Book Review: Elaine Feeney – 'As You Were'

Elaine Feeney’s poetry has always excavated layers of Irish society previously kept hidden, be it institutional abuse, failures within women’s health, or the Mother and Baby home scandal. Her stunning debut novel continues this trend, exploring the burdens women are forced to face alone.

The Galway author submerges us into the fractured, witty and self-critical mind of Sinéad Hynes, who is facing a personal struggle unlike any other. Intimate histories are pried open, as the protagonist tries to balance her past with her terrifyingly unstable present, with the help of the vivid, relatable characters on the same hospital ward.

Her empathy for those suffering through the isolation of illness knows no bounds, and the kindness shown to Sinéad by the other characters gives the book real emotional impact. The use of colloquial language and Irish dialects, meanwhile, adds further authenticity.

Overall, a simply superb debut.