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Close to Home
- Narrated by: Conor MacNeill
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
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Close to Home
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
WINNER OF THE ROONEY PRIZE FOR LITERATURE 2023
WATERSTONES IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE NERO BOOK AWARDS 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2023
Sean is back. Back in Belfast and back into old habits. Back on the mad all-nighters, the borrowed tenners and missing rent, the casual jobs that always fall through. Back in these scarred streets, where the promised prosperity of peacetime has never arrived. Back among his brothers, his ma, and all the things they never talk about. Until one night Sean finds himself at a party – dog-tired, surrounded by jeering strangers, his back against the wall – and he makes a big mistake.
'Staggeringly humane, unfaltering, taut and tender... [It] feels like that rarest of things: a genuinely necessary book' Guardian
'Every detail rings true, every character is fleshy and real and heartbreaking... Michael Magee has a remarkable talent' Sunday Times
What listeners say about Close to Home
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Charlotte
- 23-06-24
Really made me think
This book made me really reflect on poverty and the cycles that people find themselves in. Whilst it tackled some really heavy themes it never felt hopeless.
I would recommend this book and think that the audio version is one of the best performances I’ve heard on Audible in a long long time!
Incredible!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Deirdre
- 23-07-23
Outstanding
A bruise to the heart. The story and the narration will stay with me for a long time.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 01-04-24
Beautiful and authentic
Didn’t want this to end! A very real immersive depiction of working class life in Belfast
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- judemunro
- 19-04-24
Excellent writing describing perfectly a place and time I know well.
I loved this book! I no longer live in the north but it brought back a wonderful time in my life, the reality of the situation,the darkness we dealt with and the humour we used to deal with it. Thank you for this.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael Murnane
- 16-04-23
Highly recommended
I thought this book was great - I really enjoyed it. You root for Sean to find his way.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 14-04-23
Great story captured by an excellent narrator
I really enjoyed this debut by Michael Magee and thought the narration really brought it to life. 10/10 would recommend
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- RONAN O'CALLAGHAN
- 02-02-24
Authentic and skilful writing
I’m only half way through but can’t wait to say how pleased I am with what I’m hearing. I grew up in west Belfast myself, albeit a long time ago (I’m nearly 70) and I’m enjoying so much the authentic speech and vivid sense of place, both geographically and in the distinctive culture.
You can’t escape the mountain - it’s at the bottom of every street. When the ma occasionally sells a painting it’s “Madonna, Gerry Adams, somebody’s Alsatian ..” Superbly observed. I’ll come back when it’s finished to share more.
A perfect reading from Conor MacNeill - what a relief they got somebody able to get the accents right while also reading with near flawless intelligence.
PS Just finished it and sorry it's over. Some people had said it's one of those books where nothing happens. i can understand their point but what does happen is much closer to life than in typical plots. It's not banal though.There are some very tense situations and in fact a lot of tensions underpin all of the everyday stuff. But it's more about gradually revealing more and more of the emotional core of the main characters and the histories which have moulded them. A couple of scenes really caught me off guard and brought tears to my eyes.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Child psychotherapist
- 18-04-23
Stunning first novel
This is one of the most authentic and artful books set in and about Belfast I’ve read. Just like Belfast itself it is frightening, beautiful, entertaining, clever, subversive, witty, harrowing and really funny.
The narration is also brilliant.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- FB
- 02-02-24
Immersed fro the start
An engaging story, great characterisation. Memorable and could not stop listening. Hope to have more from this author soon.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 22-03-24
Great listen
Love the story, would definitely recommend. Can't wait for more books. The guy reading was great
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