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Wax and Wane
Jobless, directionless and impotently angry at the world around him, Cormac finds purpose among the Mic Tíre - a far-right organization with aspirations to transform Ireland into a primitive idyll.
His wife, Ailbhe, watches in horror as he disappears down the rabbit hole of radicalization, a process that transforms him into something more violent and monstrous than she ever could have imagined.
Feral dogs howl outside the couple's home each night as Ailbhe struggles to leave the man she once loved, before his body contorts into something inhuman and he sets his newfound strength and bloodlust upon her.
His wife, Ailbhe, watches in horror as he disappears down the rabbit hole of radicalization, a process that transforms him into something more violent and monstrous than she ever could have imagined.
Feral dogs howl outside the couple's home each night as Ailbhe struggles to leave the man she once loved, before his body contorts into something inhuman and he sets his newfound strength and bloodlust upon her.
81 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2022
1 person is currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Saoirse Ní Chiaragáin
4 books18 followersSaoirse Ní Chiaragáin is a woman of ill repute. She resides in Berlin, Germany with her husband, daughter, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 29, 2022
Short and fun, from Filthy Loot. A couple's relationship beaks down as the husband gets involved in a right wing werewolf cult. Some good body horror. Would've liked to see a bit more of Ireland and the troubles in their relationship (his unemployment, the sick mother, etc) but the book is so short I guess there wasn't much room for that.
June 16, 2022
An incredibly compelling look into radicalisation, and the fallout that occurs when someone falls into that pipeline. It's visceral, and while it's a very distinctly Irish book, I think that the subject of modern far-right radicalisation will resonate universally.
March 16, 2023
Scorching little banger I only wish there was more of it
July 29, 2023
I've read nearly all the books from Filthy Loot (at least the ones you can get in the UK) and this one was by far my favourite.
It follows Cormac and his wife Ailbhe. Cormac joins a far-right organisation hoping to reform Ireland, and Ailbhe must watch on as the man she once loved becomes something inhuman.
Gory and full of tension, I was gripped from the start. A fantastic little read!
It follows Cormac and his wife Ailbhe. Cormac joins a far-right organisation hoping to reform Ireland, and Ailbhe must watch on as the man she once loved becomes something inhuman.
Gory and full of tension, I was gripped from the start. A fantastic little read!
June 4, 2025
This is one of the few times I feel like a book needs to be about 200 pages longer. It holds up as a shorter book but this concept could be so great as a full novel. I loved it but was left feeling a bit unsatisfied with how fast it was moving along because I wanted a lot more build up and to know so much more about everything.
January 3, 2024
A fantastic way to start off my 2024 reading.
Firmly rooted in the Irish Gothic tradition, this story is a fable of nationalism, gender and the thin line between man and beast.
Firmly rooted in the Irish Gothic tradition, this story is a fable of nationalism, gender and the thin line between man and beast.
April 16, 2025
had been quite hype for this since it was announced but it fully exceeded expectations.
April 24, 2023
this was such an intriguing read
July 24, 2022
Video Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unhgw...
Saoirse Ní Chiaragáin is an Irish writer, living in Berlin Germany, so it appears she may be well-traveled and has experienced a few different cultures. She brings us this interesting concept of a story involving a husband and wife who find themselves growing apart due to a new ideology of the husband. Wax & Wane refers to growing stronger, then weaker again, increase and decrease a lot of times it’s an idiom that is thrown around some in the political world.
And this ties in perfectly with the story. We have Cormac, the husband, and Ailbhe, the wife. The book is broken up into chapters devoted to each character, so we have a back and forth exchange of Cormac’s thoughts and actions and beliefs and dialogues, then the same from Ailbhe. And back and forth we go seeing the situation unfolding through each of their eyes.
I really enjoy the point of view aspect. The incidents that are happening, we get the opinion of Cormac. Same with Ailbhe. Since this allows us to see both sides, we can come to our own conclusion. Now with that said, it becomes pretty obvious who has a right view and a wrong view.
It’s when Cormac becomes jobless, and he loses his father, he starts to spiral into this mindset after joining an extreme far right political group he finds on the internet. The story starts to build from these new actions. This group he joins has these extreme beliefs of a woman’s place in society. And these beliefs and thoughts take over Cormac’s mind, ultimately leaving Ailbhe to figure out how to survive and to escape.
