The Lilac Bus: A Novel (original 1984; edition 1992)

by Maeve Binchy (Author)

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Fiction. Literature. HTML:NATIONAL BESTSELLER �?� �??Maeve Binchy is a grand storyteller in the finest Irish tradition."�??The Plain Dealer The Journey . . . Every Friday night a lilac-colored minibus leaves Dublin for the Irish country town of Rathdoon with seven weekend commuters on board. All of them, from the joking bank porter to the rich doctor�??s daughter, have their reasons for making the journey. The Destination . . . Rathdoon is the kind of Irish village where family histories are shared and scandals don�??t stay secret for long. And this weekend, when the bus pulls in, the riders find the unexpected waiting for them . . . as each of their private lives unfolds to reveal a sharp betrayal of the heart, a young man�??s crime, and a chance for new dreams among the eight intriguing men and women on . . . … (more)

▾Book information

Member:	jaggedhorizon
Title:	The Lilac Bus: A Novel
Authors:	Maeve Binchy (Author)
Info:	Dell (1992), 400 pages
Collections:	Read but unowned
Rating:
Tags:	LittleFreeLibrary, Irish, ShortStories, novel, pandemic reading

Work Information

The Lilac Bus by Maeve Binchy (1984)

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10
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister (wigsonthegreen)
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The Copper Beech by Maeve Binchy (MissBrangwen)
MissBrangwen: Both books have a similar concept: Short stories on different persons, but all intertwined and bound up through their place of living and other aspects.

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▾Member reviews

English (18) Dutch (2) French (1) All languages (21)

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Showing 1-5 of 18 (next | show all)

Every Friday, a small group of people from Dublin board a lilac painted mini-bus for the trip to the small town of Rathdoon. Over the course of the novella, we learn their stories and their secrets. My copy of the book included the four stories in Dublin/4, which was just as the title suggests, four short stories set in Dublin. (

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witchyrichy | Nov 29, 2023 |

I just finished reading Olive Again by Elizabeth Stout and that got me thinking about Maeve’s books, which I read in the 90’s so they probably never got logged here. Lilac Bus is my favorite Maeve book. I’m going to assign it to 1999 until I figure out a more accurate date. (

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Jinjer | Jul 19, 2021 |

I started off liking this book. I thought it was a novel and was interested in the characters and all. However, the book flipped to a new set of characters, and then another story, and then a new set of characters, and so on. It was then when I sorely realized that I've been burned again by a short story book masquerading as a novel. I kicked myself by not researching it first, because I hate short stories. So if you hate them, like me, be forewarned. I wish I could recover the wasted time reading this. (

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AnnieMK | May 12, 2021 |

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Likeitorlumpit | Dec 3, 2016 |

A group of people take a bus home to Rathdoon from Dublin every weekend. Their stories inter connect. A very enjoyable collection.

The Dublin 4

I loved the Dinner In Donnybrook - Carmel was a lot sharper than people gave her credit.

The Flat in Ringsend was a disappointment. I hated the way it ended - no answers. (

)

nx74defiant | Nov 27, 2016 |

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▾Other authors

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Maeve Binchy	—	primary author	all editions	calculated
Binchy, Kate	Reader	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

Is contained in

Firefly Summer | The Lilac Bus | Silver Wedding by Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy 3 book boxed set - Dublin 4, Lilac Bus, Silver Wedding by Maeve Binchy

Dublin 4 | Lilac Bus | Victoria Line, Central Line by Maeve Binchy

Light a Penny Candle | The Lilac Bus by Maeve Binchy

Has the adaptation

The Lilac Bus [1990 TV movie] by Giles Foster

Is abridged in

Time-Life Book Digest: McNally's Secret / The Duchess / Dance While You Can / The Lilac Bus by Lawrence Sanders

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Canonical title

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

1984

People/Characters

Important places

Dublin, Ireland

Rathdoon, Ireland (fictional)

Important events

Related movies

The Lilac Bus (1990 | IMDb)

Epigraph

Dedication

For my dear Gordon, with all my love

First words

Nancy was early, but then she always was, and she didn't like being seen there too soon.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

English

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

▾Book descriptions

Fiction. Literature. HTML:NATIONAL BESTSELLER �?� �??Maeve Binchy is a grand storyteller in the finest Irish tradition."�??The Plain Dealer

The Journey . . . Every Friday night a lilac-colored minibus leaves Dublin for the Irish country town of Rathdoon with seven weekend commuters on board. All of them, from the joking bank porter to the rich doctor�??s daughter, have their reasons for making the journey.

The Destination . . . Rathdoon is the kind of Irish village where family histories are shared and scandals don�??t stay secret for long. And this weekend, when the bus pulls in, the riders find the unexpected waiting for them . . . as each of their private lives unfolds to reveal a sharp betrayal of the heart, a young man�??s crime, and a chance for new dreams among the eight intriguing men and women on . . .

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