âHilarious and timely, a dazzling debutâJohn Boyne
âBustling, bubbly, bittersweet funâDaily Mail
âBulging, big-hearted, a pleasure to readâIrish Times
âDazzling. A novel of epic ambition yet intimate in scopeâLiterary Review
âThink Zadie Smith. But much funnierâSunday Independent
âVery moving, highly entertaining, clever and funnyâ(Ireland)Sunday Times
âFunny, warm and full of heartâImage Magazine
In 1979 Bridget Doyle has one goal left in life: for her family to produce the very first Irish pope. Fired up by John Paul IIâs appearance in Phoenix Park, she sprinkles Papal-blessed holy water on the marital bed of her son and daughter-in-law, and leaves them to get on with things. But nine months later her daughter-in-law dies in childbirth and Granny Doyle is left bringing up four grandchildren: five-year-old Peg, and baby triplets Damien, Rosie and John Paul.
Thirty years later, it seems unlikely any of Granny Doyleâs grandchildren are going to fulfil her hopes. Damien is trying to work up the courage to tell her that heâs gay. Rosie is a dreamy blue-haired rebel who wants to save the planet and has little time for popes. And irrepressible John Paul is a chancer and a charmer and the undisputed apple of his Grannyâs eye â but heâs not exactly what youâd call Pontiff material.
None of the triplets have much contact with their big sister Peg, who lives over 3,000 miles away in New York City, and has been a forbidden topic of conversation ever since she ran away from home as a teenager. But thatâs about to change.
A big-hearted, funny and sad novel about the messiness of love, family and belief LONGLISTED FOR THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD