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Exit Wounds
Born to shanty Irish on one side and Park Avenue privilege on the other, Laura navigates a turbulent childhood filled with the alcohol-fueled abuse of her volatile father and her mother’s excessive drinking. As the middle child of three girls, she assigns herself the role of her mother's protector, who dies when Laura is thirteen, leaving her heartbroken and adrift.
Insecure, anxious, and fearful, she tries drugs, random sex, and a sequence of lovers. Along the way, she becomes a successful painter and has a bad first marriage. Nothing, however, seems to assuage her emptiness and her sense of loss. Eventually, she marries a caring man and has a loving daughter. It is only at the end of her life, and by way of an unusual and unexpected turn of events that she is finally able to make peace with herself, to let go of the feeling that she never really grieved, and said goodbye to her beloved mother, and to appreciate that though we work at love and acceptance, sometimes the most wonderful experiences in our lives come in unanticipated and unsought ways.
Insecure, anxious, and fearful, she tries drugs, random sex, and a sequence of lovers. Along the way, she becomes a successful painter and has a bad first marriage. Nothing, however, seems to assuage her emptiness and her sense of loss. Eventually, she marries a caring man and has a loving daughter. It is only at the end of her life, and by way of an unusual and unexpected turn of events that she is finally able to make peace with herself, to let go of the feeling that she never really grieved, and said goodbye to her beloved mother, and to appreciate that though we work at love and acceptance, sometimes the most wonderful experiences in our lives come in unanticipated and unsought ways.
202 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
2 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 10, 2022
This book covers Laura's life from a young girl until old age. There are flashbacks to her youth and the trials and tribulations she endured with her family. It was a dysfunctional family, but considering the era, not too surprising.
Laura is a typical middle child, seen but overlooked. Their life growing up was harder than some with alcoholic parents, but they made the best of it until they couldn't anymore. Laura left home and struck out on her own. Her life had its ups and downs, but she rolled with it.
This story is raw, gritty, and honest. Laura has many frustrations in her life, and while it may seem that she has it all, she wants something more. She learns how to make the best of it despite everything. I liked that, in the end, she took control of her life despite a debilitating illness. It just shows us that we all need to live life to the fullest, no matter what hand is dealt to us.
We are all searching for something in our life, and only we will know if we have found it.
We give this book 4 paws up.
Laura is a typical middle child, seen but overlooked. Their life growing up was harder than some with alcoholic parents, but they made the best of it until they couldn't anymore. Laura left home and struck out on her own. Her life had its ups and downs, but she rolled with it.
This story is raw, gritty, and honest. Laura has many frustrations in her life, and while it may seem that she has it all, she wants something more. She learns how to make the best of it despite everything. I liked that, in the end, she took control of her life despite a debilitating illness. It just shows us that we all need to live life to the fullest, no matter what hand is dealt to us.
We are all searching for something in our life, and only we will know if we have found it.
We give this book 4 paws up.
September 7, 2022
Exit Wounds by Annie O'Neill Stein is the story of Laura, the middle child of parents from the opposites of life, the father of shanty Irish and the mother of Park Avenue lifestyle.
At a young age, where the story starts, has her as her father's little shadow, going with him to the favorite pub. She is the middle child of three girls. Their father has a propensity for "drink" and is often violent. In one of his rages, the girls see their father strike their mother. That puts an end to her going with her father to the pub. She now hates him.
Her mother also has a drinking problem, but an illness is at the root cause of this. In the '50s and '60s, drinking is a secret problem, never to be spoken about. But her mother because of her illness does a lot of stumbling and slurring words. Laura and her sister just thought that it was a part of the drinking.
Her mother dies when she is thirteen, which leaves Laura lonely and adrift. As she gets older, she tries out drugs and drinking to drown out he insecurities. It does not work. She married young, first marriage, and moves to California where she gets involved in the art world there. Her marriage does not work out but she ultimately meets a kind man, they marry and have a daughter.
The story continues for Laura until she is in her 60s and till the end of her life from an illness that she coped with for a long time. She finds that as time goes on she is able to cope and reconcile with her thoughts and feelings about her parents. Bring closure to a lifetime of angst. She was finally able to deal with her grief and loss.
I will read just about anything that has Irish in it. I enjoyed this story, read it in one sitting. It brought forth some of the things in my childhood that were not always the best. I have overcome these things and I was pleased to see that Laura did also.
I read this book in one sitting I loved it, and I give it 5 stars!
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.
At a young age, where the story starts, has her as her father's little shadow, going with him to the favorite pub. She is the middle child of three girls. Their father has a propensity for "drink" and is often violent. In one of his rages, the girls see their father strike their mother. That puts an end to her going with her father to the pub. She now hates him.
Her mother also has a drinking problem, but an illness is at the root cause of this. In the '50s and '60s, drinking is a secret problem, never to be spoken about. But her mother because of her illness does a lot of stumbling and slurring words. Laura and her sister just thought that it was a part of the drinking.
Her mother dies when she is thirteen, which leaves Laura lonely and adrift. As she gets older, she tries out drugs and drinking to drown out he insecurities. It does not work. She married young, first marriage, and moves to California where she gets involved in the art world there. Her marriage does not work out but she ultimately meets a kind man, they marry and have a daughter.
The story continues for Laura until she is in her 60s and till the end of her life from an illness that she coped with for a long time. She finds that as time goes on she is able to cope and reconcile with her thoughts and feelings about her parents. Bring closure to a lifetime of angst. She was finally able to deal with her grief and loss.
I will read just about anything that has Irish in it. I enjoyed this story, read it in one sitting. It brought forth some of the things in my childhood that were not always the best. I have overcome these things and I was pleased to see that Laura did also.
I read this book in one sitting I loved it, and I give it 5 stars!
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.
September 10, 2022
The Review
This was such an incredible story. The natural way the author was able to infuse humor, even dark humor, into such a heavy and serious subject matter was great to read, as it allowed for a more human connection to the subjects and themes the author was exploring. The heart and passion for which the author wrote were felt on every page, and the rich imagery really brought out the protagonist’s story to life in a very vivid way.
The heart of this story rests in the rich character growth that the author was able to develop. The relatability and nearly historical aspect of this narrative really brought these characters to life. The way the author was able to delve into the emotional journey that the protagonist went on was so heartfelt and allowed readers to connect to the narrative. The amazing way the author wrote this journey in a way that felt like a collection of short stories and yet made the narrative feel cohesive was truly incredible.
The Verdict
Thoughtful, captivating, and engaging, author Annie O’Neill Stein’s “Exit Wounds” is a must-read novel. The rich character dynamics and beautiful cohesion of dark humor and emotional storytelling made this a beautiful and thought-provoking journey. I am truly honored to have been able to read this novel. I learned recently that the author had recently passed, but the family had wanted to keep pushing and promoting the author’s work as the book launched, and I hope you all will join me in supporting the author’s literary work and her family as this story sees the light of day.
This was such an incredible story. The natural way the author was able to infuse humor, even dark humor, into such a heavy and serious subject matter was great to read, as it allowed for a more human connection to the subjects and themes the author was exploring. The heart and passion for which the author wrote were felt on every page, and the rich imagery really brought out the protagonist’s story to life in a very vivid way.
The heart of this story rests in the rich character growth that the author was able to develop. The relatability and nearly historical aspect of this narrative really brought these characters to life. The way the author was able to delve into the emotional journey that the protagonist went on was so heartfelt and allowed readers to connect to the narrative. The amazing way the author wrote this journey in a way that felt like a collection of short stories and yet made the narrative feel cohesive was truly incredible.
The Verdict
Thoughtful, captivating, and engaging, author Annie O’Neill Stein’s “Exit Wounds” is a must-read novel. The rich character dynamics and beautiful cohesion of dark humor and emotional storytelling made this a beautiful and thought-provoking journey. I am truly honored to have been able to read this novel. I learned recently that the author had recently passed, but the family had wanted to keep pushing and promoting the author’s work as the book launched, and I hope you all will join me in supporting the author’s literary work and her family as this story sees the light of day.
September 13, 2022
This novel so reminds me of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance and Kathryn Harvey's Butterfly. It's a story about a girl, Laura, growing up in a shabby environment and eventually becoming a successful woman with a loving family of her own. Her suffering, her endurance and her choices in life were told in her own point of view. It sure is empowering and enlightening of the events that occurred in her life. The way Laura handled or mishandled it and the consequences that she has to accept is so heart wrenching at times.
