Talking Location With … M J Robotham – VENICE
#TFBookClub reads ‘Future Popes of Ireland’ set in IRELAND
20th April 2019
#TFBookClub May/June 2019
Our latest #TFBookClub outing takes us on a whimsical pilgrimage to IRELAND with Future Popes of Ireland by Darragh Martin.
‘A big-hearted, funny and sad novel about the messiness of love, family and belief’
SHORTLISTED FOR IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD
In 1979 Bridget Doyle has one goal left in life: for her family to produce the very first Irish pope. Fired up by John Paul II’s appearance in Phoenix Park, she sprinkles Papal-blessed holy water on the marital bed of her son and daughter-in-law, and leaves them to get on with things. But nine months later her daughter-in-law dies in childbirth and Granny Doyle is left bringing up four grandchildren: five-year-old Peg, and baby triplets Damien, Rosie and John Paul.
Thirty years later, it seems unlikely any of Granny Doyle’s grandchildren are going to fulfil her hopes. Damien is trying to work up the courage to tell her that he’s gay. Rosie is a dreamy blue-haired rebel who wants to save the planet and has little time for popes. And irrepressible John Paul is a chancer and a charmer and the undisputed apple of his Granny’s eye – but he’s not exactly what you’d call Pontiff material.
None of the triplets have much contact with their big sister Peg, who lives over 3,000 miles away in New York City, and has been a forbidden topic of conversation ever since she ran away from home as a teenager. But that’s about to change.
‘Think Zadie Smith. But much funnier’ – Sunday Independent
‘Very moving, highly entertaining, clever and funny’ – Sunday Times (Ireland)
‘Bulging, big-hearted, a pleasure to read’ – Irish Times
Apply for a copy to read along:
If you would like to apply for a copy to read along with us during May and early June 2019, just leave a COMMENT below and tell us whether you prefer PAPER (UK only) or DIGITAL for world readers (via Netgalley) or EITHER – by midnight 30th April 2019. The first names out of the hat on Wednesday 1st May 2019 will be sent copies of the book. After that we can all start turning the pages and share our thoughts over the subsequent weeks.
We will be in touch at the beginning of May if you are one of our lucky readers! Don’t forget, applications close midnight, 30th April 2019!
Our first thirteen outings for the #TFBookClub have seen us travel the world, seeing different locations through the eyes of authors:
- We have so far been #OnLiteraryLocation in SARDINIA with Rosanna Ley’s The Little Theatre By The Sea
- We have explored the sense of history in PRAGUE, reading Prague Nights by Benjamin Black
- We have been on a real adventure to CENTRAL AMERICA with Maile Meloy’s Do Not Become Alarmed
- We have been immersed in an intense relationship between two female writers in Exquisite by Sarah Stovell, set in NORTHUMBERLAND and the LAKE DISTRICT,
- We have met Harriet Steel’s Inspector de Silva in 1930s CEYLON (now SRI LANKA), experiencing Trouble in Nuala
- We have time-travelled to exotic GRANADA in historic ANDALUCIA SPAIN with Jane Johnson’s Court of Lions
- We have dived into the beautiful CYCLADES in GREECE with Hannah Fielding’s Aphrodite’s Tears
- We have returned to CEYLON (now SRI LANKA) with The Sapphire Widow by Dinah Jefferies
- We have gone west to CORNWALL with One Cornish Summer by Liz Fenwick
- We travelled to NORWAY, SCOTLAND and FRANCE with The Sixteen Trees of the Somme by Lars Mytting
- We were in wintry WALES with dark crime thriller Halfway by B. E. Jones
- We endured a bitter winter and murder in SWEDEN with Red Snow, another Tuva Moodyson Mystery from author Will Dean
- And most recently we have toured the artistic world – to LONDON, NEW YORK CITY, ROME & the SOUTH OF FRANCE – with The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman.
Andrew and Tina for the TripFiction team
Do come and join team TripFiction on Social Media:
Twitter (@TripFiction), Facebook (@TripFiction.Literarywanderlust), YouTube (TripFiction #Literarywanderlust), Instagram (@TripFiction) and Pinterest (@TripFiction)
Would love either paper or digital please.
a paper copy please
Digital please
Paper please! Sounds like a giggle and I’m just ready for one of those.
Digital copy please
Paper copy please.
This sounds to be a good read. Tears and laughter I think. I would love a Paper Copy please.
Sounds like a fabulous read. I would love to receive a paper copy please, if chosen.
Paper please
This sounds fun. I’d love a paper copy please.
Paper please. This sounds different to my usual type of book.
Ooh.. and a paper copy please!
Sounds grand and better than an episode of Mrs Brown any day!
I have only been to Ireland once but loved it, I would really like to read a paper copy of this book,
I’d love to read this! Sarah 🙂
Paper please, unless digital will go on an old Kindle? If so, either would be great!
It sounds a really intriguing book!
Paper please. This sounds intriguing!
Paper copy please. Sounds like a fun read.
I’d love a paper copy please x