Book #28 When All Is Said

When All is Said by Anne Griffin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I did not want this to end. This heartwarming/heartbreaking story of 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. I saw so much of me in Maurice, or was that so much of Maurice in me. This is the debut novel of Anne Griffin - hard to believe - such perfect, polished prose - put me in mind of the writing of John Boyne, in a good way. So beautifully written that I found myself subconsciously reading the dialogue with an Irish accent.

Curmudgeonly, compassionate and engaging Maurice sits at the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town. He is alone, but perhaps not so, as Maurice is finally ready to tell his story. Over the course of the evening he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him (and here I have much empathy for anyone who appreciates the perfection of Midleton whiskey...). His story is full of unspoken joy and regret - a life so poignantly laid bare...

"I am here to remember - all that I have been and all that I will never be again..."

Maurice is a character who is trying to make amends and in so doing drew a silent sob from me and tear filled eyes, come the end.

When All Is Said is a remarkable book, a real page-turner and certainly one of my top reads of 2019.

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