Named a Most Recommended Book of the Season by the New York Times Book Review, Washington Post, Audible, and more.
“Nesting, Roisín O’Donnell’s gripping debut novel, contains all the twists and turns of a classic thriller… tense and propulsive from the very beginning… immersive and emotional… Like every worthy thriller, Nesting keeps the reader guessing until the end. It is rare and refreshing to read a satisfyingly suspenseful novel that exists in such a domestic sphere.”—New York Times Book Review
"Nesting is a perfect portrayal of the insidious nature of intimate partner abuse where the bruises are not physical, but violently emotional. I fell in love with the voice of Ciara as she sets out to create a new life against all odds for herself and her children. A story of bravery, love, and redemption, chock full of emotional suspense—I couldn't look away. A high-wire act of a debut."—Chelsea Bieker, author of Madwoman and Godshot
"Nesting is a haunting, deeply affecting debut novel—a gripping and unflinching exploration of coercive partner control, societal inequality, motherhood and the terrifying reality of a world closing in fast when you have no options left. An incredibly compelling tale of survival. It is as emotionally charged as it is brutally real, the writing is flawless. I was profoundly moved."—Elaine Feeney, Booker-longlisted author of How to Build a Boat
"What an extraordinary debut! I clutched this book tightly as I read, and rooted for Ciara from page one. Nesting is an unputdownable story of love, courage, and survival. I look forward to whatever comes next for Roisín O’Donnell."—Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes and The Half Moon
“O’Donnell’s thoughtful portrayal of a bad relationship illustrates how difficult it is for women to break free from a cycle of abuse.”—Washington Post, "10 noteworthy books for February"
“Though he’s the breadwinner of the family, Ciara’s husband has taken away far more than he’s provided: her financial and physical autonomy, her children’s safety, her ability to trust herself. The novel deftly portrays an insidious aspect of domestic abuse: It’s one thing to decide to leave, and it’s another to maintain the strength to stay away.”—New York Times Book Review, "20 New Books to Read in February"
“Richly drawn and multidimensional… Roisín O’Donnell’s Nesting is a tense, mesmeric and emotional story.”—Texas Public Radio / Book Public
“Nesting is one of those rare novels where the plot and writing are so powerful that a reader has to step away every now and then, just to breathe... Piercing in both its description and its insight... the book succeeds brilliantly at showing the manipulation, terror, confusion, and self-doubt of this sort of abuse—long before Ciara understands all of this herself.”—New York Journal of Books
"Striking... The mounting tension and suspense as Ciara struggles to stay free and safe make the pages fly. O’Donnell gives us a great character to root for and a portrait of her situation that is both terrifying and ultimately inspiring. An afterword confirms the impression that it’s based on research into real women’s experiences. A propulsive, nuanced, achingly real novel that will appeal to both Colleen Hoover fans and devotees of Irish fiction."—Kirkus Reviews
"Irish writer O’Donnell debuts with a wrenching and scrupulously realistic narrative... Ultimately hopeful, the narrative steers away from melodrama, offering instead a close examination of Ciara’s daily struggles and hard-won triumphs, all of which are depicted in crystalline and lyrical prose. It’s an unforgettable portrait of an all-too-common dilemma."—Publishers Weekly
“Achingly real… both maddening and entirely believable… Readers will be passionately rooting for Ciara to make it… O'Donnell's novel may inspire American readers to discuss the similarities and differences between the housing crises in the US and Ireland, and to consider how Ciara's situation might have played out differently if she was in the States.”—Book Reporter
“Nesting rejects the easy answers about leaving abusive relationships... [It is] an odyssey to find shelter, a home, and ultimately peace of mind… O’Donnell [brings] granular details to her portrait of a woman learning to live on her own terms, for herself and for her children.”—Electric Literature
“In this striking first novel by a young Irish writer... You will not be able to look away—[Ciara] is an incredible, unforgettable heroine.”—Center for Fiction / "Sense of Place"
"Such a moving, heartfilled, urgent book."—Jan Carson, author of The Raptures
"Delicate and forceful, this is a novel of constant, intelligent suspense about a broken marriage with traces of danger in it. All its characters feel justly and vibrantly true, as its plot resists cliché at every turn. A rare and outstanding work.—Joan Silber, bestselling author of Improvement
"O’Donnell tackles the unsettling cruelties and manipulations of coercive control with insight and emotional complexity. The voice is authentic, vivid and important. The final dedication to ‘anyone trapped in a place that does not feel like home’ says everything. Emotionally charged, psychologically nuanced and full of compassion and possibility, I read with my heart in my mouth."—Una Mannion, bestselling author of Tell Me What I Am
"A dazzling debut, pin-sharp in its depiction of the insidious hooks of behind-closed-doors coercive control. O'Donnell handles her heroine's pain and potential power with nuanced, page-turning aplomb. I was gripped to the end."
—Cristín Leach, author of Negative Space
"Such a beautiful and real portrayal of contemporary Dublin."—Ana Kinsella, author of Look Here
"A gorgeous, maddening, thrilling and compassionate book. Roisín O'Donnell so expertly captures the dull thud of dread and the frailty of hope. Nesting shows us that the quietest voice in the room can also be the most powerful."—Sheila Armstrong, author of Falling Animals
"Nesting is a triumph of a novel. It raced through it. A beautifully crafted, unflinching portrait of the lengths a mother must go to make a home for herself and those she loves. It will speak to so many."—Louise Nealon, bestselling author of Snowflake
"Paced like a thriller, Nesting is a deep, beautiful, hopeful meditation on trauma, healing and love."—Jessica Stanley, author of Consider Yourself Kissed
Previous Praise for Roisín O’Donnell:
'A beautiful collection from an interesting new author who handles space and time – those two bugbears of the short-story writer – with uncanny ease, fluidity and absolute grace.'—Irish Independent, on Wild Quiet
“Political and intimate”—Orange County Register
We’re thrilled to celebrate 30 years of the Women’s Prize for Fiction! Established in 1996, the Women’s Prize for Fiction is meant to “highlight and remedy the imbalance in coverage, respect and reverence given to women writers versus their male peers, creating a platform for exceptional writing by women to shine.” With previous winners like […]