I am amazed at how realistic the events that happened in Laura's life, especially when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, leading to her death. It sure seemed as though it is the author's biography but fictionalized. The little details, the grief and loss all felt as though the author has experienced it first-hand. If you are looking for some heroine drama to read, this is definitely the right pick.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this lovely e-ARC. I have enjoyed reading Laura's journey. It is devastating to know that the author, Annie O'Neill Stein, has just passed away before the release of her debut novel. May her soul rest in peace.
I am amazed at how realistic the events that happened in Laura's life, especially when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, leading to her death. It sure seemed as though it is the author's biography but fictionalized. The little details, the grief and loss all felt as though the author has experienced it first-hand. If you are looking for some heroine drama to read, this is definitely the right pick.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this lovely e-ARC. I have enjoyed reading Laura's journey. It is devastating to know that the author, Annie O'Neill Stein, has just passed away before the release of her debut novel. May her soul rest in peace.
October 13, 2022
Quick Take
Exit Wounds is one of the most heartbreaking yet truthful and gritty novels I have ever read. Annie O'Neill Stein writes with such grace and a unique voice that makes the story truly one of a kind. This novel will stick with you for days to come.
Tell Me More
Exit Wounds by Annie O'Neill Stein takes the reader inside the mind and the life of a woman named Laura. The novel itself follows Laura from a child up through adulthood, and features insight into her struggle with drugs and promiscuous sex, as well as the relationships that she finds herself struggling with throughout her life. From the beginning of the novel, we are invited into Laura's mind, and the reader can't help but empathize with her.
Annie O'Neill Stein has such a unique voice as an author. I found that she could portray serious subjects with dark humor, while still highlighting the seriousness of the events. I flew through Exit Wounds because it was so easy to read, and by empathizing with Laura, I found myself reflecting on my own life. Reading Exit Wounds was cathartic, and I can't help but feel changed upon finishing the novel.
I tend to judge novels on how strongly they make me feel, and I honestly can say that Exit Wounds swallowed me whole. The characters and storyline were so complicated and realistic, that I had a hard time reminding myself that they were fictional. Laura's complicated life story was multidimensional and so abstract that I could read the novel multiple times and still discover new aspects of her. The best novels are those that can be read multiple times and reveal something new to the reader each time and Exit Wounds does just that.
Upon finishing the novel, I still find myself thinking about Laura and her triumphs and tribulations. The beauty of Exit Wounds is how in depth the characters and storyline were, and how deeply they embedded themselves in my psyche. This novel is one of a kind, and a beautiful piece of work that will create a unique reading experience for anyone who reads it. It is truly a work of art.
Exit Wounds is one of the most heartbreaking yet truthful and gritty novels I have ever read. Annie O'Neill Stein writes with such grace and a unique voice that makes the story truly one of a kind. This novel will stick with you for days to come.
Tell Me More
Exit Wounds by Annie O'Neill Stein takes the reader inside the mind and the life of a woman named Laura. The novel itself follows Laura from a child up through adulthood, and features insight into her struggle with drugs and promiscuous sex, as well as the relationships that she finds herself struggling with throughout her life. From the beginning of the novel, we are invited into Laura's mind, and the reader can't help but empathize with her.
Annie O'Neill Stein has such a unique voice as an author. I found that she could portray serious subjects with dark humor, while still highlighting the seriousness of the events. I flew through Exit Wounds because it was so easy to read, and by empathizing with Laura, I found myself reflecting on my own life. Reading Exit Wounds was cathartic, and I can't help but feel changed upon finishing the novel.
I tend to judge novels on how strongly they make me feel, and I honestly can say that Exit Wounds swallowed me whole. The characters and storyline were so complicated and realistic, that I had a hard time reminding myself that they were fictional. Laura's complicated life story was multidimensional and so abstract that I could read the novel multiple times and still discover new aspects of her. The best novels are those that can be read multiple times and reveal something new to the reader each time and Exit Wounds does just that.
Upon finishing the novel, I still find myself thinking about Laura and her triumphs and tribulations. The beauty of Exit Wounds is how in depth the characters and storyline were, and how deeply they embedded themselves in my psyche. This novel is one of a kind, and a beautiful piece of work that will create a unique reading experience for anyone who reads it. It is truly a work of art.
December 22, 2022
The entry wounds occur in Laura’s childhood where she, favorite daughter of her father, learns that love isn’t simple, and fists will bruise her mother. She wants the simple household of television lives, but instead she’s begging the priest to come and stop the fight. And a few Our Fathers and Hail Marys won’t help.
There’s another world in Laura’s life, the richer world of her mother’s family, with all its varied uncles and aunts, grandfather, assorted priests, and presents under the tree. And there’s a bleakness waiting, in a future wounded by the past, as promised in the intriguingly worded prologue to Annie O’Neill Stein’s Exit Wounds.
Chapters of the novel read almost like short stories, bringing the reader close, but not too close, to characters and place. Laura, deflowered while drunk. Laura and her daughter – “She wouldn’t lean on her or lie to her. But she would appropriately omit.” Child Laura growing old. Until what’s left, almost triumphantly, is the “saying goodbye, making peace…”
This novel could be depressing, but, oddly, it isn’t. Its characters could be abject failures, but instead they are real human beings, wounded by life, and quietly, slowly, healing those exit wounds left behind by the past. It’s an absorbing tale with a powerful sense of self, time, place, and what truly matters, and it’s a really good read.
Disclosure: I was given a preview edition and I offer my honest review.
There’s another world in Laura’s life, the richer world of her mother’s family, with all its varied uncles and aunts, grandfather, assorted priests, and presents under the tree. And there’s a bleakness waiting, in a future wounded by the past, as promised in the intriguingly worded prologue to Annie O’Neill Stein’s Exit Wounds.
Chapters of the novel read almost like short stories, bringing the reader close, but not too close, to characters and place. Laura, deflowered while drunk. Laura and her daughter – “She wouldn’t lean on her or lie to her. But she would appropriately omit.” Child Laura growing old. Until what’s left, almost triumphantly, is the “saying goodbye, making peace…”
This novel could be depressing, but, oddly, it isn’t. Its characters could be abject failures, but instead they are real human beings, wounded by life, and quietly, slowly, healing those exit wounds left behind by the past. It’s an absorbing tale with a powerful sense of self, time, place, and what truly matters, and it’s a really good read.
Disclosure: I was given a preview edition and I offer my honest review.
October 12, 2022
Oooh.... this is short, but it packs a punch. It truly is a shame this author has passed away because I would have really liked to see what she did next with this one being so outstanding. It's small but mighty, full of sadness, anger, and grief, but tinged with humor and lightness at just the right times and doesn't take away what the story is at the core. I flew through this in one afternoon and wow. It was pretty damn great.
September 28, 2022
Wow! I started this book and immediately fell in love with how tangible the characters feel, as friends and as extensions of myself.
Annie is one of the best kept secrets of our time, pouring her soul on pages that can live in this time period or many moons before and those to come.
Annie mirrors her work- EVERLASTING and ETHEREAL.
Annie is one of the best kept secrets of our time, pouring her soul on pages that can live in this time period or many moons before and those to come.
Annie mirrors her work- EVERLASTING and ETHEREAL.
June 5, 2024
"Why did the man cut the toilet seat in half?" Great opening line! Some may have heard this joke before, I hadn't!
This novel considers an abusive, drunken father, resentful of his wife's family's wealth. The story is told from the point of view of their middle dauther, Laura. Chapter by chapter Laura comes of age, from early childhood, all the way to old age. We walk with Laura through ups and downs, love and loss, sickness and health, decisions good and bad colored by her childhood trauma.
Stein's narrative is at turns expressive, emotional and raw, pulling no punches. It's a good read.
This novel considers an abusive, drunken father, resentful of his wife's family's wealth. The story is told from the point of view of their middle dauther, Laura. Chapter by chapter Laura comes of age, from early childhood, all the way to old age. We walk with Laura through ups and downs, love and loss, sickness and health, decisions good and bad colored by her childhood trauma.
Stein's narrative is at turns expressive, emotional and raw, pulling no punches. It's a good read.
October 7, 2022
Wow!
The product of what we might call a dysfunctional family; a volatile, and abusive father with a propensity for "drink" and a mother who seeks solace in the bottom of a bottle, Laura is something of a daddy's girl, his shadow, until one day she and her two siblings witness something that will change Laura's view of him forever.
