What do you think?
Stations
Not yet published
Expected 3 Nov 26In 1982, Róisín and Red meet as teenagers in their hometown in Ireland. Red's reputation for trouble might precede him, but Róisín finds in him an intelligent and funny – if unlikely – friend. When a brush with the law pushes Red into a corner, he escapes their town and his family for good to start a new life in England.
As the years pass, they grow up and apart. Despite Red's particular gift for disappearing, they remain tethered to one another, a fragile thread holding their once fierce friendship together. When Róisín arrives in London to spend Christmas with her estranged father, she finds herself swept up once more into Red's storm. Róisín longs for the closeness they once had, but Red continues to travel away from her – and as the past weighs on the present, Róisín wonders if she'll ever reach Red where he is.
Stations is a devastating story of love and friendship, and the choices we blithely make when we are young, unaware that the consequences will reverberate throughout our lives.
As the years pass, they grow up and apart. Despite Red's particular gift for disappearing, they remain tethered to one another, a fragile thread holding their once fierce friendship together. When Róisín arrives in London to spend Christmas with her estranged father, she finds herself swept up once more into Red's storm. Róisín longs for the closeness they once had, but Red continues to travel away from her – and as the past weighs on the present, Róisín wonders if she'll ever reach Red where he is.
Stations is a devastating story of love and friendship, and the choices we blithely make when we are young, unaware that the consequences will reverberate throughout our lives.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2026
About the author
Louise Kennedy
5 books865 followersLouise Kennedy grew up near Belfast. Trespasses is her first novel. She is also the author of a collection of short stories, The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac. She has written for The Guardian, The Irish Times, and BBC Radio 4. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a chef for almost thirty years. She lives in Sligo, Ireland
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A gut wrenching depiction of family dysfunction, alcoholism, drug addiction tempered by love and a depth of friendship that clenches the heart. Louise Kennedy has written a story so realistic with characters so real that I woke up this morning thinking about them and anxious to get back to them. I fell in love with Roisin (roh- SHEEN) and Red from the start. In 1982 in a town near Dublin these two teenagers become best friends. Roisin without a friend in the world, saddened by her home situation and Red quietly enduring a trauma that we don’t fully know the severity of until close to the end of the novel . Always there for each other until it’s impossible. Moving back and forth between home and London in the decades between 1982 and 2007 I was brought to places I never knew - house squatting, alcoholism, drug addiction.
The story mostly centers on Roisin’s journey and her family over the years. The family dynamics moved me to tears, both sad and happy ones . However, Red is never out of her mind even during the years they are apart . A lot happens during these twenty five years, and if you want more of the plot, there are several reviews that give those details. The story is emotionally draining to say the least , but there is the possibility of redemption, forgiveness, even though not for all. It’s been a long time since I woke up thinking about characters in a book. A testament to Kennedy’s exceptional writing. As soon as I finished it I bought a copy of her first novel Trespasses.
I received a copy of this from Riverhead through NetGalley.
The story mostly centers on Roisin’s journey and her family over the years. The family dynamics moved me to tears, both sad and happy ones . However, Red is never out of her mind even during the years they are apart . A lot happens during these twenty five years, and if you want more of the plot, there are several reviews that give those details. The story is emotionally draining to say the least , but there is the possibility of redemption, forgiveness, even though not for all. It’s been a long time since I woke up thinking about characters in a book. A testament to Kennedy’s exceptional writing. As soon as I finished it I bought a copy of her first novel Trespasses.
I received a copy of this from Riverhead through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“And so they went on, throwing out truths without eye contact, the words so powerful neither of them could bear to behold their effect.”
Let this Irish novel germinate while you read. Stations is not meant to fill in a space between books, or as a propulsive plot (although the last 1/3 of the book just about destroyed me!). Kennedy’s world-building here is unflinching, infallible, and formidable. All those Fs in words! There are no straw characters or phony incidents. It’s so credibly authentic that I would have believed it as a memoir. This is the story, primarily, of Róisín McCaffrey and Red Camelin, which starts in the early 1980s and ends in 2007. Is it a love story? One of friendship? It is both, plus a story of community, isolation, grief, addiction, identity, family, found family, and a few unmentionables.
In a small town in Ireland (closest big city is Dublin), Róisín and Red meet in school, around age fifteen. Both outcasts, although Red is from a wealthy and influential family. However, it is obvious he doesn’t like to go home, and spends a lot of time staying with Róisín and Una (Róisín’s divorced mother) at their somewhat squalid but also homey home. Red is an attentive listener, and he will happily indulge Róisín. But he is circumspect, if not silent, about his own life. He may speak in generalizations, but Róisín repeatedly and unsuccessfully presses him to share more, to trust her with his guarded secrets.
Years pass, Róisín goes to college for a while, and Red takes off for the wilds, but they circle around and find each other. During this era, moving to London can put a chip on your Irish shoulder, but they both do that independently and end up squatting in a London building with several others. Red is still emotionally unreachable. Róisín remains besotted. “Sometimes she was so comfortable in his company she forgot herself, farting, mumbling aloud then, realizing he was there, feeling astonished to see him. Other times...it was as though a crackle of lightning was going between them, like God’s finger giving life to Adam in pictures she had seen from the Sistine Chapel.” Can these characters grow? One thing I learned young—wherever you go, there you are.
Conor, Róisín’s father, is an immature man and alcoholic with a new wife and a baby daughter, also in London. Róisín has a reason to visit now, to be with her sister, Mary. Family dynamics steer the choices that Róisín makes. The narrative grows outward, to the Irish diaspora in London, and sometimes inward again, almost claustrophobic. The prose is spot-on and restrained, a lot the reader can suss in the silent spaces. All characters have blind spots, some will leave you in pieces.
It’s a moving portrait of a complex and highly developed cast, foremost about Róisín and Red and the community that surrounds them. It unspools with delicacy-- but raw, too, a bittersweet finale-- no promises, and a twist of hope.
Thank you to Riverhead for sending me a copy for early review. I'm still waiting to exhale!
Let this Irish novel germinate while you read. Stations is not meant to fill in a space between books, or as a propulsive plot (although the last 1/3 of the book just about destroyed me!). Kennedy’s world-building here is unflinching, infallible, and formidable. All those Fs in words! There are no straw characters or phony incidents. It’s so credibly authentic that I would have believed it as a memoir. This is the story, primarily, of Róisín McCaffrey and Red Camelin, which starts in the early 1980s and ends in 2007. Is it a love story? One of friendship? It is both, plus a story of community, isolation, grief, addiction, identity, family, found family, and a few unmentionables.