This is a good tie in with some of the news we’ve been witnessing recently. Where people in power appear to think they know what’s best for women, and in doing so they’ve set a nation back to ancient times.
The story moves quickly forward until we get to a ceremony that needs to be done before Cormac can officially be part of this group. I don’t want to give away names of groups and what the ceremony involves and the outcome. You can discover those on your own. There is a gruesome transition ultimately taking place that changes the whole feel of the story.
What originally seems like a political battle of the sexes involving the outdated views and opinions of a radical group of extremists, the book shifts to a different kind of horror, and Ailbhe finds herself in a situation where she has to figure out an escape.
This is my first read of Saoirse Ní Chiaragáin, but it’s very impactful and enticing and passionately strong. In the back and forth style the book is presented in, the writer is able to get across and raise awareness of several issues happening now in this day and age. The chapters are short and quick and are basic thoughts and conversations the characters are having, but the writer is able to bring so much more heaviness to the real meanings. You read it knowing it’s a form of entertainment, a fictional story, but you can’t help to have that little upsetting feel in the pit of your stomach knowing these groups exist today and there are people who live by this ideology that is explored in the book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unhgw...
Saoirse Ní Chiaragáin is an Irish writer, living in Berlin Germany, so it appears she may be well-traveled and has experienced a few different cultures. She brings us this interesting concept of a story involving a husband and wife who find themselves growing apart due to a new ideology of the husband. Wax & Wane refers to growing stronger, then weaker again, increase and decrease a lot of times it’s an idiom that is thrown around some in the political world.
And this ties in perfectly with the story. We have Cormac, the husband, and Ailbhe, the wife. The book is broken up into chapters devoted to each character, so we have a back and forth exchange of Cormac’s thoughts and actions and beliefs and dialogues, then the same from Ailbhe. And back and forth we go seeing the situation unfolding through each of their eyes.
I really enjoy the point of view aspect. The incidents that are happening, we get the opinion of Cormac. Same with Ailbhe. Since this allows us to see both sides, we can come to our own conclusion. Now with that said, it becomes pretty obvious who has a right view and a wrong view.
It’s when Cormac becomes jobless, and he loses his father, he starts to spiral into this mindset after joining an extreme far right political group he finds on the internet. The story starts to build from these new actions. This group he joins has these extreme beliefs of a woman’s place in society. And these beliefs and thoughts take over Cormac’s mind, ultimately leaving Ailbhe to figure out how to survive and to escape.
This is a good tie in with some of the news we’ve been witnessing recently. Where people in power appear to think they know what’s best for women, and in doing so they’ve set a nation back to ancient times.
The story moves quickly forward until we get to a ceremony that needs to be done before Cormac can officially be part of this group. I don’t want to give away names of groups and what the ceremony involves and the outcome. You can discover those on your own. There is a gruesome transition ultimately taking place that changes the whole feel of the story.
What originally seems like a political battle of the sexes involving the outdated views and opinions of a radical group of extremists, the book shifts to a different kind of horror, and Ailbhe finds herself in a situation where she has to figure out an escape.
This is my first read of Saoirse Ní Chiaragáin, but it’s very impactful and enticing and passionately strong. In the back and forth style the book is presented in, the writer is able to get across and raise awareness of several issues happening now in this day and age. The chapters are short and quick and are basic thoughts and conversations the characters are having, but the writer is able to bring so much more heaviness to the real meanings. You read it knowing it’s a form of entertainment, a fictional story, but you can’t help to have that little upsetting feel in the pit of your stomach knowing these groups exist today and there are people who live by this ideology that is explored in the book.
October 8, 2023
I weep. Weep as I wept in the woods, from the sheer splendor of it, the pointed teeth gnashing and flaying flesh from the bone. The pleading shrieks in languages I cannot understand, that were never meant to be spoken on this island. The muzzles of the brothers are matted with blood, their snouts digging deeper into the visceral filth of the conquered.