It wasn't the plot that made this book for me, indeed, certain aspects put me in mind of several other novels. It wasn't even so much the characters, though love them or hate them, they made for great reading. For me it was the writing that made it such a fantastically memorable read.
The heart and passion with which the author writes, the what feels like the pouring of her very soul onto the page, the rich imagery and brutal honesty, the mix of dark 'Irish' humour and stark, raw emotion, the way she unfailingly depicts how early trauma vies with memories of happiness and joy.
If I was seeking to criticise anything it would have been that a lot was covered {some 40 plus years} in a fairly short novella of just over 200 pages but I can't say I felt at all robbed in the way I so often do with short reads; no, Exit Wounds was worthy of each and every one of the five star I awarded it.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... Read and reviewed on behalf of a publicist, the thoughts are mine and mine alone. No financial compensation was asked for nor given
The product of what we might call a dysfunctional family; a volatile, and abusive father with a propensity for "drink" and a mother who seeks solace in the bottom of a bottle, Laura is something of a daddy's girl, his shadow, until one day she and her two siblings witness something that will change Laura's view of him forever.
It wasn't the plot that made this book for me, indeed, certain aspects put me in mind of several other novels. It wasn't even so much the characters, though love them or hate them, they made for great reading. For me it was the writing that made it such a fantastically memorable read.
The heart and passion with which the author writes, the what feels like the pouring of her very soul onto the page, the rich imagery and brutal honesty, the mix of dark 'Irish' humour and stark, raw emotion, the way she unfailingly depicts how early trauma vies with memories of happiness and joy.
If I was seeking to criticise anything it would have been that a lot was covered {some 40 plus years} in a fairly short novella of just over 200 pages but I can't say I felt at all robbed in the way I so often do with short reads; no, Exit Wounds was worthy of each and every one of the five star I awarded it.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... Read and reviewed on behalf of a publicist, the thoughts are mine and mine alone. No financial compensation was asked for nor given
February 22, 2023
Depressing! But good.
June 20, 2023
Gritty Irish family drama that reads like a memoir; short chapters made it feel like an essay collection. What it lacks in story it makes up for in writing style.
October 12, 2022
This starts out being a story of a dysfunctional family and the children torn apart by their parents’ alcholism, fighting and generally not being present for their for their children. Laura, as the middle child of the family, who was crazy about her father, and then takes on the role of taking care of her mother. Her mother dies after a longish illness when Laura is only thirteen and she somehow blames herself.
Yet, despite her terrible start in childhood, followed by incredibly bad choices, Laura manages to make a success of herself. The story takes us to the end of her life, where looking back on all the pain, she manages to sort through all the pain of her past and be emotionally healed.
The author’s writing style is incredible and the story flowed so smoothly despite the sometimes dark subjects that she dealt with. There were flashes of that typical Irish humour despite the raw emotions that were so beautifully expressed. At times the writing felt almost autobiographical.
This is such a moving and heartbreaking story and one that felt so real and relatable. It’s the story of the triumph of the human spirit over everything else!
Yet, despite her terrible start in childhood, followed by incredibly bad choices, Laura manages to make a success of herself. The story takes us to the end of her life, where looking back on all the pain, she manages to sort through all the pain of her past and be emotionally healed.
The author’s writing style is incredible and the story flowed so smoothly despite the sometimes dark subjects that she dealt with. There were flashes of that typical Irish humour despite the raw emotions that were so beautifully expressed. At times the writing felt almost autobiographical.
This is such a moving and heartbreaking story and one that felt so real and relatable. It’s the story of the triumph of the human spirit over everything else!
October 6, 2022
This is an amazing debut novel by Annie O'Neill Stein. Her voice is unique and unmistakable, not easily confused with any other voices in modern literature. It's the story of Laura, a woman who started life as a young girl living in an abusive alcohol-driven family and her ultimate triumph as she wove her way through life. The story is not a happy pretty one, but it's damn funny given Stein's wry and caustic wit. She has a unique way with words. I'm a slow reader but actually read the entire 200 + pages in one, albeit long, sitting. It's that interesting and yes fun in a bizarre way. I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews