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Siren
HE STOLE HER LIFE. AND NOW SHE WANTS IT BACK.
Róisín Burns has spent the past twenty years becoming someone else; her life in New York is built on lies.
A figure from her Belfast childhood flashes up on the news: Brian Lonergan has also reinvented himself. He is now a rising politician in a sharp suit. But scandal is brewing in Ireland and Róisín knows the truth.
Armed with the evidence that could ruin Lonergan, she travels back across the Atlantic to the remote Lamb Island to hunt him down.
But Lonergan is one step ahead; when Róisín arrives on the island, someone else is waiting for her…
Róisín Burns has spent the past twenty years becoming someone else; her life in New York is built on lies.
A figure from her Belfast childhood flashes up on the news: Brian Lonergan has also reinvented himself. He is now a rising politician in a sharp suit. But scandal is brewing in Ireland and Róisín knows the truth.
Armed with the evidence that could ruin Lonergan, she travels back across the Atlantic to the remote Lamb Island to hunt him down.
But Lonergan is one step ahead; when Róisín arrives on the island, someone else is waiting for her…
336 pages, Unknown Binding
First published March 24, 2016
13 people are currently reading
1368 people want to read
About the author
Annemarie Neary
6 books57 followersAnnemarie’s novels, The Orphans and Siren, are published by Hutchinson (Penguin Random House UK). A Parachute in the Lime Tree was published by The History Press Ireland in 2012.
You can find Annemarie on her website http://www.annemarieneary.co.uk and she tweets at @AnnemarieNeary1
Annemarie's awards for short fiction include the Bryan MacMahon, Michael McLaverty, Columbia Journal, Posara and WOW!1 prizes. Her short stories have been published in many places in the UK, Ireland and the US.
She was educated at Trinity College and King’s Inns, Dublin and the Courtauld Institute, London. A former lawyer, she lives in London with her husband and sons.
You can find Annemarie on her website http://www.annemarieneary.co.uk and she tweets at @AnnemarieNeary1
Annemarie's awards for short fiction include the Bryan MacMahon, Michael McLaverty, Columbia Journal, Posara and WOW!1 prizes. Her short stories have been published in many places in the UK, Ireland and the US.
She was educated at Trinity College and King’s Inns, Dublin and the Courtauld Institute, London. A former lawyer, she lives in London with her husband and sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 7, 2017
This is a strong story, and mirrors the new political reality of ballot box not the bullet. Set in Ireland, with at its heart the troubles, it tells of the life of Róisín Burns who caught in the grip of republican violence manages to forge a new life for herself in America.
She tries to forget the past and make a fresh start in a relationship with Tom re-inventing herself as Sheen. Shortly after her marriage breaks up she sees a face from 20 years ago, from her time in Belfast. He is Brian Lonergan a former IRA chief, now self-style Politian seeking election with the New Republican Party.
Róisín's life was spared because of who her father was, a leading republican but she would not be able to return home. She missed her mother's funeral and has lived apart from her family for two decades. After her Mum's death, she is sent some papers which if used correctly could help bring Lonergan down and so racked with her own personal quilt and loss 'Sheen' plans a means to find some justice and peace in her heart by righting at least the wrong of her missing neighbours body who was silenced and disappeared for fear she would betray Lonergan.
'Sheen' has worked out that Lonergan has links with the Isle of Lamb and she journeys there in the hope of confronting Lonergan and he can at least inform the O'Neills where their loved one was left and she can receive a proper burial.
The book is terrific in that it acts as a parable of the changing situation in Ireland. Róisín was always naive and ran where others would speak the truth and paid the price. 'Sheen' is just as deluded about the changing realities having been in exile for so long. As her sister tells her they want to forget the past and embrace the peace.
It seems Lonergan can speak in political terms but for self-reliance he hasn't changed and he is aware of her trip to Lamb and has people in place to scare her off.
I particularly loved the stories showing how Róisín's life was blighted where she was used by the people on her side against legimate targets. The parts speaking of her involvement in the republican cause in Belfast and her escape to America were the strongest for me. Her coming to Lamb and her initial time there was slow and ponderous. However, the scene is set for a thrilling finale where she attempts to blackmail Lonergan only to realise the power was never hers and now she has shown her hand her life is no longer safe and no-one knows where she is or who she was.
The story of Jennifer is confusing and has little value other than to show 'Sheen's' vulnerability and that the islanders in general don't care or bother about outsiders, and Lonergan is one of their own.
She tries to forget the past and make a fresh start in a relationship with Tom re-inventing herself as Sheen. Shortly after her marriage breaks up she sees a face from 20 years ago, from her time in Belfast. He is Brian Lonergan a former IRA chief, now self-style Politian seeking election with the New Republican Party.
Róisín's life was spared because of who her father was, a leading republican but she would not be able to return home. She missed her mother's funeral and has lived apart from her family for two decades. After her Mum's death, she is sent some papers which if used correctly could help bring Lonergan down and so racked with her own personal quilt and loss 'Sheen' plans a means to find some justice and peace in her heart by righting at least the wrong of her missing neighbours body who was silenced and disappeared for fear she would betray Lonergan.
'Sheen' has worked out that Lonergan has links with the Isle of Lamb and she journeys there in the hope of confronting Lonergan and he can at least inform the O'Neills where their loved one was left and she can receive a proper burial.
The book is terrific in that it acts as a parable of the changing situation in Ireland. Róisín was always naive and ran where others would speak the truth and paid the price. 'Sheen' is just as deluded about the changing realities having been in exile for so long. As her sister tells her they want to forget the past and embrace the peace.
It seems Lonergan can speak in political terms but for self-reliance he hasn't changed and he is aware of her trip to Lamb and has people in place to scare her off.
I particularly loved the stories showing how Róisín's life was blighted where she was used by the people on her side against legimate targets. The parts speaking of her involvement in the republican cause in Belfast and her escape to America were the strongest for me. Her coming to Lamb and her initial time there was slow and ponderous. However, the scene is set for a thrilling finale where she attempts to blackmail Lonergan only to realise the power was never hers and now she has shown her hand her life is no longer safe and no-one knows where she is or who she was.
The story of Jennifer is confusing and has little value other than to show 'Sheen's' vulnerability and that the islanders in general don't care or bother about outsiders, and Lonergan is one of their own.
February 16, 2017
3.5 stars. Twenty years ago, Roisin Burns, was caught in the Republican violence. Now she has found a new life for herself in America. Trying desperately to forget the past. Then a face from her childhood flashes up on the news, Brian Lonergan has also reinvented himself. He's now a rising politician. But scandal is brewing in Ireland and Roisin knows the truth.
The events in this book are realistic to the times they are set in. The characters are believable and the story is well written. For me, there was just something missing. That said, it was still an enjoyable read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author Annemarie Neary for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The events in this book are realistic to the times they are set in. The characters are believable and the story is well written. For me, there was just something missing. That said, it was still an enjoyable read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author Annemarie Neary for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2017
I find it quite difficult to fairly rate "Siren" because I kind of had a very love hate relationship with it. The first half of the novel was highly compelling, the middle part was less compelling but more intriguing then I was irrationally irritated by the ending. Really very irritated in fact and it kind of clouded the rest of the read for me.