In a small town in Ireland (closest big city is Dublin), Róisín and Red meet in school, around age fifteen. Both outcasts, although Red is from a wealthy and influential family. However, it is obvious he doesn’t like to go home, and spends a lot of time staying with Róisín and Una (Róisín’s divorced mother) at their somewhat squalid but also homey home. Red is an attentive listener, and he will happily indulge Róisín. But he is circumspect, if not silent, about his own life. He may speak in generalizations, but Róisín repeatedly and unsuccessfully presses him to share more, to trust her with his guarded secrets.
Years pass, Róisín goes to college for a while, and Red takes off for the wilds, but they circle around and find each other. During this era, moving to London can put a chip on your Irish shoulder, but they both do that independently and end up squatting in a London building with several others. Red is still emotionally unreachable. Róisín remains besotted. “Sometimes she was so comfortable in his company she forgot herself, farting, mumbling aloud then, realizing he was there, feeling astonished to see him. Other times...it was as though a crackle of lightning was going between them, like God’s finger giving life to Adam in pictures she had seen from the Sistine Chapel.” Can these characters grow? One thing I learned young—wherever you go, there you are.
Conor, Róisín’s father, is an immature man and alcoholic with a new wife and a baby daughter, also in London. Róisín has a reason to visit now, to be with her sister, Mary. Family dynamics steer the choices that Róisín makes. The narrative grows outward, to the Irish diaspora in London, and sometimes inward again, almost claustrophobic. The prose is spot-on and restrained, a lot the reader can suss in the silent spaces. All characters have blind spots, some will leave you in pieces.
It’s a moving portrait of a complex and highly developed cast, foremost about Róisín and Red and the community that surrounds them. It unspools with delicacy-- but raw, too, a bittersweet finale-- no promises, and a twist of hope.
Thank you to Riverhead for sending me a copy for early review. I'm still waiting to exhale!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 rounded to 5 stars
Trespasses is a favorite book of mine. I just love reading books by Irish authors.
This book transports you to Ireland and London from 1982 to 2007. It is a beautiful story of relationships, love, loss and addiction, and decisions that were made. Second guesses that maybe would have changed things.
It is character driven, and written with raw prose that may not be for everyone. An emotional heartbreaking story, with an unexpected ending that I just loved.
Roisin McCaffrey is a newcomer to Kildare as she recently moved from Northern Ireland. She doesn’t have many friends and agrees to deliver letters from Tina Doyle, to her boyfriend Redmond Camelin.
Roisin and Red become friends, but drift apart when Red’s father banishes him from his home.
He leaves Ireland for London.
They reconnect again after Roisin visits her estranged father in London
She finds Red living in a squat house in London under deplorable conditions. She finds a different Red that she has known in the.past. He is a troubled soul and their lives disconnect again.
They lose touch for many years and Roisin goes on a quest to find him.
This is an emotional read that you will not soon forget.
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverhead Books for this advanced readers copy.
Trespasses is a favorite book of mine. I just love reading books by Irish authors.
This book transports you to Ireland and London from 1982 to 2007. It is a beautiful story of relationships, love, loss and addiction, and decisions that were made. Second guesses that maybe would have changed things.
It is character driven, and written with raw prose that may not be for everyone. An emotional heartbreaking story, with an unexpected ending that I just loved.
Roisin McCaffrey is a newcomer to Kildare as she recently moved from Northern Ireland. She doesn’t have many friends and agrees to deliver letters from Tina Doyle, to her boyfriend Redmond Camelin.
Roisin and Red become friends, but drift apart when Red’s father banishes him from his home.
He leaves Ireland for London.
They reconnect again after Roisin visits her estranged father in London
She finds Red living in a squat house in London under deplorable conditions. She finds a different Red that she has known in the.past. He is a troubled soul and their lives disconnect again.
They lose touch for many years and Roisin goes on a quest to find him.
This is an emotional read that you will not soon forget.
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverhead Books for this advanced readers copy.
March 23, 2026
ugh yes louise kennedy has done it again ⭐️
July 27, 2026
I feel like I’ve been shot nine times (compliment)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Louise Kennedy has produced another beautiful but unflinchingly real story with Stations. Not quite a love story but certainly one of enduring friendship. Róisin McCaffrey meets Red (Redmond) Camelin for the first time when she becomes a message carrier for Tina Doyle, whose father does not approve of Red as a boyfriend.
The two immediately bond and the friendship develops as Red's relationship with his violent father and ineffectual mother breaks down. Roisin wishes for so much more but has to settle for friendship when Red leaves Ireland.
Years later they reconnect in London. But Roisin is no closer to pinning Red down. All she can do is be his friend and try to save him from his worst excesses.
Stations is another beautiful but difficult book by Louise Kennedy. She does not sugarcoat anything, seeing no need to provide happy endings which so rarely happen in real life.
Both Roisin and Red are deeply flawed characters but they are both very likeable and it is hard not to root for them even at their most self-destructive. My favourite characters were, however, Mary who doesn't let Roisin get away with her bad behaviour and Barry who tries so hard.
A stunning book that I'd highly recommend. Louise Kennedy hasn't put a sentence wrong yet. I very much look forward to whatrever comes next.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the digital review copy. Very much appreciated.
The two immediately bond and the friendship develops as Red's relationship with his violent father and ineffectual mother breaks down. Roisin wishes for so much more but has to settle for friendship when Red leaves Ireland.
Years later they reconnect in London. But Roisin is no closer to pinning Red down. All she can do is be his friend and try to save him from his worst excesses.
Stations is another beautiful but difficult book by Louise Kennedy. She does not sugarcoat anything, seeing no need to provide happy endings which so rarely happen in real life.
Both Roisin and Red are deeply flawed characters but they are both very likeable and it is hard not to root for them even at their most self-destructive. My favourite characters were, however, Mary who doesn't let Roisin get away with her bad behaviour and Barry who tries so hard.
A stunning book that I'd highly recommend. Louise Kennedy hasn't put a sentence wrong yet. I very much look forward to whatrever comes next.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the digital review copy. Very much appreciated.
September 9, 2026
A beautiful, sad and heartbreaking story of friendship, love and trauma that feels very authentic. The storytelling totally absorbed me and I loved the Irishness of this novel; the language, the swearing, the sense of identity. Highly recommended!
TmThank you Bloomsbury and Netgalley UK for the ARC.
TmThank you Bloomsbury and Netgalley UK for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Last night I finished an advanced copy (thank you Riverhead) of “Stations” by Louise Kennedy, and it was SO GOOD, I had to sit with it a while to savor it and to figure out how to review it without giving anything away.
