by the ghost of the dead man and a lot of other things in her past. She hasn't yet found a way of dealing with it, but she keeps looking. Then she meets Georgie the former girlfriend of the dead man. Once a prostitute, Georgie has been taken in by a cult. She means to find Robbie, the deceased. Of course that isn't in the interest of anyone, least of all Georgie. As their lives intersect they are all caught up in something that can't be undone. Nevertheless, they are all looking for something, love, meaning, redemption but will they find it on the dark, seething streets of Ireland?

This book is bold, brash, sad, funny and oh so good. It's hard not to get wrapped up in the destructive lives of these memorable characters. McInerney has a unique style and the ability to weave a fabulous tale that's hard to put down. This is clearly Irish storytelling at its best.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.