Throughout though the writing itself was pure brilliance - especially for a debut - beautiful sense of place, characters full of depth and the plot itself is actually tightly woven and often quite heart stopping. So really for writing I'd give 5*
The parts set on the Island get a huge thumbs up - it is creepy and unsettling, Roisin is a cleverly involving character and her background (teased in the prologue) really makes you turn those pages to see what's what. The sense of menace is palpable early on and for that part I was riveted.
Then we skip and jump into another bit and whilst I still was intrigued it lost its edge for me. Then at the end I was just "meh".
I'll settle for a solid 3* - I do wonder if my expectation of this novel set me up for the fall, it does look very psychological thriller but it isn't that really, it is more political thriller/socially themed with its roots in The Troubles. It is certainly very authentic feeling and due to it being so beautifully written I wouldn't want to put anyone off.
It just ended up not being for me.
Throughout though the writing itself was pure brilliance - especially for a debut - beautiful sense of place, characters full of depth and the plot itself is actually tightly woven and often quite heart stopping. So really for writing I'd give 5*
The parts set on the Island get a huge thumbs up - it is creepy and unsettling, Roisin is a cleverly involving character and her background (teased in the prologue) really makes you turn those pages to see what's what. The sense of menace is palpable early on and for that part I was riveted.
Then we skip and jump into another bit and whilst I still was intrigued it lost its edge for me. Then at the end I was just "meh".
I'll settle for a solid 3* - I do wonder if my expectation of this novel set me up for the fall, it does look very psychological thriller but it isn't that really, it is more political thriller/socially themed with its roots in The Troubles. It is certainly very authentic feeling and due to it being so beautifully written I wouldn't want to put anyone off.
It just ended up not being for me.
February 23, 2017
Read my review here: https://bookbumzuky.wordpress.com/201...
Don’t play the hero, Roisin. Make sure you have your back covered. But when the moment’s right, make your move.
This is a bit different to the sorts of thrillers I’m used to reading. With a lean towards politics, this feels a little more highbrow than the normal the-boyfriend-did-it kind of books I’m used to. I don’t know anything about about the Northern Ireland Troubles, so it was interesting to get a glimpse into the history of it in this novel.
I liked our characters in this novel. It was nice to have someone like Boyle in this. Homeless, stinky and a bit of a pervert, yet still kind of likable. Though I felt like his story wasn’t told all that well. Roisin was a well built out character and Neary was really good at making us empathise with her the whole way through.
The plot, overall, was good. As some other reviewers have stated, the thrill subsides a little bit towards the middle and end, but I was still interested in knowing what was going to happen to really take much notice at the slowing pace. When we’re flashbacked to Roisin’s past, I was initially interested, but then things got a little drawn out. I felt like that section of the novel could have easily been shortened so we could have gotten back to the current day situation and learnt a bit more about Boyle and the Dutchman, but, hey.
One of my issues with this novel was the situation between Roisin and The Dutchman. Considering she was so wary of everything and kept completely to herself, it didn’t make much sense to me, that she let herself get so close to The Dutchman and so quickly. That part of the story felt very inaccurate to how it would have really played out, had this been a true story.
The writing in this novel is well done, with good descriptive imagery, believable dialogue and well developed characters. There are quite a number of Irish terms used that I’m not used to, but they’re easy to get. A thing not so well done in this novel was the layout. Within each chapter, we are presented with several POV’s that aren’t very well separated. The only suggestion that our character perspective has changed is a paragraph break, but then sometimes there are paragraph breaks that will carry on with the same character as before. I’m hoping it’s only this confusing as I’ve received an ARC copy from Netgalley, because if not, it’s a major flaw in the editing.
I’m a bit miffed at the ending, to be honest. It seemed abrupt and it was unsatisfying after all we went through with Roisin and her story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Don’t play the hero, Roisin. Make sure you have your back covered. But when the moment’s right, make your move.
This is a bit different to the sorts of thrillers I’m used to reading. With a lean towards politics, this feels a little more highbrow than the normal the-boyfriend-did-it kind of books I’m used to. I don’t know anything about about the Northern Ireland Troubles, so it was interesting to get a glimpse into the history of it in this novel.
I liked our characters in this novel. It was nice to have someone like Boyle in this. Homeless, stinky and a bit of a pervert, yet still kind of likable. Though I felt like his story wasn’t told all that well. Roisin was a well built out character and Neary was really good at making us empathise with her the whole way through.
The plot, overall, was good. As some other reviewers have stated, the thrill subsides a little bit towards the middle and end, but I was still interested in knowing what was going to happen to really take much notice at the slowing pace. When we’re flashbacked to Roisin’s past, I was initially interested, but then things got a little drawn out. I felt like that section of the novel could have easily been shortened so we could have gotten back to the current day situation and learnt a bit more about Boyle and the Dutchman, but, hey.
One of my issues with this novel was the situation between Roisin and The Dutchman. Considering she was so wary of everything and kept completely to herself, it didn’t make much sense to me, that she let herself get so close to The Dutchman and so quickly. That part of the story felt very inaccurate to how it would have really played out, had this been a true story.
The writing in this novel is well done, with good descriptive imagery, believable dialogue and well developed characters. There are quite a number of Irish terms used that I’m not used to, but they’re easy to get. A thing not so well done in this novel was the layout. Within each chapter, we are presented with several POV’s that aren’t very well separated. The only suggestion that our character perspective has changed is a paragraph break, but then sometimes there are paragraph breaks that will carry on with the same character as before. I’m hoping it’s only this confusing as I’ve received an ARC copy from Netgalley, because if not, it’s a major flaw in the editing.
I’m a bit miffed at the ending, to be honest. It seemed abrupt and it was unsatisfying after all we went through with Roisin and her story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2017
A soggy sandwich with a great filling...
Twenty years ago, Róisín Burns had to flee her home in Northern Ireland after getting caught up in the Troubles. Now the IRA man she fled from, Lonergan, has reinvented himself as a politician, and Róisín has returned to take revenge, sort of. Or something.
This is another of the ubiquitous trend for books set part in the past and part in the present and, like so many of them, one part is much stronger than the other. The past section is set at the height of the Troubles, and Neary gives a convincing picture of a young girl trapped into doing the IRA's bidding in a city where fear is a constant presence. The present is a silly thriller with absolutely no credibility whatsoever and drags interminably. In fact, I came close to abandoning it before I even got to the past, since it takes almost a third of the book to get there, apart from the brief prologue.