It’s the coming-of-age and loss-of-innocence story of Róisín, a lonely teenager in a village near Dublin in the 1980s. In order to get “in” with the popular girls, she agrees to deliver a love note to enigmatic Red on behalf of mean girl, Tina. With this act, Róisín and Red become kindred spirits and fast friends, but Róisín wants more than friendship from Red.
Red is estranged from his family and at sixteen, he flees to Dublin taking up a life as a squatter and drug dealer. After she graduates from high school, Róisín joins him.
What follows is their stories, together and apart, through the 1980s, and then in Part Three, picks up almost 20 years later in 2007.
Their stories are riveting, shocking, and often heartbreaking. I couldn’t put the book down. Much is eventually revealed about why Red is the way he is, and I realized how true it is that when we are young, we miss (and/or ignore) so much information that is right before our eyes.
There is a wide cast of unforgettable characters to fall in love with, all perfectly rendered, flawed but sympathetic, always human. I agonized over some of their choices wanting to scream “NO!” several times.
Kennedy’s dialogue is pitch-perfect with all the signature dry humor, sarcasm, and Irish fatalism that I love so much from Irish writers writing about Ireland.
As I neared the end I had become so invested that I was in a panic about how it was going to end for both Róisín and Red, but I should have trusted Kennedy, she ends “Stations” perfectly.
I predict “Stations” will be nominated for many book prizes (it’s certainly going on my personal Top Ten List for this year), the November 3rd publication date seems far away so I’m urging my reading friends and book clubs to pre-order this beautiful novel.
It’s the coming-of-age and loss-of-innocence story of Róisín, a lonely teenager in a village near Dublin in the 1980s. In order to get “in” with the popular girls, she agrees to deliver a love note to enigmatic Red on behalf of mean girl, Tina. With this act, Róisín and Red become kindred spirits and fast friends, but Róisín wants more than friendship from Red.
Red is estranged from his family and at sixteen, he flees to Dublin taking up a life as a squatter and drug dealer. After she graduates from high school, Róisín joins him.
What follows is their stories, together and apart, through the 1980s, and then in Part Three, picks up almost 20 years later in 2007.
Their stories are riveting, shocking, and often heartbreaking. I couldn’t put the book down. Much is eventually revealed about why Red is the way he is, and I realized how true it is that when we are young, we miss (and/or ignore) so much information that is right before our eyes.
There is a wide cast of unforgettable characters to fall in love with, all perfectly rendered, flawed but sympathetic, always human. I agonized over some of their choices wanting to scream “NO!” several times.
Kennedy’s dialogue is pitch-perfect with all the signature dry humor, sarcasm, and Irish fatalism that I love so much from Irish writers writing about Ireland.
As I neared the end I had become so invested that I was in a panic about how it was going to end for both Róisín and Red, but I should have trusted Kennedy, she ends “Stations” perfectly.
I predict “Stations” will be nominated for many book prizes (it’s certainly going on my personal Top Ten List for this year), the November 3rd publication date seems far away so I’m urging my reading friends and book clubs to pre-order this beautiful novel.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
edit: this feels a pretty fair review to me, and i have specified where i received the advance copy from. curious that goodreads continues to delete my rating!
i was tempted to give this three, at first, but i think that was partly my affection for louise kennedy, whose previous novel, trespasses, i unexpectedly loved. but really there was so much wrong with this, i can't write the review i'm about to write and justify a three. from start to finish, i was utterly unconvinced by this.
i am ready to move past this kind of fiction (and i am ready for publishers to do the same). i'm allowed to say that because ive read every single incarnation of this book, this particular brand of working-class contemporary litfic. ive read juno loves, ive read true love by paddy crewe, ive read only here, only now, ive read everything by douglas stuart. i have been the target audience for this stuff, ive been sat at the end of the conveyer belt with my mouth wide open. i know it so well i knew every single beat of this from its initial pages, and at no point did it diverge. . even if this was the best iteration of this book i had read, id be tired of it. it was nowhere near the best. i love that working-class stories are being published but its starting to feel a bit icky, and a bit twee, that its the same story thats allowed to be told. im ready to start seeing some more innovation in this subgenre.
this just reeked of a sophomore novel that couldn't find a point to its existence beyond the need to follow-up a brilliant and commercially-successful debut. i felt like i could see the contract hovering beneath the text like i was reading a palimpsest. it said nothing, achieved nothing; i was so unconvinced by its long cast of cliched characters, i was so put off by a protagonist who wasn't interesting, underwent no arc, was still behaving like a fourteen year old in that third act that dragged on for far too long. everyone in this book who you are meant to dislike is written with so little generosity that it cannot be misunderstood what kennedy needs you to think about these characters; no one is allowed to surprise you, or be nuanced, theres a set of evil people, theres a set of posh people who are evil by virtue of their poshness and theres a set of hardscrabble kids we're supposed to root for who just failed to stir anything in me. i have a particular resistant to liking characters it feels the author is insisting too hard that i like.
at one point, one of the characters says, "what does that make me, a whingeing trauma junkie?". that is all any of these characters are, that is all kennedy allows them to be. its a long plod of ever more sensational hardships (sensational not because theyre unrealistic, because people dont face these things or have lives like this, but because kennedy reduces their lives entirely to these cliched sufferings) and people talking the way no one has ever talked, the epidemic of therapy speak dialogue reaching even into upmarket high-falutin prize-winning fiction. for a novel that hinges on missed moments, miscommunications, repression, these characters cannot stop pouring their hearts out to each other, every moment is mined for sentimentality until theres nothing left. it just felt so horribly TWEE.
i was really anticipating this, hence why i begged for a proof. kennedy is a fantastic writer and i believe she will write more fantastic books, but this wasnt one; it was an unremarkable contribution to a tired, predictable, extremely specific niche of working-class fiction that i think its high time we all move on from. there are so many more stories to tell!!! we have so much more to offer than this!!!
i was tempted to give this three, at first, but i think that was partly my affection for louise kennedy, whose previous novel, trespasses, i unexpectedly loved. but really there was so much wrong with this, i can't write the review i'm about to write and justify a three. from start to finish, i was utterly unconvinced by this.
i am ready to move past this kind of fiction (and i am ready for publishers to do the same). i'm allowed to say that because ive read every single incarnation of this book, this particular brand of working-class contemporary litfic. ive read juno loves, ive read true love by paddy crewe, ive read only here, only now, ive read everything by douglas stuart. i have been the target audience for this stuff, ive been sat at the end of the conveyer belt with my mouth wide open. i know it so well i knew every single beat of this from its initial pages, and at no point did it diverge. . even if this was the best iteration of this book i had read, id be tired of it. it was nowhere near the best. i love that working-class stories are being published but its starting to feel a bit icky, and a bit twee, that its the same story thats allowed to be told. im ready to start seeing some more innovation in this subgenre.
this just reeked of a sophomore novel that couldn't find a point to its existence beyond the need to follow-up a brilliant and commercially-successful debut. i felt like i could see the contract hovering beneath the text like i was reading a palimpsest. it said nothing, achieved nothing; i was so unconvinced by its long cast of cliched characters, i was so put off by a protagonist who wasn't interesting, underwent no arc, was still behaving like a fourteen year old in that third act that dragged on for far too long. everyone in this book who you are meant to dislike is written with so little generosity that it cannot be misunderstood what kennedy needs you to think about these characters; no one is allowed to surprise you, or be nuanced, theres a set of evil people, theres a set of posh people who are evil by virtue of their poshness and theres a set of hardscrabble kids we're supposed to root for who just failed to stir anything in me. i have a particular resistant to liking characters it feels the author is insisting too hard that i like.
at one point, one of the characters says, "what does that make me, a whingeing trauma junkie?". that is all any of these characters are, that is all kennedy allows them to be. its a long plod of ever more sensational hardships (sensational not because theyre unrealistic, because people dont face these things or have lives like this, but because kennedy reduces their lives entirely to these cliched sufferings) and people talking the way no one has ever talked, the epidemic of therapy speak dialogue reaching even into upmarket high-falutin prize-winning fiction. for a novel that hinges on missed moments, miscommunications, repression, these characters cannot stop pouring their hearts out to each other, every moment is mined for sentimentality until theres nothing left. it just felt so horribly TWEE.
i was really anticipating this, hence why i begged for a proof. kennedy is a fantastic writer and i believe she will write more fantastic books, but this wasnt one; it was an unremarkable contribution to a tired, predictable, extremely specific niche of working-class fiction that i think its high time we all move on from. there are so many more stories to tell!!! we have so much more to offer than this!!!
June 8, 2026
Amazing amazing amazing
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Northern Irish born, Irish based author Louise Kennedy’s debut novel “Trespasses” was featured on the 2022 version of the always prize-prescient Observer Best 10 Debut Novelist feature and went on to be: shortlisted for the inaugural 2022 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and the 2023 Women’s Prize, while winning the 2022 Irish Book of the year, the 2023 British Book Award for Debut Fiction (a prize which rewards sales success and campaign alongside literary merit) and the 2023 McKitterick Prize (for best debut novel for an author over 40).
Set in 1975 Northern Ireland, its main protagonist is a mid-20s primary school teacher from a lower-middle class Catholic family who falls for a much older, married, Protestant barrister with outspoken views on Civil Rights; the novel capturing brilliantly a bleak portrait of a particular place and time in history in what was a gritty and uncompromising read.
This her second novel’s starting point is actually a character from her a story “Belladonna” in her short story collection “The End of the World is a Cul de Sac” – Róisín who when we first encounter her in 1982 as a teenager has already moved moved with her Catholic family South (her father still reaping the aftermath of his brief service in the RUC having already left the family home) and is something of an outcast for her accent and for the fellow Catholics aversion to the Troubles (much of this detail is part autobiographical – Kennedy too having left the North with her family aged 12 in 1979 – although more due to attacks on the family bar).
Initially due to a role as a subservient messenger for love girls from the alpha-girl, she spends time with Red – from a well off middle-class family, but notorious for his behaviour and as Red is increasingly estranged from his own family Roisin’s home (complete with a middle aged and old fashioned teacher her mother is dating to her horror) becomes more of his home – before a brush with the law exiles Red to London.
There in late 1984 – estranged from her own family by first her father’s new baby and then her mother’s attempts to annul the marriage (effectively making Róisín redundant) she joins him in his squat – where she realises he is a small time soft drug dealer.
And from there the novel plays out with other characters becoming more crucial – not least Barry, squat mate of Red, brother to Róisín’s schooldays bête noire and eventually Róisín’s lover; and her father’s new partner (and mother to Róisín’s step-sister) Lynne.
At one stage the Red/ Róisín interaction – a will they/won’t they thing between Irish friends from different social classes but whose relative status of privilege changes over time seemed like the novel might be a kind of Sally Rooney novel (but with the action moved from Trinity to London), but far from it.
In fact this is as gritty and uncompromising as Kennedy’s debut as increasingly Red’s drug problems (it soon becomes clear he is a user as well as a dealer, and the drugs quickly move from soft to hard) and her father’s struggle with alcohol and self-esteem become dominant alongside a fairly grim picture of life in London (where Kennedy too lived for much of the 1980s).
And things get darker as the reasons behind her father’s behaviour and more so the reason for Red’s addiction and for his breach with his family become the dominant themes.
And this culminates in a memorably difficult encounter between Róisín and Red at Paddington station in 1989, followed by her looking for him in 2007 and an impressively un-neat ending.
Overall like her debut this felt a little too grim for my tastes and here, unlike her debut, I struggled to really get a feel for the characters and their stories – but that debut won the author many fans as well as prize nominations and I expect the same here .
My thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC via NetGalley
Set in 1975 Northern Ireland, its main protagonist is a mid-20s primary school teacher from a lower-middle class Catholic family who falls for a much older, married, Protestant barrister with outspoken views on Civil Rights; the novel capturing brilliantly a bleak portrait of a particular place and time in history in what was a gritty and uncompromising read.
This her second novel’s starting point is actually a character from her a story “Belladonna” in her short story collection “The End of the World is a Cul de Sac” – Róisín who when we first encounter her in 1982 as a teenager has already moved moved with her Catholic family South (her father still reaping the aftermath of his brief service in the RUC having already left the family home) and is something of an outcast for her accent and for the fellow Catholics aversion to the Troubles (much of this detail is part autobiographical – Kennedy too having left the North with her family aged 12 in 1979 – although more due to attacks on the family bar).
Initially due to a role as a subservient messenger for love girls from the alpha-girl, she spends time with Red – from a well off middle-class family, but notorious for his behaviour and as Red is increasingly estranged from his own family Roisin’s home (complete with a middle aged and old fashioned teacher her mother is dating to her horror) becomes more of his home – before a brush with the law exiles Red to London.
There in late 1984 – estranged from her own family by first her father’s new baby and then her mother’s attempts to annul the marriage (effectively making Róisín redundant) she joins him in his squat – where she realises he is a small time soft drug dealer.
And from there the novel plays out with other characters becoming more crucial – not least Barry, squat mate of Red, brother to Róisín’s schooldays bête noire and eventually Róisín’s lover; and her father’s new partner (and mother to Róisín’s step-sister) Lynne.
At one stage the Red/ Róisín interaction – a will they/won’t they thing between Irish friends from different social classes but whose relative status of privilege changes over time seemed like the novel might be a kind of Sally Rooney novel (but with the action moved from Trinity to London), but far from it.
In fact this is as gritty and uncompromising as Kennedy’s debut as increasingly Red’s drug problems (it soon becomes clear he is a user as well as a dealer, and the drugs quickly move from soft to hard) and her father’s struggle with alcohol and self-esteem become dominant alongside a fairly grim picture of life in London (where Kennedy too lived for much of the 1980s).
And things get darker as the reasons behind her father’s behaviour and more so the reason for Red’s addiction and for his breach with his family become the dominant themes.
And this culminates in a memorably difficult encounter between Róisín and Red at Paddington station in 1989, followed by her looking for him in 2007 and an impressively un-neat ending.
Overall like her debut this felt a little too grim for my tastes and here, unlike her debut, I struggled to really get a feel for the characters and their stories – but that debut won the author many fans as well as prize nominations and I expect the same here .
My thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC via NetGalley
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August 14, 2026One chapter into Stations and I was already completely smitten.
After loving Trespasses, I went into Louise Kennedy’s second novel with very high expectations, and thankfully they were more than met. Kennedy has such a distinctive way of writing about people: spare, unsentimental and incredibly observant, yet somehow still full of warmth. She can create an entire emotional world with just a few carefully chosen details.
Stations begins in 1980s Ireland, where Róisín and Red form an unlikely friendship as teenagers. Róisín is the sensible, good-girl type, struggling in her own way with school and a complicated family life, while Red already carries the reputation of being trouble. Their friendship begins almost by accident, but it quickly becomes clear that they understand something in one another that other people do not.
From there, the novel moves between Ireland and London, following the pair through different stages of their lives and eventually returning to them many years later. What Kennedy does so well is show how decisions made when we are very young, often without fully understanding their consequences, can reverberate through decades.
There is something incredibly tangible about her writing. At times I genuinely felt as though I were sitting beside Róisín and Red by the river, standing in a dingy London squat, or watching from a railway platform as one life moved further away from another. Kennedy captures not only place but atmosphere: 1980s Ireland, the rough edges of London in the 80s and 90s, family homes, pubs, streets and all the small, ordinary spaces where life quietly changes direction.
I also really appreciated the slight vagueness that sometimes surrounds events. Life rarely makes perfect sense while we are living it, and Kennedy does not over-explain her characters or force every experience into a neat conclusion. People make bad decisions, fail each other, love one another imperfectly and sometimes simply disappear. That messiness makes the novel feel all the more truthful.
There are difficult themes here, including addiction, alcoholism, abuse, loneliness and grief, and watching Red repeatedly drift beyond Róisín’s reach is heartbreaking. Yet I would not describe Stations as bleak. There is humour, tenderness and an enormous amount of love throughout, even when that love is unable to fix what is broken.
Róisín and Red are both wonderfully drawn characters. I spent much of the novel wanting to reach into the pages and give the pair of them a hug. Their relationship is complicated, sometimes frustrating and often painful, but that is exactly what makes it so compelling. Kennedy understands that some of the most important relationships in our lives are not easily labelled. Some people pass through briefly, some remain physically present, and others stay threaded through us long after they are gone.
The title feels increasingly poignant as the novel unfolds. These different places, moments and stages of life become stations in themselves, points at which people meet, separate, wait, move on or occasionally find their way back to one another.
This is a beautifully written, quietly devastating novel about friendship, love, family and the long shadow of the choices we make when we are young. It is gritty and unvarnished without ever losing its humanity.
I could already see Stations translating wonderfully to the screen while I was reading, and I would be very surprised if it does not become every bit as widely discussed as Trespasses.
Irish literature fans will not be disappointed. Louise Kennedy has done it again.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions my own.
After loving Trespasses, I went into Louise Kennedy’s second novel with very high expectations, and thankfully they were more than met. Kennedy has such a distinctive way of writing about people: spare, unsentimental and incredibly observant, yet somehow still full of warmth. She can create an entire emotional world with just a few carefully chosen details.
Stations begins in 1980s Ireland, where Róisín and Red form an unlikely friendship as teenagers. Róisín is the sensible, good-girl type, struggling in her own way with school and a complicated family life, while Red already carries the reputation of being trouble. Their friendship begins almost by accident, but it quickly becomes clear that they understand something in one another that other people do not.
From there, the novel moves between Ireland and London, following the pair through different stages of their lives and eventually returning to them many years later. What Kennedy does so well is show how decisions made when we are very young, often without fully understanding their consequences, can reverberate through decades.
There is something incredibly tangible about her writing. At times I genuinely felt as though I were sitting beside Róisín and Red by the river, standing in a dingy London squat, or watching from a railway platform as one life moved further away from another. Kennedy captures not only place but atmosphere: 1980s Ireland, the rough edges of London in the 80s and 90s, family homes, pubs, streets and all the small, ordinary spaces where life quietly changes direction.
I also really appreciated the slight vagueness that sometimes surrounds events. Life rarely makes perfect sense while we are living it, and Kennedy does not over-explain her characters or force every experience into a neat conclusion. People make bad decisions, fail each other, love one another imperfectly and sometimes simply disappear. That messiness makes the novel feel all the more truthful.
There are difficult themes here, including addiction, alcoholism, abuse, loneliness and grief, and watching Red repeatedly drift beyond Róisín’s reach is heartbreaking. Yet I would not describe Stations as bleak. There is humour, tenderness and an enormous amount of love throughout, even when that love is unable to fix what is broken.
Róisín and Red are both wonderfully drawn characters. I spent much of the novel wanting to reach into the pages and give the pair of them a hug. Their relationship is complicated, sometimes frustrating and often painful, but that is exactly what makes it so compelling. Kennedy understands that some of the most important relationships in our lives are not easily labelled. Some people pass through briefly, some remain physically present, and others stay threaded through us long after they are gone.
The title feels increasingly poignant as the novel unfolds. These different places, moments and stages of life become stations in themselves, points at which people meet, separate, wait, move on or occasionally find their way back to one another.
This is a beautifully written, quietly devastating novel about friendship, love, family and the long shadow of the choices we make when we are young. It is gritty and unvarnished without ever losing its humanity.
I could already see Stations translating wonderfully to the screen while I was reading, and I would be very surprised if it does not become every bit as widely discussed as Trespasses.
Irish literature fans will not be disappointed. Louise Kennedy has done it again.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions my own.
April 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the arc for this book.
The story follows the characters of Róison and Red who become friends in their childhood and evolves over time.
The story focuses on the obstacles and unexpected paths life takes you on. The writing and description is very well done. However there was quite a few times I felt lost in the story with the time jumps and the shift from scene to scene and following along with the plot.
One thing I appreciated as an interesting choice was how the book didn’t follow in any route I could have expected, especially the ending which left it up for interpretation.
It tells the story of how friendships come and go and the people who come back into your life after years apart.
The main themes of the book are friendship, love, life choices, coming of age and loyalty.
Spoiler warning !!!! :
As much as the ending being left open for interpretation is interesting I would have enjoyed some form of closure on what happened in terms of Ró searching for Red and what happened to him.
The story follows the characters of Róison and Red who become friends in their childhood and evolves over time.
The story focuses on the obstacles and unexpected paths life takes you on. The writing and description is very well done. However there was quite a few times I felt lost in the story with the time jumps and the shift from scene to scene and following along with the plot.
One thing I appreciated as an interesting choice was how the book didn’t follow in any route I could have expected, especially the ending which left it up for interpretation.
It tells the story of how friendships come and go and the people who come back into your life after years apart.
The main themes of the book are friendship, love, life choices, coming of age and loyalty.
Spoiler warning !!!! :
As much as the ending being left open for interpretation is interesting I would have enjoyed some form of closure on what happened in terms of Ró searching for Red and what happened to him.
September 27, 2026
I quite enjoyed Kennedy's 'Trespasses', and was excited to see what she would follow it up with. Using a short story character as the basis for a novel isn't always a good choice, and compared to her debut, this has the feel of "written before that one, but held off publishing until", if that is even a literary plan. This reads as semi-autofictional, filled out with large swaths of utterly stereotypical Irish class identification. Not saying it isn't (or couldn't be?) true to life, but for fiction it reads too true to life. Zero nuance, no variation on the down-and-out thematic, with appropriate everything assuredly included, ad nauseam. Not sure what I expected but this wasn't enjoyable at all. The writing is skillful, clear and spartan prose, a bit dialogue-heavy (personal pet peeve), but not literary drivel, skill-wise. Just a bland, forgettable piece of plotting that leaves no marks at all. Great cover art.
October 1, 2026
i remember when i read kennedy’s first book trespasses, stopping in the street to audibly gasp when that plot reached its crescendo, so i had high hopes and expectations for this. and omfg it literally blew me out of the water. one of those books that slowly creeps up on you. the writing is sparse but holds so much weight, subtlety and detail in each sentence, capturing so much about these characters, their generation, the one that came before & the one that came after. not been able to stop thinking about it all day, devod me out
September 16, 2026
On GOD nobody writes heartbreak like the Irish. Sometimes you discover too late that the way you loved someone was never how they needed to be loved, and the only thing you can do is hope against hope they’ve found it in someone or something else. There’s 10000 different times you want to grab Roisin or Red’s face and scream into it but you know they’re just going to make the same mistakes anyways. Big if you want to microdose the feeling of reading Normal People for the first time again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced ebook copy via netgalley.
Stations by Louise Kennedy is a raw and unflinching look at the relationship of two friends from their teen years into adulthood. I was completely captivated by Red and Roisin's story. It felt so real, it was messy and complex and really drew me in. The themes of addiction, loss and loneliness were so well done throughout the book. I really felt the setting of 1980's Ireland and London and thought Kennedy did an excellent job of capturing the vibe and feel of this time and location. The characters and their story really come to life and I felt as if I was experiencing all the highs and lows and emotions along with them. Really can't recommend this book enough! It is one that will stay with me for a long time and is likely to feature in my top reads of the year!
Stations by Louise Kennedy is a raw and unflinching look at the relationship of two friends from their teen years into adulthood. I was completely captivated by Red and Roisin's story. It felt so real, it was messy and complex and really drew me in. The themes of addiction, loss and loneliness were so well done throughout the book. I really felt the setting of 1980's Ireland and London and thought Kennedy did an excellent job of capturing the vibe and feel of this time and location. The characters and their story really come to life and I felt as if I was experiencing all the highs and lows and emotions along with them. Really can't recommend this book enough! It is one that will stay with me for a long time and is likely to feature in my top reads of the year!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When I first read Kennedy’s much-lauded debut novel, Trespasses, in 2023, it became an all-time favorite. One of those books you just keep thinking about, as the months and years go by. It’s hard not to compare Stations to its predecessor. While Kennedy isn’t retreading the same ground, there are themes, stylistic elements, and character beats that rhyme. There’s the same “contaminated intimacy”: this time, the relationship is doomed not by sectarian violence, but by addiction. There’s the same nuanced exploration of shame: how it feels to “betray” your country, family, and self ("betray" in scare-quotes because a lot of the dramatic tension comes from the disparity between how the narrator feels about herself and how the audience perceives her actions).
Overall, I enjoyed this quite a bit. Well, “enjoyed” isn’t the right word… Stations is a grim tale, featuring prickly characters, with no easy answers or catharsis on offer for readers. Róisín in particular is a psychologically static character throughout. As the novel goes on, the years pass, and we see everyone around her evolve, sometimes dramatically -- several supporting characters are almost unrecognizable from their earlier iterations when we meet them again later. But even as Róisín’s circumstances change, she remains stuck in the same loop of self-hatred and guilt we witnessed in her adolescence. I found that choice quite interesting and worth exploring, even if it makes the ending feel unresolved or unsatisfying.
Overall, I enjoyed this quite a bit. Well, “enjoyed” isn’t the right word… Stations is a grim tale, featuring prickly characters, with no easy answers or catharsis on offer for readers. Róisín in particular is a psychologically static character throughout. As the novel goes on, the years pass, and we see everyone around her evolve, sometimes dramatically -- several supporting characters are almost unrecognizable from their earlier iterations when we meet them again later. But even as Róisín’s circumstances change, she remains stuck in the same loop of self-hatred and guilt we witnessed in her adolescence. I found that choice quite interesting and worth exploring, even if it makes the ending feel unresolved or unsatisfying.
September 27, 2026
4.5
Gritty Irish realism set in Ireland and England. I look forward to reading the book, but the audible is excellent read by one of the best Irish female narrators. For me it was an authentic portrayal of rough London living and the ‘fags, booze, drugs and sex’ pre AIDS culture of that time. I also enjoy so called unlikable characters. Unfortunately I think this will not suit most reading groups. I hope it’s nominated for the women’s prize.
Gritty Irish realism set in Ireland and England. I look forward to reading the book, but the audible is excellent read by one of the best Irish female narrators. For me it was an authentic portrayal of rough London living and the ‘fags, booze, drugs and sex’ pre AIDS culture of that time. I also enjoy so called unlikable characters. Unfortunately I think this will not suit most reading groups. I hope it’s nominated for the women’s prize.