4.5
What an incredible, angry, furious, violent, punk as fuck, rad as all hell little book this is. Despite being so miniscule, this book is ferocious, gripping the reader with razor sharp talons from the moment they crack open the first page. Wax & Wane is an ultra visceral experience. Both affecting and highly disturbing, this fantastic little novella gifts us with a poignant and beautiful reading experience. There's passion in every word. In the intensity of it all, this book is otherworldly. This book is a rapture.
Upon reading this book, we're presented with such a frighteningly impactful tale, forced to stare in horror as a relationship disintegrates into nothingness, one partner finding their solace in a far right ideological cult - It's a tale of desperation, of the transformation, the radicalization of a loved one. We watch on, unable to look away, as a loving husband is turned to a bloodthirsty beast before our eyes. It's a gruesome story, a lovely and intimate yet disgusting and vile work of art.
As the story progresses it becomes a rather touching and elegant allegory for a certain kind of futility, the kind that seeps to our very core, when we can see no chance of escape. Deep down, we all know that this is a work of fiction, men don't just become werewolves, beasts who give in to the hunger, and attempt to devour their own spouses, right? Yet... You're left almost in a state of panic, because it's all too real, all too familiar, to see a once loving, caring individual take on the form of a monster. This isn't a book, it's a tempest. It's a rage fueled fever-dream you'll be desperately seek release from. It's a tidal wave that will leave you obliterated and empty when it's all over.
My spine bends and my eyes water from the pain of it all. It is almost at an end. Fissures form along my stretch marks, the skin bursting, unable to contain the growth within. Goodbye, goodbye. I'll see you all on the other side.
4.5
What an incredible, angry, furious, violent, punk as fuck, rad as all hell little book this is. Despite being so miniscule, this book is ferocious, gripping the reader with razor sharp talons from the moment they crack open the first page. Wax & Wane is an ultra visceral experience. Both affecting and highly disturbing, this fantastic little novella gifts us with a poignant and beautiful reading experience. There's passion in every word. In the intensity of it all, this book is otherworldly. This book is a rapture.
Upon reading this book, we're presented with such a frighteningly impactful tale, forced to stare in horror as a relationship disintegrates into nothingness, one partner finding their solace in a far right ideological cult - It's a tale of desperation, of the transformation, the radicalization of a loved one. We watch on, unable to look away, as a loving husband is turned to a bloodthirsty beast before our eyes. It's a gruesome story, a lovely and intimate yet disgusting and vile work of art.
"Let her see. Let her drink in the spectacle that I am, neither man nor wolf, flesh seeking equilibrium. My panting mouth, dark with blood, the cleft healing unevenly, the ever-shifting size and shape of my eyes. Let her seek the face of the man she married and find nothing. Let her quake with fear before everything she forged, the monster shaped by her neglect."
As the story progresses it becomes a rather touching and elegant allegory for a certain kind of futility, the kind that seeps to our very core, when we can see no chance of escape. Deep down, we all know that this is a work of fiction, men don't just become werewolves, beasts who give in to the hunger, and attempt to devour their own spouses, right? Yet... You're left almost in a state of panic, because it's all too real, all too familiar, to see a once loving, caring individual take on the form of a monster. This isn't a book, it's a tempest. It's a rage fueled fever-dream you'll be desperately seek release from. It's a tidal wave that will leave you obliterated and empty when it's all over.
My spine bends and my eyes water from the pain of it all. It is almost at an end. Fissures form along my stretch marks, the skin bursting, unable to contain the growth within. Goodbye, goodbye. I'll see you all on the other side.
January 11, 2024
I'm split; this nails its premise, building a good tale of cultish nationalism. The vividly described allegory of its fantastical elements is clear, which tie nicely with the grounded picture of the couple's life during an economic downturn in Ireland.
Problem for me is that there isn't much more to the book than executing the synopsis; I didn't feel like I gained anything much from the plot from reading the book over reading the blurb. Our characters are stereotyped to the point of feeling pretty flat despite the attempts to flesh them out, a pair of by-the-numbers actors rather than living people. Weirdly enough, I feel like this could've been even shorter and be better for it, due to the amount of text spent elaborating on character and plot that didn't benefit from being elaborated.
Still, since this is a very short read as it is that doesn't detract from the experience; I breezed through this in far less than an hour, and it's definitely a worthwhile read.