Róisín, now known as Sheen, has turned up on Lamb Island off the coast of Northern Ireland, where Lonergan now has a cottage. Sheen rents a little cottage too, isolated of course, just up the road from the resident nutter whom everyone assumes murdered the previous woman tenant. They don't bother to tell Sheen this though, contenting themselves with warning the nutter, Boyle, to behave himself. He doesn't. But he's not the only bad man on the island – for such a small population it seems to attract more than its fair share of men willing to bump off lone women, for personal as well as political reasons. We spend an inordinate amount of time inside Boyle's foul-mouthed and lustful head – ugh! Tedious in the extreme.
Then we go back to Belfast to what seems like the mid-'70s, though we're not told exactly. The Troubles are at their height, with frequent beatings and bombings directed at both British soldiers and civilians fairly indiscriminately. This section feels almost as if it's written by a different author. The city and its people are recreated with a real feeling of authenticity, and Neary raises a lot of intriguing questions about where moral responsibility begins and ends in a situation where the norms have disappeared and law and order have almost completely broken down. At first Róisín is tricked into helping the IRA, but after that she has to make choices – pay the consequences or continue down the path of terrorism, this time knowingly. Neary shows how grey that question becomes in a sharply divided society, where informers on either side are at extreme risk. She also touches on the question of how far the crimes of the past must be forgotten or forgiven in the pursuit of peace.
And then sadly back to Lamb Island for a ridiculous thriller ending. The idea is ludicrous that a middle-aged woman with no combat experience or training would decide to take on members of the IRA whom she knows have no compunction about killing. And so unnecessary, since if Róisín simply wanted to destroy Lonergan, she could have sent an email to the police or the newspapers from the safety of her American home. But instead she comes back to Ireland to face Lonergan herself, to... I'm not really sure what... threaten him? Shame him? Neither tactic likely to work on an IRA terrorist, I'd have thought. And then it gets even sillier...
So a mixed bag. If Neary had stuck to telling the real story – the one in the past – this could have been an excellent book. Instead it's like a sandwich with a great filling, but slapped between two thick pieces of soggy and underbaked bread. Maybe it's time for authors to start telling one story again, instead of feeling obliged to stick in an extra timeline and a thriller ending – as all trends do, this one has seriously lost its novelty value. 2½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Random House Cornerstone.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Twenty years ago, Róisín Burns had to flee her home in Northern Ireland after getting caught up in the Troubles. Now the IRA man she fled from, Lonergan, has reinvented himself as a politician, and Róisín has returned to take revenge, sort of. Or something.
This is another of the ubiquitous trend for books set part in the past and part in the present and, like so many of them, one part is much stronger than the other. The past section is set at the height of the Troubles, and Neary gives a convincing picture of a young girl trapped into doing the IRA's bidding in a city where fear is a constant presence. The present is a silly thriller with absolutely no credibility whatsoever and drags interminably. In fact, I came close to abandoning it before I even got to the past, since it takes almost a third of the book to get there, apart from the brief prologue.
Róisín, now known as Sheen, has turned up on Lamb Island off the coast of Northern Ireland, where Lonergan now has a cottage. Sheen rents a little cottage too, isolated of course, just up the road from the resident nutter whom everyone assumes murdered the previous woman tenant. They don't bother to tell Sheen this though, contenting themselves with warning the nutter, Boyle, to behave himself. He doesn't. But he's not the only bad man on the island – for such a small population it seems to attract more than its fair share of men willing to bump off lone women, for personal as well as political reasons. We spend an inordinate amount of time inside Boyle's foul-mouthed and lustful head – ugh! Tedious in the extreme.
Then we go back to Belfast to what seems like the mid-'70s, though we're not told exactly. The Troubles are at their height, with frequent beatings and bombings directed at both British soldiers and civilians fairly indiscriminately. This section feels almost as if it's written by a different author. The city and its people are recreated with a real feeling of authenticity, and Neary raises a lot of intriguing questions about where moral responsibility begins and ends in a situation where the norms have disappeared and law and order have almost completely broken down. At first Róisín is tricked into helping the IRA, but after that she has to make choices – pay the consequences or continue down the path of terrorism, this time knowingly. Neary shows how grey that question becomes in a sharply divided society, where informers on either side are at extreme risk. She also touches on the question of how far the crimes of the past must be forgotten or forgiven in the pursuit of peace.
And then sadly back to Lamb Island for a ridiculous thriller ending. The idea is ludicrous that a middle-aged woman with no combat experience or training would decide to take on members of the IRA whom she knows have no compunction about killing. And so unnecessary, since if Róisín simply wanted to destroy Lonergan, she could have sent an email to the police or the newspapers from the safety of her American home. But instead she comes back to Ireland to face Lonergan herself, to... I'm not really sure what... threaten him? Shame him? Neither tactic likely to work on an IRA terrorist, I'd have thought. And then it gets even sillier...
So a mixed bag. If Neary had stuck to telling the real story – the one in the past – this could have been an excellent book. Instead it's like a sandwich with a great filling, but slapped between two thick pieces of soggy and underbaked bread. Maybe it's time for authors to start telling one story again, instead of feeling obliged to stick in an extra timeline and a thriller ending – as all trends do, this one has seriously lost its novelty value. 2½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Random House Cornerstone.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
September 27, 2019
Sheen from New York is actually Róisín Burns from Belfast. She left Belfast 20 years earlier after being pulled into paramilitary activities at the age of 15. Behind these incidents involving murders, a bombing, and a kidnapping is Brian Lonnegan, a man who is now running for high office in the Republic of Ireland. Sheen travels to a small island off the coast of County Cork to confront Lonnegan, who has a weekend home there and who she blames for a spiral of failure in her life. She got away from Belfast with the help of Lonnegan, and supposedly he helped her because of her late father. But Lonnegan was the person who entrapped her in paramilitary activities,
Sheen arrives on the island and rents a ramshackle cottage. Of course on a small island, locals are curious and all up in her business. Two non-local residents, a Dutch man who makes furniture that no one seems to buy, and Boyle, an aging Irish hippie who is a peeping Tom. Both men may have been involved in the disappearance of one or more visiting women in the past. Boyle stalks Sheen and is menacing throughout. Somehow no one seems to suss out that she is not who or what she says.
The Belfast episodes in the novel were based on actual incidents. During the Troubles, there were British soldiers who were killed by the IRA after being lured away by young women known as "honey pots". Lonnegan bears more than a passing resemblance to Gerry Adam, head of Sinn Fein, who denies ever having been in the IRA (although it has been said that even the dogs in West Belfast knew Adams was in the IRA), and was reportedly the head of the Provos' Army Council. In 2014, Adams was arrested and charged with involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Jean McConville, a mother of 8 children. Lonnegan also has white-washed his paramilitary past. One of the incidents in the story is the mother of a large family who was kidnapped and disappeared by Lonnegan. I should add that Lonnegan is involved in other kinds of crimes and this is where the resemblance to Adams ends.
