Rating: 
Summary: a tale of love, of destiny, and of magic
Review: This is quite simply one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. Having been to Ireland, I was intrigued at the thought of reading a book set there. Never did I imagine that I would also get to enter the lyrical world of Niall Williams. If you appreciate prose that can conjur up an image with simplicity and grace, this book is for you. A must read for lovers of language.
Rating: 
Summary: Everyday Magic and Beauty
Review: This is the story of two Irish families who, over time and distance, find their destinies intertwined. This novel is a love story in an old-fashioned sense and is also imbued with magical realism and religious mysticism that seems not at all out of place. The characters hear voices, see spirits, and the scents of roses and eucapyptus suddenly spread across an entire island! There are visions, especially of droves of butteflies and flocks of doves. One of the main characters sees laughter flying out of someone's mouth in white ribbons. The natural and the supernatural exist side by side. But this all works, and I swear, I could hear the lilting Irish voices as I read the book.All of the characters are exquisitely described, even the most minor ones. We first encounter William and Isabel when they are about 12 years old, living on opposite ends of Ireland, when both have a life-shattering event occur in their lives. We follow them for the next 10 years, waiting for their lives to intersect, knowing that it will happen. Destiny, not choice, drives the lives of the characters in this book and "signs" are given great consideration, even though the "mere mortals" may not understand the decisions of a higher power. I would like to relate some of Williams' wonderful phrases: "After my mother died, thick grey drapes of silence were drawn inside our house." "She had crossed the chasms of her hesitations." "Without kicking or screaming, love sank into madness and died." " ..she cried...letting the salt of years run free from her." " She fired the question and left the room before he had even begun picking the shards of it from his face." His father was ..."touched by something, an impression furthered by the blueness of his eyes and the fewness of his words."
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