Problem for me is that there isn't much more to the book than executing the synopsis; I didn't feel like I gained anything much from the plot from reading the book over reading the blurb. Our characters are stereotyped to the point of feeling pretty flat despite the attempts to flesh them out, a pair of by-the-numbers actors rather than living people. Weirdly enough, I feel like this could've been even shorter and be better for it, due to the amount of text spent elaborating on character and plot that didn't benefit from being elaborated.
Still, since this is a very short read as it is that doesn't detract from the experience; I breezed through this in far less than an hour, and it's definitely a worthwhile read.
June 30, 2023
An extremely well crafted fast paced narrative story set in modern Ireland. There was high tension throughout this entire book that never ceased to pull me in and kept me turning the pages. It starts off as a very real scenario and just gets more intense as you keep reading. An incredibly chilling story of how someone can be so radicalised so quickly with some life changing consequences. Highly highly recommended.
August 10, 2023
I read it all in one sitting, I was that rivited. So poignant. The repeated rape of the Morrigan was such a heartbreaking metaphor for how nationalistic machismo brutalizes and debases the myths they claim to revere. It was such an accurate depiction of the thought decent into right-wing radicalism, that it was terrifying for that alone. Extremely well written and constructed, and my first filthy loot purchase. I'll definitely check out more from this publisher as well as this author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 4, 2024Oh hell yeah! Wax & Wane is a fairly transgressive and extremely timely novella told from the dual perspectives of a married couple as the husband descends down a rabbit hole of red pill misogyny and far-right nationalism. So very much my kind of sociopolitical, character-driven fiction. I need more Saoirse Ní Chiaragáin in my life!
August 18, 2022
Wax & Wane alternates between two voices: a disillusioned man who turns to a far right werewolf cult to fill the void left by his father, and his wife who tries her best to love him but can’t stop him from becoming a monster. This one is chilling even before the wolves show up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2022
A clever story about a man transforming into a monster in more ways than one. The story really hammers home the shock and dread which comes as Ailbhe's bad situation gradually gets worse and worse, I read the whole thing in a day because I couldn't put it down!
September 30, 2023
A very impressive debut, and another quality pocket-sized release from Filthy Loot.
One of those books where the monsters are very clearly human, even as the story builds towards monsters of the inhuman type. It's a pretty gut-wrenching tale of far-right radicalisation and domestic violence, and extremely well handled in the way it switches between the voices of abuser and abused. The chapter framing of phases of the moon was a nice touch too.
Saoirse is clearly a writer to watch. More please!
One of those books where the monsters are very clearly human, even as the story builds towards monsters of the inhuman type. It's a pretty gut-wrenching tale of far-right radicalisation and domestic violence, and extremely well handled in the way it switches between the voices of abuser and abused. The chapter framing of phases of the moon was a nice touch too.
Saoirse is clearly a writer to watch. More please!
October 10, 2023
A terrific story about terrible things a fragile man does to reclaim power in his life. His desire to form an Ireland for the Irish is frighteningly topical and the dip into Irish folklore let us look at a classic beast through a new lens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2022
A grisly story of isolation and radicalisation. A sinking pit is planted in the stomach that grows quickly and deeply in this gnarly novella.
August 9, 2022
A quick paced blast of gut wrenching horror, given weight by the even darker realities it explores.
August 16, 2022
terrifying, disgusting, depressing and horrible, I fucking love it!
March 10, 2023
Montague Summers eat your heart out
November 11, 2024
as weird as the book got towards the end, was a really fantastic read.
January 19, 2025
Such a quick and visceral read. Obsessed.
December 28, 2025
A short book full of graphic, symbolic images as a man falls prey to radicalism.
January 15, 2026
sad beautiful and surreal
February 16, 2024
NOT A PAID REVIEW:
I went into readings book with only the sensational cover art to go by. I cannot recommend this book enough. Grief and Toxic Masculinity are just two of the themes examined in this book. I'm a firm believer in spoiler free reviews. pick up a copy and just start reading.
I went into readings book with only the sensational cover art to go by. I cannot recommend this book enough. Grief and Toxic Masculinity are just two of the themes examined in this book. I'm a firm believer in spoiler free reviews. pick up a copy and just start reading.
June 6, 2024
Saiorse Ní Chiaragáin is becoming one of my favorite writers working these days, and this fine little book from Filthy Loot shows why.