This was 4.5 stars for me. It has some flaws but I probably rated it higher because of the parallels with actual events in Northern Ireland. There was an excellent review in March, 2016 in the Irish Times which discusses at length the validity of using events from the Troubles as the basis of a plot in this novel. The review states there are no "no go" areas in Troubles fiction. This is a good thriller that I recommend.
Sheen arrives on the island and rents a ramshackle cottage. Of course on a small island, locals are curious and all up in her business. Two non-local residents, a Dutch man who makes furniture that no one seems to buy, and Boyle, an aging Irish hippie who is a peeping Tom. Both men may have been involved in the disappearance of one or more visiting women in the past. Boyle stalks Sheen and is menacing throughout. Somehow no one seems to suss out that she is not who or what she says.
The Belfast episodes in the novel were based on actual incidents. During the Troubles, there were British soldiers who were killed by the IRA after being lured away by young women known as "honey pots". Lonnegan bears more than a passing resemblance to Gerry Adam, head of Sinn Fein, who denies ever having been in the IRA (although it has been said that even the dogs in West Belfast knew Adams was in the IRA), and was reportedly the head of the Provos' Army Council. In 2014, Adams was arrested and charged with involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Jean McConville, a mother of 8 children. Lonnegan also has white-washed his paramilitary past. One of the incidents in the story is the mother of a large family who was kidnapped and disappeared by Lonnegan. I should add that Lonnegan is involved in other kinds of crimes and this is where the resemblance to Adams ends.
This was 4.5 stars for me. It has some flaws but I probably rated it higher because of the parallels with actual events in Northern Ireland. There was an excellent review in March, 2016 in the Irish Times which discusses at length the validity of using events from the Troubles as the basis of a plot in this novel. The review states there are no "no go" areas in Troubles fiction. This is a good thriller that I recommend.
April 13, 2016
With jacket quotes from the brilliant Stuart Neville and Liz Nugent and the promise of being a stand out addition to the Irish crime genre, the lure of Siren was irresistible to this reviewer…
I was astounded by the incredible balance of narrative, location and characterisation throughout this impressive debut novel from Neary, with all aspects of the book working in complete harmony with one another. No mean feat for a new writer, and showing a degree of skill that some writers take more than a few books to achieve. Set against the reverberating echo of The Troubles, one of the most contentious and defining conflicts of the twentieth century, Neary has constructed a tale that effortlessly intertwines a present and past timeline that slowly uncoils revealing small nuggets of bitter truths, as the reader progresses through Róisín’s compelling and thought provoking story.
As Róisín embarks on her personal mission of retribution, the violent and emotive details of her involvement in a honey trap in her teenage years, resulting in the murder of two soldiers slowly unfolds. Neary demonstrates through her portrayal of Róisín’s adolescent years the prescient dangers and threats of danger that overshadowed the lives of many in Belfast in this tumultuous period, and the skeletons in the closet of Róisín’s family itself. Likewise, the simmering rage and desire for revenge that Róisín harbours for Lonergan himself is never far from the surface, and which reveals itself in a series of flashbacks to his manipulation of her in previous events. Róisín is a wonderfully well-drawn character, and contains a mass of contradictions, as she gravitates between clear-sighted belief in her actions, underscored by moments of incredible sensitivity and self doubt. If ever a character was written to elicit empathy in the reader, Neary has this pretty much spot on, as Róisín is never less than a totally believable and sympathetic character. To further draw on the characterisation of this book, I loved the way that was a certain shadowy pall around the male protagonists, as Neary never really gives the reader a complete picture of their motivations, choosing to keep them to a larger degree, slightly shrouded from our unflinching gaze. If this was a deliberate move on the author’s part it was a wise one as this incompleteness to their definition added a further level of menace to them and their interactions with Róisín herself. Also choosing to set the contemporary story on the grim outcrop of Lamb Island, instead of keeping the action centred in Belfast itself, worked very well. The air of impending violence and fear that Róisín experiences is heightened substantially by the bleakness of the surrounding island landscape, and the isolation of her temporary abode on the island from where she embarks on her vengeful mission.
I was incredibly impressed with this debut, with its pitch perfect mix of extreme human emotions, combined with the resonance of history. Neary has achieved something really quite special. Highly recommended.
I was astounded by the incredible balance of narrative, location and characterisation throughout this impressive debut novel from Neary, with all aspects of the book working in complete harmony with one another. No mean feat for a new writer, and showing a degree of skill that some writers take more than a few books to achieve. Set against the reverberating echo of The Troubles, one of the most contentious and defining conflicts of the twentieth century, Neary has constructed a tale that effortlessly intertwines a present and past timeline that slowly uncoils revealing small nuggets of bitter truths, as the reader progresses through Róisín’s compelling and thought provoking story.
As Róisín embarks on her personal mission of retribution, the violent and emotive details of her involvement in a honey trap in her teenage years, resulting in the murder of two soldiers slowly unfolds. Neary demonstrates through her portrayal of Róisín’s adolescent years the prescient dangers and threats of danger that overshadowed the lives of many in Belfast in this tumultuous period, and the skeletons in the closet of Róisín’s family itself. Likewise, the simmering rage and desire for revenge that Róisín harbours for Lonergan himself is never far from the surface, and which reveals itself in a series of flashbacks to his manipulation of her in previous events. Róisín is a wonderfully well-drawn character, and contains a mass of contradictions, as she gravitates between clear-sighted belief in her actions, underscored by moments of incredible sensitivity and self doubt. If ever a character was written to elicit empathy in the reader, Neary has this pretty much spot on, as Róisín is never less than a totally believable and sympathetic character. To further draw on the characterisation of this book, I loved the way that was a certain shadowy pall around the male protagonists, as Neary never really gives the reader a complete picture of their motivations, choosing to keep them to a larger degree, slightly shrouded from our unflinching gaze. If this was a deliberate move on the author’s part it was a wise one as this incompleteness to their definition added a further level of menace to them and their interactions with Róisín herself. Also choosing to set the contemporary story on the grim outcrop of Lamb Island, instead of keeping the action centred in Belfast itself, worked very well. The air of impending violence and fear that Róisín experiences is heightened substantially by the bleakness of the surrounding island landscape, and the isolation of her temporary abode on the island from where she embarks on her vengeful mission.
I was incredibly impressed with this debut, with its pitch perfect mix of extreme human emotions, combined with the resonance of history. Neary has achieved something really quite special. Highly recommended.
August 19, 2016
Novel set in Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland
A disturbing and atmospheric thriller set in the present and travelling back to the time of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
I was tempted to rate the book down as I found some of the Belfast scenes very disturbing, and the book information gives no indication of this. For those who cope better with underlying violence, this book well deserves a 5.
Sheen, needing to escape her past, finds herself in New York, making a new life and identity for herself. However she is drawn back to Ireland, to try to resolve the events of 20 years before that have shaped and changed her.