July 27, 2026
I was lucky enough to get a proof copy of this book and I’m glad I was able to read it early. It was so moving throughout the book as we follow Ró & Reds story and it pulled at my heartstrings for sure.
4.5⭐️
4.5⭐️
June 4, 2026
Louise Kennedy up there with one of my new fave writers. Devastating and real and so fucking SAD!
August 6, 2026
Louise Kennedy when i catch you….. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ENDING…… 4.5. tears down my face.
August 24, 2026
ARC thanks to Edelweiss plus
Review of advance copy
i'm so sad over the fact that this had everything for it to be a 5 star book for me and i felt disappointed every step of the way
October 4, 2026
4.5 stars, love to get my feelings hurt
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A perfect novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I found the first half of Stations much more compelling than the second. I was quickly drawn into the friendship between Róisín and Red, and the novel does an excellent job of capturing the pull of home, the excitement of London in the 1980s, and the complicated ways people become entwined in each other’s lives.
As the years passed, though, my interest gradually began to fade. I found myself increasingly fed up with Red’s immature, self-destructive behaviour. I appreciate that this was very much the point of his character, but after a while I found him more frustrating than engaging, and I became less interested in where his story was heading.
I also felt the novel could have done with a stronger edit. That’s always a sign for me that I’m starting to lose interest in a book. There were sections that felt as though they could have been tightened, and the pacing lost some of the momentum that had made the opening so absorbing.
Kennedy writes beautifully, with a keen eye for relationships and the lasting effects people have on one another. There is plenty to enjoy here, but for me the novel never quite recaptured the strength of its opening chapters.
As the years passed, though, my interest gradually began to fade. I found myself increasingly fed up with Red’s immature, self-destructive behaviour. I appreciate that this was very much the point of his character, but after a while I found him more frustrating than engaging, and I became less interested in where his story was heading.
I also felt the novel could have done with a stronger edit. That’s always a sign for me that I’m starting to lose interest in a book. There were sections that felt as though they could have been tightened, and the pacing lost some of the momentum that had made the opening so absorbing.
Kennedy writes beautifully, with a keen eye for relationships and the lasting effects people have on one another. There is plenty to enjoy here, but for me the novel never quite recaptured the strength of its opening chapters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advanced copy of Stations by Louise Kennedy through NetGalley from Riverhead, and I was thrilled to discover just how brilliant this book is.
Kennedy has done something particularly clever here: she is telling two stories at once. On the surface, we have the intimate, up-close story of Roisin and Red—their lives, relationships, choices, and struggles. But beneath that is the much larger story of trauma, prejudice, displacement, and the lasting toll of immigration on the Irish who made the difficult decision to leave home for Great Britain. Although the novel is set in the 1980s, its themes reach far beyond that decade, encompassing the experiences and wounds of an entire generation.
One detail that stayed with me was Roisin's name itself. Even its pronunciation seems to shift depending on where she is and who is saying it—"Rawsheen" in one place, "Rowsheen" in another. It is such a small thing, but it felt symbolic of something much larger: what happens to a person's identity when they leave home and try to make a life somewhere else. For Irish people who emigrated to England, there could be a constant negotiation between where they came from and the culture they were now living in. Even something as fundamental as your own name could be altered, mispronounced, or reshaped by the people around you. I found myself thinking about how easily those small compromises can accumulate, and how the experience of emigration can leave someone feeling caught between two places—Irish, but no longer entirely at home in Ireland; living in England, but never completely belonging there either. Kennedy captures that sense of displacement in a way that feels both deeply personal and much larger than Roisin herself.
I am roughly the same age as the main characters, and that made the story feel especially personal to me. While I didn't experience the drug and alcohol scene that is part of their world, I could absolutely relate to the era and the feeling of being young during a time when everything seemed to be changing. In the United States, this was the era of divorce, latchkey kids, MTV, music as a cultural force, and London seeming like the most exciting place on earth. Kennedy captures that sense of time and possibility while also showing us the darker realities underneath it.
What really makes Stations work, though, is the characters. You become deeply invested in them. Roisin is clearly the heart of the novel, and while I occasionally found her anger toward almost everything a little exhausting, I understood where it came from. Her frustrations, disappointments, and vulnerabilities feel authentic, and Kennedy never reduces her to an easy or predictable character.
And then there is Barry.
By the end of the book, Barry had unexpectedly become my favorite character. He is one of those characters who grows on you, and I found myself thinking about him long after I finished reading. In fact, there were moments when I found myself wondering what happens to these people after the final page. Kennedy has created characters with lives that feel so real that it almost seems as though there could be a sequel waiting somewhere down the road.
What I especially admired about Stations is the way Kennedy balances the deeply personal with the historical and political without allowing either to overwhelm the other. The individual stories matter, but so does the larger story of a people carrying the weight of prejudice, displacement, memory, and belonging. The result is a novel that is both intimate and expansive.
Stations is the kind of book that stays with you. It made me think about a particular time and place, but also about how the experiences of one generation can echo into the lives of those who come after it. Louise Kennedy has written a powerful, beautifully observed novel filled with complicated people, complicated choices, and a great deal of heart.
Five stars from me. This is definitely a book I will be recommending, and my library will absolutely be purchasing a copy. I can already see myself recommending it to readers who love character-driven historical fiction, stories about immigration and identity, and novels that give you plenty to think about after you've turned the final page.
I highly recommend Stations.
Kennedy has done something particularly clever here: she is telling two stories at once. On the surface, we have the intimate, up-close story of Roisin and Red—their lives, relationships, choices, and struggles. But beneath that is the much larger story of trauma, prejudice, displacement, and the lasting toll of immigration on the Irish who made the difficult decision to leave home for Great Britain. Although the novel is set in the 1980s, its themes reach far beyond that decade, encompassing the experiences and wounds of an entire generation.
One detail that stayed with me was Roisin's name itself. Even its pronunciation seems to shift depending on where she is and who is saying it—"Rawsheen" in one place, "Rowsheen" in another. It is such a small thing, but it felt symbolic of something much larger: what happens to a person's identity when they leave home and try to make a life somewhere else. For Irish people who emigrated to England, there could be a constant negotiation between where they came from and the culture they were now living in. Even something as fundamental as your own name could be altered, mispronounced, or reshaped by the people around you. I found myself thinking about how easily those small compromises can accumulate, and how the experience of emigration can leave someone feeling caught between two places—Irish, but no longer entirely at home in Ireland; living in England, but never completely belonging there either. Kennedy captures that sense of displacement in a way that feels both deeply personal and much larger than Roisin herself.
I am roughly the same age as the main characters, and that made the story feel especially personal to me. While I didn't experience the drug and alcohol scene that is part of their world, I could absolutely relate to the era and the feeling of being young during a time when everything seemed to be changing. In the United States, this was the era of divorce, latchkey kids, MTV, music as a cultural force, and London seeming like the most exciting place on earth. Kennedy captures that sense of time and possibility while also showing us the darker realities underneath it.
What really makes Stations work, though, is the characters. You become deeply invested in them. Roisin is clearly the heart of the novel, and while I occasionally found her anger toward almost everything a little exhausting, I understood where it came from. Her frustrations, disappointments, and vulnerabilities feel authentic, and Kennedy never reduces her to an easy or predictable character.
And then there is Barry.
By the end of the book, Barry had unexpectedly become my favorite character. He is one of those characters who grows on you, and I found myself thinking about him long after I finished reading. In fact, there were moments when I found myself wondering what happens to these people after the final page. Kennedy has created characters with lives that feel so real that it almost seems as though there could be a sequel waiting somewhere down the road.
What I especially admired about Stations is the way Kennedy balances the deeply personal with the historical and political without allowing either to overwhelm the other. The individual stories matter, but so does the larger story of a people carrying the weight of prejudice, displacement, memory, and belonging. The result is a novel that is both intimate and expansive.
Stations is the kind of book that stays with you. It made me think about a particular time and place, but also about how the experiences of one generation can echo into the lives of those who come after it. Louise Kennedy has written a powerful, beautifully observed novel filled with complicated people, complicated choices, and a great deal of heart.
Five stars from me. This is definitely a book I will be recommending, and my library will absolutely be purchasing a copy. I can already see myself recommending it to readers who love character-driven historical fiction, stories about immigration and identity, and novels that give you plenty to think about after you've turned the final page.
I highly recommend Stations.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My sincere gratitude to #RiverheadBooks, #NetGalley, and to #LouiseKennedy for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of #Stations which is set for publication in the US on 11/3/2026. I became an instant fan of this author after reading #Trespasses and just learned that it was her debut novel (following a short story collection that is now on my radar) and Stations is her second novel. Louise Kennedy is an outstanding storyteller and scenes from her debut are still etched in my memory. That is always one of the clearest signs of great writing in my experience. That said, I think I enjoyed this new novel even more.
Stations centers primarily on Róisín McCaffrey, a young woman who is navigating the end of high school in the early 1980s. She is immediately depicted as an outsider (moving to Kildare from Northern Ireland and living with a single mother). She is at the mercy of cliques of popular girls (especially Tina Boyle who maintains a presence throughout the novel). As the book begins she is introduced to Red, after agreeing to the role of go-between carrying some form of romantic correspondence between Tina and Red. The opening scene in which Róisín and Red trade banter, (and intelligent banter at that) is one of the most charming I've encountered and immediately pulled me into the story. Just that quickly, I was invested in both of these characters and rooting for them.
Róisín lives with her single mother and has been estranged from her father, Conor, who has since remarried and remains a broken, addicted, and enigmatic character throughout the book. Conor is also given poignant moments of deep heart and compassion and Kennedy's gift for making even the most unlikeable characters more human and empathetic which is such a gift and a true talent.
We learn, fairly early, that Red has been kicked out of his home and that dark secrets lie behind the walls of his seemingly well-off family (and beyond the walls which he has constructed around himself). Róisín and Red share an instant bond and a deep friendship is formed which intermittently crosses romantic lines and feelings and is darkened by drugs and emotional immaturity. The drift apart and back together throughout most of the novel as Róisín continues to grow and fail and fumble and shine. She ends up in a Pimlico squat with Red and other young people (most memorably Tina Boyle's brother, Barry - carrying on like adults - which was reminiscent of Trainspotting without quite as many drugs. Their are relationships which form and sputter out, the presence of her fairly stable friend Sinead, who remains a steady force in her life and (no spoilers) others who later enter her life via her father's remarriage. The books skips forward in small increments, for the most part, and does not for one moment lose momentum.
In the latter portion of the novel, we are transported to 2007 and the movement through time is seamless. I absolutely LOVED this novel and treasure this author. It is the painful evolution of a young woman filled with the hope of starting over, forgiveness, and never giving up - most importantly the long difficult journey in learning to love yourself. This message of being kind to oneself shines through and Róisín learns to love the people who matter most but keep hope and her big heart open for whatever may come - and anything is possible.
Stations centers primarily on Róisín McCaffrey, a young woman who is navigating the end of high school in the early 1980s. She is immediately depicted as an outsider (moving to Kildare from Northern Ireland and living with a single mother). She is at the mercy of cliques of popular girls (especially Tina Boyle who maintains a presence throughout the novel). As the book begins she is introduced to Red, after agreeing to the role of go-between carrying some form of romantic correspondence between Tina and Red. The opening scene in which Róisín and Red trade banter, (and intelligent banter at that) is one of the most charming I've encountered and immediately pulled me into the story. Just that quickly, I was invested in both of these characters and rooting for them.
Róisín lives with her single mother and has been estranged from her father, Conor, who has since remarried and remains a broken, addicted, and enigmatic character throughout the book. Conor is also given poignant moments of deep heart and compassion and Kennedy's gift for making even the most unlikeable characters more human and empathetic which is such a gift and a true talent.
We learn, fairly early, that Red has been kicked out of his home and that dark secrets lie behind the walls of his seemingly well-off family (and beyond the walls which he has constructed around himself). Róisín and Red share an instant bond and a deep friendship is formed which intermittently crosses romantic lines and feelings and is darkened by drugs and emotional immaturity. The drift apart and back together throughout most of the novel as Róisín continues to grow and fail and fumble and shine. She ends up in a Pimlico squat with Red and other young people (most memorably Tina Boyle's brother, Barry - carrying on like adults - which was reminiscent of Trainspotting without quite as many drugs. Their are relationships which form and sputter out, the presence of her fairly stable friend Sinead, who remains a steady force in her life and (no spoilers) others who later enter her life via her father's remarriage. The books skips forward in small increments, for the most part, and does not for one moment lose momentum.
In the latter portion of the novel, we are transported to 2007 and the movement through time is seamless. I absolutely LOVED this novel and treasure this author. It is the painful evolution of a young woman filled with the hope of starting over, forgiveness, and never giving up - most importantly the long difficult journey in learning to love yourself. This message of being kind to oneself shines through and Róisín learns to love the people who matter most but keep hope and her big heart open for whatever may come - and anything is possible.
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