Jessie Ann Foley

The Flanagan clan (all 26 of them) are gripped in the throes of grief and don't know how to move forward. Each mourns Patrick's death in their own way but in isolation, not as a family and it is tearing them apart.

"Sorry For Your Loss" is raw and heartbreaking, and by the end, I was sobbing. I adored Pup, the narrator of this novel and the young of eight. Being the baby of the immediate family he is often ignored and from the first page, I loved him. His voice was real! Gangly, struggling at show more school but full of untapped potential, Pup wants to bring his broken family back together but is unsure how. My heart bled for him.

I also loved the whole Flanagan family who come together for Sunday dinner EVERY week! They are loud, interfering and messy, and very authentic. I felt their pain and ached for them all, especially Luke who bore an awful secret. The only two characters I disliked were Izzy, Pup's unrequited love interest, and her boyfriend, Brody.

Full of emotion and heart-warming moments, "Sorry For Your Loss" is a poignant, beautifully written novel dealing with loss, guilt, unconditional love and finding your place. A wonderful read! show less

2.75

As an ex Catholic school girl who wanted to believe in miracles, talked to statues of saints, and glared at them waiting for their eyes to spring free of tears, I connected to this novel. As someone that made stupid decisions and hung out with the wrong people in order to get lost, I understood Out protagonist on some level. However, there was something missing in these characters and this story that made it feel like I was just scratching surfaces. Their were beautiful and sad moments, show more but they were strung together by a weak thread. Almost a 3 Star read. show less

Sweet, well-written, romantic Young Adult novel. Nice descriptions of Irish village life, especially with regard to the elderly character of Dan Sean. Some heavy themes and lots of tie-ins to early 1990s music, which might be an education for both currently teenage readers and old fogies like me who were only vaguely paying attention to Nirvana & co. at the time. Although I'm doubtful about a happy future for main characters Maggie and Eoin (see old fogey status referred to above), I show more probably would have fallen hard for the ending Foley chose for their story when I was their age, so I'll try not to rain on their parade. Three and a half stars. show less

I loved this! The novel is set on the Dingle Peninsula and that is one of my favorite spots in Ireland, where I visited in 1998. The growing relationship between Breda and the Dingle, and Breda and her Granda is beautifully drawn. My favorite chapter is 23, when Granda tells Breda the story of Finn Mac Cumhaill. This is one I'll want to own. Includes a map of Ireland with a closeup of the Dingle Peninsula.