After a confusing opening (which becomes clear later on) we find Sheen on the wind and rain swept Lamb Island off the coast of Ireland, where she stays in tiled floor basic bungalow with a log fire – idyllic in the sunlight, but cold and scary in the dark. The evocative storytelling draws in the different characters of the island, from the cheery Cat who runs the pub and only internet link, to the charismatic Dutchman, Boyle, who is a strange but accepted member of the local community, adds more interest as he stealthily watches Sheen as she settles in and enjoys her runs around the island, while she waits.
The action then moves to 20 years previously, and Belfast. Sheen was then a schoolgirl, going by a different name, and the events described at this time of the Troubles I found deeply disturbing. There are some very unpleasant scenes, which come across as completely realistic – a tribute to the writing of Annemarie Neary, but make for difficult reading.
The final part of the book returns to Lamb, where Sheen’s wait is nearly over, and a climatic end approaches.
The author draws the reader completely into the story. The very different, but both threatening in their own ways, atmospheres of fictional Lamb Island (which borrows some of its geography from Cape Clear, the most southerly island off the coast of west Cork) and Belfast are depicted well – the bright lights of both places hiding the struggle for survival by both sets of residents. The characters all come to life in this dark tale of suspense and fear. I found the Belfast scenes so frighteningly plausible, that they overshadowed the excitement of the rest of the book. If you can cope with strong suggestive violence, then I recommend this book. If, like me, you prefer to be less disturbed by your reading, then avoid this one.
A disturbing and atmospheric thriller set in the present and travelling back to the time of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
I was tempted to rate the book down as I found some of the Belfast scenes very disturbing, and the book information gives no indication of this. For those who cope better with underlying violence, this book well deserves a 5.
Sheen, needing to escape her past, finds herself in New York, making a new life and identity for herself. However she is drawn back to Ireland, to try to resolve the events of 20 years before that have shaped and changed her.
After a confusing opening (which becomes clear later on) we find Sheen on the wind and rain swept Lamb Island off the coast of Ireland, where she stays in tiled floor basic bungalow with a log fire – idyllic in the sunlight, but cold and scary in the dark. The evocative storytelling draws in the different characters of the island, from the cheery Cat who runs the pub and only internet link, to the charismatic Dutchman, Boyle, who is a strange but accepted member of the local community, adds more interest as he stealthily watches Sheen as she settles in and enjoys her runs around the island, while she waits.
The action then moves to 20 years previously, and Belfast. Sheen was then a schoolgirl, going by a different name, and the events described at this time of the Troubles I found deeply disturbing. There are some very unpleasant scenes, which come across as completely realistic – a tribute to the writing of Annemarie Neary, but make for difficult reading.
The final part of the book returns to Lamb, where Sheen’s wait is nearly over, and a climatic end approaches.
The author draws the reader completely into the story. The very different, but both threatening in their own ways, atmospheres of fictional Lamb Island (which borrows some of its geography from Cape Clear, the most southerly island off the coast of west Cork) and Belfast are depicted well – the bright lights of both places hiding the struggle for survival by both sets of residents. The characters all come to life in this dark tale of suspense and fear. I found the Belfast scenes so frighteningly plausible, that they overshadowed the excitement of the rest of the book. If you can cope with strong suggestive violence, then I recommend this book. If, like me, you prefer to be less disturbed by your reading, then avoid this one.
June 22, 2016
This is much more powerful a story than the blurb and cover indicate: they make it sound like a standard twisty thriller but actually this has far more substance than that. Moving between Belfast during the height of the Troubles and a present twenty years later, this is a gripping exposure of dirty secrets and cover-ups as former terrorists become respectable politicians.
There's so much good stuff here, particularly around the teenage Roisin that it's a shame the book takes so long to get to her story. There's too much lingering in the mysteries of Lamb island and a constant withholding of story that is irritating rather than building tension.
Despite that, once the story finds its feet it becomes completely gripping, and drips with authenticity. So stick with this one through the slow and awkward start - the payoff is worth it.
There's so much good stuff here, particularly around the teenage Roisin that it's a shame the book takes so long to get to her story. There's too much lingering in the mysteries of Lamb island and a constant withholding of story that is irritating rather than building tension.
Despite that, once the story finds its feet it becomes completely gripping, and drips with authenticity. So stick with this one through the slow and awkward start - the payoff is worth it.
November 18, 2016
I almost dropped this down to 2 stars just based on the ending. I was NOT happy with how it finished; after spending most of the book wondering whether Roísín would manage to bring Lonergan down, and if people would believe and protect her - Oh, well, let's just leave it open to interpretation and we won't actually find out. Gah!
Apart from my mini rage at the end, I thought this was a pretty good (but not fantastic) read. I haven't read anything based on the Belfast troubles before and thought the plot was great, really quite unsettling. The character of Boyle was my favourite - undeniably creepy but misunderstood - and I wish he could have had a bigger part to play in the end.
Apart from my mini rage at the end, I thought this was a pretty good (but not fantastic) read. I haven't read anything based on the Belfast troubles before and thought the plot was great, really quite unsettling. The character of Boyle was my favourite - undeniably creepy but misunderstood - and I wish he could have had a bigger part to play in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2017
3.5 stars
Róisín Burns has changed in the last decade or so. Now Sheen, she has made a new life of sorts in New York, far away from her Belfast roots. But she is still haunted by events that led to her exile on the other side of the world. And as she sees the man who changed her life irrevocably rise up and seem likely to win office, Sheen feels the need to warn the world about Brian Lonergan, and hopefully find peace with herself in the process.
This is a tale of a cat and a mouse, though those who think they are doing the chasing may actually be the chased. Everything becomes turned on it’s head. The reader knows more than Sheen does about her immediate situation. We are slowly led through events that bring Sheen to Lamb Island. How she will confront Lonergan and what will happen to her are what drives the story along.
None of the characters are particularly likeable. Boyle is decidedly strange, his actions motivated by reasons only he may know. Lonergan is manipulative, vicious and conniving, covered by a gossamer of respectability he’s cultivated over the years. Even Sheen has moments where her machinations are seen as self preservation and absolution rather than being driven by more unselfish needs. The situation she finds herself in is hopefully one that many of us would never find ourselves. I therefore tried to remind myself that what I would have expected her to do, and what she did are not necessarily the same thing.
The writing is poetic, sparse in places and effecting. The scenes in Belfast during the troubles are the most hard hitting. Most of us of a certain age have memories of the violence that occurred before the ceasefire and the Good Friday Agreement. The realisation by Róisín that the violence is not normal, that it is not usual to have soldiers with rifles driving down the street, to have bombed pubs and smashed windows is a revelation to her and to the reader. The reader is shown that the violence has become a way of life, to such an extent that it is almost not seen. The setting of Lamb Island aids this. The remoteness of the island, the inhabitants and their ways, all add to the sense of distance, of being on the outskirts of humanity in a way, so that extreme action seems normal, and irrational thought seems rational.
I had places in the novel where I struggled to get on with the story, but I preserved and am glad I did. I wanted Sheen to both forget about her past and return to New York, but to also face her past, and address the consequences of it.
This was an interesting debut novel from Annemarie Neary and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Róisín Burns has changed in the last decade or so. Now Sheen, she has made a new life of sorts in New York, far away from her Belfast roots. But she is still haunted by events that led to her exile on the other side of the world. And as she sees the man who changed her life irrevocably rise up and seem likely to win office, Sheen feels the need to warn the world about Brian Lonergan, and hopefully find peace with herself in the process.
This is a tale of a cat and a mouse, though those who think they are doing the chasing may actually be the chased. Everything becomes turned on it’s head. The reader knows more than Sheen does about her immediate situation. We are slowly led through events that bring Sheen to Lamb Island. How she will confront Lonergan and what will happen to her are what drives the story along.
None of the characters are particularly likeable. Boyle is decidedly strange, his actions motivated by reasons only he may know. Lonergan is manipulative, vicious and conniving, covered by a gossamer of respectability he’s cultivated over the years. Even Sheen has moments where her machinations are seen as self preservation and absolution rather than being driven by more unselfish needs. The situation she finds herself in is hopefully one that many of us would never find ourselves. I therefore tried to remind myself that what I would have expected her to do, and what she did are not necessarily the same thing.
The writing is poetic, sparse in places and effecting. The scenes in Belfast during the troubles are the most hard hitting. Most of us of a certain age have memories of the violence that occurred before the ceasefire and the Good Friday Agreement. The realisation by Róisín that the violence is not normal, that it is not usual to have soldiers with rifles driving down the street, to have bombed pubs and smashed windows is a revelation to her and to the reader. The reader is shown that the violence has become a way of life, to such an extent that it is almost not seen. The setting of Lamb Island aids this. The remoteness of the island, the inhabitants and their ways, all add to the sense of distance, of being on the outskirts of humanity in a way, so that extreme action seems normal, and irrational thought seems rational.
I had places in the novel where I struggled to get on with the story, but I preserved and am glad I did. I wanted Sheen to both forget about her past and return to New York, but to also face her past, and address the consequences of it.
This was an interesting debut novel from Annemarie Neary and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
December 28, 2016
The beginning of the novel is both disturbing and intriguing and undeniably sets the scene for a tense and often violent look into the shadowy world of Ireland's past.
Róisín Burns seems to have left the past behind her, but as with all things in her life there is only so far and so fast that she can run to outwit her demons. When she discovers that someone from her past has resurfaced she realises that the only way to exorcise her demons is to confront them. Returning home to Ireland is never going to be easy but in this one thing Róisín doesn't really have any option.
I thought that the book was really quite gripping, with a fast and furious narrative which doesn't pull any punches. The author writes with fascinating conviction and opens up to scrutiny the whole idea of conflict and of the effect that the Irish troubles had on those growing up during the worst of the violence.
Siren is one of those books that, once you start, you can't put down. Its high octane realism keeps you on the edge of your seat and doesn't let up until the story is concluded.
Róisín Burns seems to have left the past behind her, but as with all things in her life there is only so far and so fast that she can run to outwit her demons. When she discovers that someone from her past has resurfaced she realises that the only way to exorcise her demons is to confront them. Returning home to Ireland is never going to be easy but in this one thing Róisín doesn't really have any option.
I thought that the book was really quite gripping, with a fast and furious narrative which doesn't pull any punches. The author writes with fascinating conviction and opens up to scrutiny the whole idea of conflict and of the effect that the Irish troubles had on those growing up during the worst of the violence.
Siren is one of those books that, once you start, you can't put down. Its high octane realism keeps you on the edge of your seat and doesn't let up until the story is concluded.
July 19, 2018
When I first started reading this book, I was a bit confused on what was going on as the opening scene was described in a way that alluded to something terrible but then it jumped to the present and left me thinking “wait what actually just happened?” Upon finishing the book, everything on that front becomes clear and tells the tale of a young girl falling into circumstances beyond her control. It was refreshing to see the emotional and moral journey that Roisin went on throughout the book and that even after years of lies and guilt and horrid memories, she was able to finally tell the truth and be heard. Great book!
On a side note, Boyle is such a creepy character that I would have actually liked to know a bit more background on to help understand why he is the way he is.
Lastly, I won this book in a goodreads giveaway so I just want to thank the author for the autographed copy! I’m glad I got to read this book!
On a side note, Boyle is such a creepy character that I would have actually liked to know a bit more background on to help understand why he is the way he is.
Lastly, I won this book in a goodreads giveaway so I just want to thank the author for the autographed copy! I’m glad I got to read this book!
May 5, 2021
I know this is meaningless but I’d land at a 3.5. This is my second on a kick of NI crime fiction. I loved the twists and the trajectory of the story overall, but had a couple of sticking points (purely out of preference, others will feel differently!) - 1. Didn’t find the ending satisfying, 2 - Everything from Boyle’s perspective. I know this was envelope-pushing and Neary does get you to feel pity or something like sympathy for a purposefully complicated, unsympathetic character. I just had a hard time stomaching those passages for personal reasons. 3 - I thought a lot of Roisin’s decision making was jaw droppingly dumb. But then - she was extremely young and making things up as she went against a clearly traumatic backdrop. So maybe more about me being able to sit with a not-perfect central character than anything. All of that said, if this is an area of history that you like, it is 200% worth the read. All characters are fleshed out and the story is compelling throughout.
July 24, 2017
Siren is a cut above your average thriller in the exquisite use of language, plot credibility and relevance of the sociopolitical context in which the story unfolds.
Full review
Youth’s Scandalous Secrets Brought to Light http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...
Full review
Youth’s Scandalous Secrets Brought to Light http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...
September 7, 2017
The joy in this - and the terror - was in both the writing and the construction: a multiple-aimed dread and a collision of the past with the present in an atmosphere of uncertainty. One to re-read so as to savour the language, having galloped through the first time for the story.
January 16, 2017
A book of two halves. The island story was just a bit odd for me and I much preferred the back story set in Belfast.
August 8, 2017
Didn't love the last couple of chapters which is the only reason it didn't get 5 stars.
May 15, 2020
A pretty creepy read, lots of tension involved. But I did like the ending! And Boyle's character developed well.
May 14, 2021
Listened to the audiobook. Was very well read and great story.
July 12, 2024
A decent read but not overly enthralling. Set in the west of Ireland in the current day, and Belfast during the Troubles.
April 3, 2016
I would first like to thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for granting my request to download and read this book, in exchange for an honest review of this book.
Róisín Burns was a normal teenage girl, until one night she decides to go to a club with her friend, unaware that her friend, isn't just there to dance and have a laugh. Róisín witnesses horrible things that's she never wants to see again, but unlucky for her, she hasn't got a choice in the matter. Now Róisín Burns has had the last twenty years of her life stolen away from her, becoming somebody else and living in New York, away from her family in Ireland. Now the man who started all of this, forcing her and stealing her life from her, flashes up on the news, Brian Lonergan, reinvented himself as a rising politician in Ireland. Wanting her life back and wanting answers and justice, armed with the evidence that could ruin Lonergan, Róisín travels to the island of Lamb to hunt him down. But is Lonergan one step ahead of her?
I requested this book from NetGalley because the description sounded amazing and I couldn't wait to read it. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down, I made it through the beginning with no problem and I was loving it, but then they did something which is always off putting to me, they jumped back in time. The first hundred pages or so are about how Róisín is on the island, and we discover the mystery behind her character, as we learn she's there for a purpose, without giving away too many spoilers. So now we have mystery and questions.
Then the book does a jump! This is when my reading slowed down, but I honestly don't know why. This is the chunk where the questions I had about why she was there on the island, what had happened to counter so much rage and anger in her past to connect the two characters was answers. This section was so jam packed with action and information and there wasn't that much time for a dull moment for me to slow my reading down, but I did. I think it was because I don't like it when the time line is presented this way and it knocked me a bit. I had to now get used to a whole new set of characters, a new age main character, a new setting, plus I knew that no matter what happened and how dangerous things got, I knew that Róisín wasn't going to die and certain events from the future. This then made this section drag on for me until it got to the present day.
It get back to the present day and my reading speed did pick back up again, as everything from there on out was a surprise and any of the current characters could die or anything else. But since reading the past and now reading the present, I was confusing characters with different characters, which is why I hate books with jumbled up time lines. The ending is also left open for you to decide how you think it would end, which again isn't for me. I like an ending to be wrapped up neatly with a bow and cherry on on top. Unless of course, the author left the ending open because she is planning to write a sequel to this novel.
While reading this book, I found myself not being able to trust any of the characters and I was questioning myself whether or not they were really trying to help poor Róisín or whether they were just working for Lonergan. This made the book and the writing even more amazing as I was actually able to put myself into Róisín shoes and wonder what would I do or feel like if I was on an Island where I couldn't trust a single person, so fantastic character developments.
I was disappointed when it came to a character name Boyle, which is the other point of view narrative we got to see in the book. Being the other point of view, I was expecting there to be something big or surprising in the end, as there had been a build up to something and even though there had been something he had done (which I'm not going to spoil) he never got true credit for it and was still left unseen to everyone. I finished reading this book feeling sorry for him as all he wanted to do was to be seen or be felt like a hero but not have the confidence, but all he got seen as was a creep and a weirdo, so with everything, I thought the book was building up to something, but he was still left unseen in the shadows for his actions.
Róisín Burns was a normal teenage girl, until one night she decides to go to a club with her friend, unaware that her friend, isn't just there to dance and have a laugh. Róisín witnesses horrible things that's she never wants to see again, but unlucky for her, she hasn't got a choice in the matter. Now Róisín Burns has had the last twenty years of her life stolen away from her, becoming somebody else and living in New York, away from her family in Ireland. Now the man who started all of this, forcing her and stealing her life from her, flashes up on the news, Brian Lonergan, reinvented himself as a rising politician in Ireland. Wanting her life back and wanting answers and justice, armed with the evidence that could ruin Lonergan, Róisín travels to the island of Lamb to hunt him down. But is Lonergan one step ahead of her?
I requested this book from NetGalley because the description sounded amazing and I couldn't wait to read it. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down, I made it through the beginning with no problem and I was loving it, but then they did something which is always off putting to me, they jumped back in time. The first hundred pages or so are about how Róisín is on the island, and we discover the mystery behind her character, as we learn she's there for a purpose, without giving away too many spoilers. So now we have mystery and questions.
Then the book does a jump! This is when my reading slowed down, but I honestly don't know why. This is the chunk where the questions I had about why she was there on the island, what had happened to counter so much rage and anger in her past to connect the two characters was answers. This section was so jam packed with action and information and there wasn't that much time for a dull moment for me to slow my reading down, but I did. I think it was because I don't like it when the time line is presented this way and it knocked me a bit. I had to now get used to a whole new set of characters, a new age main character, a new setting, plus I knew that no matter what happened and how dangerous things got, I knew that Róisín wasn't going to die and certain events from the future. This then made this section drag on for me until it got to the present day.
It get back to the present day and my reading speed did pick back up again, as everything from there on out was a surprise and any of the current characters could die or anything else. But since reading the past and now reading the present, I was confusing characters with different characters, which is why I hate books with jumbled up time lines. The ending is also left open for you to decide how you think it would end, which again isn't for me. I like an ending to be wrapped up neatly with a bow and cherry on on top. Unless of course, the author left the ending open because she is planning to write a sequel to this novel.
While reading this book, I found myself not being able to trust any of the characters and I was questioning myself whether or not they were really trying to help poor Róisín or whether they were just working for Lonergan. This made the book and the writing even more amazing as I was actually able to put myself into Róisín shoes and wonder what would I do or feel like if I was on an Island where I couldn't trust a single person, so fantastic character developments.
I was disappointed when it came to a character name Boyle, which is the other point of view narrative we got to see in the book. Being the other point of view, I was expecting there to be something big or surprising in the end, as there had been a build up to something and even though there had been something he had done (which I'm not going to spoil) he never got true credit for it and was still left unseen to everyone. I finished reading this book feeling sorry for him as all he wanted to do was to be seen or be felt like a hero but not have the confidence, but all he got seen as was a creep and a weirdo, so with everything, I thought the book was building up to something, but he was still left unseen in the shadows for his actions.
April 29, 2016
Powerful stuff, incredibly powerful stuff. I don't know which aspect I found more disturbing, the passages set in the Belfast of Róisín's youth or those set some twenty years later when she finds herself on a remote island, armed with the evidence that could ruin the man who ruined her youth and on a very personal mission to lay to rest the ghosts of her past and expose the dirty secrets behind this now seemingly squeaky-clean politician.
Jumping between the different eras didn't prove problematic as it sometimes can with a duel time line, the narrative flowed well, the characters were well penned and, as such, taken as a whole I did enjoy Siren but given the individual threads to the story it was the events of Róisín's teenage years that I found hugely compelling. The author, perhaps in an attempt to draw out the suspense/tension, arguably lingering too long over the portions of the book dedicated to events on Lamb Island.
The second book by the author that I have had the honour of reviewing. Whilst also set in Belfast, A Parachute In The Lime Tree is a historical fiction. The very different styles proof that Annemarie Neary is a versatile writer.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
Disclaimer: Received for review, no financial compensation was asked for nor given.
Jumping between the different eras didn't prove problematic as it sometimes can with a duel time line, the narrative flowed well, the characters were well penned and, as such, taken as a whole I did enjoy Siren but given the individual threads to the story it was the events of Róisín's teenage years that I found hugely compelling. The author, perhaps in an attempt to draw out the suspense/tension, arguably lingering too long over the portions of the book dedicated to events on Lamb Island.
The second book by the author that I have had the honour of reviewing. Whilst also set in Belfast, A Parachute In The Lime Tree is a historical fiction. The very different styles proof that Annemarie Neary is a versatile writer.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
Disclaimer: Received for review, no financial compensation was asked for nor given.
Read
May 3, 2016A psychological thriller with a political twist, all told in an understated yet believable voice.
Róisín ran from her Belfast childhood and its harsh choices to reinvent herself in New York. She thinks she’s escaped. Until Brian Lonergan appears on the news. Another reinvention who’ll escape what he did unless someone tells the truth.
That someone is Róisín.
She heads back to Lamb Island, determined to expose this man. She’s aware of the risks, she tells herself, unaware she’s being watched by someone with a very different agenda. Someone else with a ‘history’.
Bone-chilling contemporary thriller juxtaposed with flashbacks to a terrifying past, the tension left nail prints on my palms. Neary’s prose is precise and sharp, the characters drawn in nuanced shades and the evocation of a remote island adds both atmosphere and uncertainty – small community secrecy can be friend or foe. Northern Irish politics loom over the story like a balaclava backdrop, a reminder of what division and hatred can do.
Superb storytelling and impressive use of time and place.
Róisín ran from her Belfast childhood and its harsh choices to reinvent herself in New York. She thinks she’s escaped. Until Brian Lonergan appears on the news. Another reinvention who’ll escape what he did unless someone tells the truth.
That someone is Róisín.
She heads back to Lamb Island, determined to expose this man. She’s aware of the risks, she tells herself, unaware she’s being watched by someone with a very different agenda. Someone else with a ‘history’.
Bone-chilling contemporary thriller juxtaposed with flashbacks to a terrifying past, the tension left nail prints on my palms. Neary’s prose is precise and sharp, the characters drawn in nuanced shades and the evocation of a remote island adds both atmosphere and uncertainty – small community secrecy can be friend or foe. Northern Irish politics loom over the story like a balaclava backdrop, a reminder of what division and hatred can do.
Superb storytelling and impressive use of time and place.
March 22, 2016
Belfast. Two soldiers killed. One mother disappears and her body is never found. Roisin Burns is sixteen years old when she is forced by Brian Lonergan to leave her home for New York and told never to return.
Lamb Island. Twenty years later in post conflict Ireland the man who threatened her has reinvented himself and become a prominent Irish politician. Although she has tried to leave her past behind Roisin now returns to redeem her identity and to reveal the truth about Lonergan's past activities, at huge risk to her life.
Siren is an unusual psychological thriller which kept me gripped throughout. It is very well written: the events realistic and the characters believable. My only disappointment was not learning more about Roisin's experiences in New York: how she managed to survive and get married.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Cornerstone for the opportunity to read and review this very good debut novel by Annemarie Neary.
Lamb Island. Twenty years later in post conflict Ireland the man who threatened her has reinvented himself and become a prominent Irish politician. Although she has tried to leave her past behind Roisin now returns to redeem her identity and to reveal the truth about Lonergan's past activities, at huge risk to her life.
Siren is an unusual psychological thriller which kept me gripped throughout. It is very well written: the events realistic and the characters believable. My only disappointment was not learning more about Roisin's experiences in New York: how she managed to survive and get married.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Cornerstone for the opportunity to read and review this very good debut novel by Annemarie Neary.
March 13, 2016
Siren is another psychological thriller with a female protagonist. That's a pretty popular genre right now so what is Siren's USP? Well, that is the backdrop of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
We follow Roisin, a young schoolgirl who witnesses and is involved in some terrible crimes. The passages set in conflict-torn Belfast are the stand out parts of this book and make it worth the read.
Also I talk about this book in my monthly vlog https://youtu.be/IaUrtiL3EWc
We follow Roisin, a young schoolgirl who witnesses and is involved in some terrible crimes. The passages set in conflict-torn Belfast are the stand out parts of this book and make it worth the read.
Also I talk about this book in my monthly vlog https://youtu.be/IaUrtiL3EWc
February 6, 2017
Well written and very gripping.
I found both parts of the book equally as good, brutal and quite shocking Belfast and Lamb island was a bit creepy.
Really enjoyed the whole book but got to the ending and it was a bit 'oh'. Still a great debut novel and looking forward to her next one ' The Orphans.
I found both parts of the book equally as good, brutal and quite shocking Belfast and Lamb island was a bit creepy.
Really enjoyed the whole book but got to the ending and it was a bit 'oh'. Still a great debut novel and looking forward to her next one ' The Orphans.
December 26, 2016
A great page-turner. Perfect for a beach holiday.
April 13, 2017
Set in the post-conflict Northern Ireland, Siren is a fantastic thriller novel which elegantly plays with the struggle for truth and authenticity in a society not yet at peace with itself. Roisin Burns returns to Ireland to face 'old secrets and cover-ups', aiming at revealing the real face of a politician with more than a dark secret.
Her mission is not only difficult psychologically, but life threatening too, endind up being caught again in a configuration of facts and events which it seems she never fully escaped. Involved without knowing in a honey trap, she is condemned to a life of compromises, psychological abuse and a future designed to obliterate the past.
The book can be considered both a psychological and a political thriller, as on one side it deals with the intricacies of guilt, indifference and psychological transformations, in a context of political crime and corruption. It is one of those novels which keeps you mentally alert, although the succession of events is rather smooth.
The reader expects from a page to another to read and find out more and the back and forth down on the memory lane is a very good way to do it. Every element of the novel seems to be carefully pondered and introduced exactly at the right time. For instance, the full story of Roisin, only suggested in the first quarter of the story, when the reader feels the need to better understand the context and the substance of the story. The ambiance is generally dark and the sentences are short, abrupt, creating the permanent tension mood. Only the background music of David Bowie can help to create a different mood, a hopeful one, longing for impossible countries and far away space journeys.
An excellent thriller debut covering a topic scarcely covered those days but still relevant for the political history of Europe.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Her mission is not only difficult psychologically, but life threatening too, endind up being caught again in a configuration of facts and events which it seems she never fully escaped. Involved without knowing in a honey trap, she is condemned to a life of compromises, psychological abuse and a future designed to obliterate the past.
The book can be considered both a psychological and a political thriller, as on one side it deals with the intricacies of guilt, indifference and psychological transformations, in a context of political crime and corruption. It is one of those novels which keeps you mentally alert, although the succession of events is rather smooth.
The reader expects from a page to another to read and find out more and the back and forth down on the memory lane is a very good way to do it. Every element of the novel seems to be carefully pondered and introduced exactly at the right time. For instance, the full story of Roisin, only suggested in the first quarter of the story, when the reader feels the need to better understand the context and the substance of the story. The ambiance is generally dark and the sentences are short, abrupt, creating the permanent tension mood. Only the background music of David Bowie can help to create a different mood, a hopeful one, longing for impossible countries and far away space journeys.
An excellent thriller debut covering a topic scarcely covered those days but still relevant for the political history of Europe.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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June 29, 2018#GoodreadsGiveaway
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