Cormac is a young unemployed Irishman sinking in a swamp of alienation, anger, and despair. Unfortunately, he finds a sense of brotherhood and belonging in the worst possible place: a group of right-wing extremists whose xenophobia, sexism, and romanticized vision of Irish history provide him with a new, dangerously distorted, perspective on his changing world. Wax and Wane details his descent, as well as the struggles of Ailbhe, his wife, as she attempts to understand and cope with the changes overtaking the man she thought she knew.
The book’s exploration of lives under pressure makes for compelling reading. It’s a short volume, and the pages turn quickly. Chiaragáin wisely chooses a dual narration, alternating chapters from Cormac’s and Ailbhe’s perspectives. This gives us a rounded portrait of both of them and a fuller sense of the challenges each faces. We get a strong sense here of how social and psychological pressures can intertwine to crush and maim.
Cormac’s final, literal transformation into a monster was a bit of an anticlimax for me. Dehumanizing Cormac undercut, for me, the very human problems of alienation and hatred that the author had so expertly laid bare throughout the narrative. But this is just a quibble, and the wolf theme does nicely to tie the story into the roots of Irish folklore. In a book where the dangers of misused traditions are front and center, that can hardly be considered out of place.
Cormac is a young unemployed Irishman sinking in a swamp of alienation, anger, and despair. Unfortunately, he finds a sense of brotherhood and belonging in the worst possible place: a group of right-wing extremists whose xenophobia, sexism, and romanticized vision of Irish history provide him with a new, dangerously distorted, perspective on his changing world. Wax and Wane details his descent, as well as the struggles of Ailbhe, his wife, as she attempts to understand and cope with the changes overtaking the man she thought she knew.
The book’s exploration of lives under pressure makes for compelling reading. It’s a short volume, and the pages turn quickly. Chiaragáin wisely chooses a dual narration, alternating chapters from Cormac’s and Ailbhe’s perspectives. This gives us a rounded portrait of both of them and a fuller sense of the challenges each faces. We get a strong sense here of how social and psychological pressures can intertwine to crush and maim.
Cormac’s final, literal transformation into a monster was a bit of an anticlimax for me. Dehumanizing Cormac undercut, for me, the very human problems of alienation and hatred that the author had so expertly laid bare throughout the narrative. But this is just a quibble, and the wolf theme does nicely to tie the story into the roots of Irish folklore. In a book where the dangers of misused traditions are front and center, that can hardly be considered out of place.
September 8, 2024
The book is told from the perspectives of Ailbhe and Cormac, a young married couple, each grieving the end of a marriage and what lives they have been living. Ailbhe is looking to move on together while Cormac is delving deeper into Mic Tire, an Irish nationalist group promising provisions of happiness through ultra-conservative means disguised as ancient truth. A truth one can obtain through such extreme ritual.
The character building is developed so keenly. And the philosophies come through with such clarity. The fact that Ailbhe is discovering choice while Cormac is depending more and more upon some historical myth to provide him with the happiness he believes has been taken from him is so glaring, and yet plausible and tragic. This natural opposition drives them apart, and it's clear who wants the best for them and who just wants to be the best, in an all too-real sense. But as the story progresses, one can sense the monster is coming.
I felt for both characters, and have experienced the anger and the anguish of both. Such is the achievement of this short, yet wonderfully written novel. A work of breadth and intimacy. A stellar book.
The character building is developed so keenly. And the philosophies come through with such clarity. The fact that Ailbhe is discovering choice while Cormac is depending more and more upon some historical myth to provide him with the happiness he believes has been taken from him is so glaring, and yet plausible and tragic. This natural opposition drives them apart, and it's clear who wants the best for them and who just wants to be the best, in an all too-real sense. But as the story progresses, one can sense the monster is coming.
I felt for both characters, and have experienced the anger and the anguish of both. Such is the achievement of this short, yet wonderfully written novel. A work of breadth and intimacy. A stellar book.
November 10, 2023
This was SO GOOD, but I was left hungry for more. If the novel has been longer and the characters more fleshed out, I think it would’ve easily ascended to my all time favourites list. The idea behind this book is so original and twisted, I wanted more of it!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews