I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Big Girl Small Town by Michelle Gallen. I received an advanced copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Algonquin Books and Michelle Gallen for letting me be a part of this tour!
Title: Big Girl Small Town
Author: Michelle Gallen
Published by: Algonquin Books
Released: December 1, 2020
Source: Review Copy from Publisher
Synopsis: Meet Majella O’Neill, a heroine like no other, in this captivating Irish debut that has been called Milkman meets Derry Girls
Majella is happiest out of the spotlight, away from her neighbors’
stares and the gossips of the small town in Northern Ireland where she
grew up just after the Troubles. She lives a quiet life caring for her
alcoholic mother, working in the local chip shop, watching the regular
customers come and go. She wears the same clothes each day (overalls,
too small), has the same dinner each night (fish and chips, microwaved
at home after her shift ends), and binge-watches old DVDs of the same
show (Dallas, best show on TV) from the comfort of her bed.
But underneath Majella’s seemingly ordinary life are the facts that she
doesn’t know where her father is and that every person in her town has
been changed by the lingering divide between Protestants and Catholics.
When Majella’s predictable existence is upended by the death of her
granny, she comes to realize there may be more to life than the gossips
of Aghybogey, the pub, and the chip shop. In fact, there just may be a
whole big world outside her small town.
Told in a highly original voice, with a captivating heroine readers will love and root for, Big Girl, Small Town will appeal to fans of Sally Rooney, Ottessa Moshfegh, and accessible literary fiction with an edge (Synopsis from Goodreads)
My Thoughts: This was a great read! It let me experience another place through the eyes of Majella. I loved getting to experience the small town Irish feel, it was a unique setting that I don't get to see a lot in stories. I also liked following Majella as she went on this journey.
Majella is an interesting character to follow. I believe she's on the autism spectrum. Her mother is an alcoholic, her dad is missing, and her gran has just been murdered. This is a lot for a girl who goes to work, comes home, eats the same dinner every night, and watches the same show over and over. Suddenly, Majella is attracting all kinds of attention. Add in the fact that this takes place in a small town just furthers the unwanted attention and the gossip.
The story takes place over a week. I just found the whole thing really interesting. I really liked the writing, the storytelling. It's a unique story that I'd definitely recommend giving a read. I'm glad I got to experience it.
Michelle Gallen was born in Tyrone in the 1970s and grew up during the
Troubles a few miles from the British border in Ireland. She studied
English literature at Trinity College Dublin and Publishing at Stirling
University. She has been published in the Stinging Fly, Mslexia and
other publications, and won the Orange/NW short story award.
Thank you for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for Big Girl Small Town by Michelle Gallen. Thank you to Algonquin Books and Michelle Gallen for letting me be a part of it. I'd definitely recommend picking this one up, especially if you want to get the feeling of Ireland.
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