Publishers Weekly
★ 09/21/2020
Gallen’s sensational debut concerns Majella O’Neill, a 27-year-old on the autism spectrum who’s learned how to mimic social cues. Majella lives with her irresponsible mother, Nuala, in the tiny fictional town of Aghybogey in Northern Ireland. Situated near the border, Aghybogey was once the site of clashes between the IRA and British soldiers, and the violence continues to haunt Majella’s family in the present. Following the death of her IRA-affiliated uncle Bobby, Majella’s once-doting dad, Gerard, starts to spend more time away from home. When the book opens, he’s been missing for years, and everyone in town is talking about Majella’s grandmother Maggie, who died after being beaten in her own home during a break-in. Majella’s no stranger to having her family be the subject of gossip, as Nuala’s destructive behavior and craving for attention are often exacerbated by her drinking and Majella often ends up playing the mom. Gallen does a great job of teasing out the details surrounding Maggie’s death through Majella’s conversations with family members and her customers at the fish and chips shop where she works. Gallen’s also an expert at mixing moments of emotional intensity with mundane episodes. The plot unfolds in a series of vignettes that expand on a list of Majella’s likes (eating, Dallas DVDs, sex) and dislikes (noise, jokes, fashion), which make her outlook irresistible. Gallen’s effortless immersion into a gritty, endlessly bittersweet world packs a dizzying punch. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Best Book of 2020 “An immensely lovable debut novel . . . Gallen manages to evoke in us a wave of complex feelings. It’s the kind of magic you’ll feel lucky to find.” —Ron Charles, The Washington Post “Irish newcomer Michelle Gallen debuts with a hysterically honest and moving portrait of a young girl on the autism spectrum, her irresponsible mother, and the residents of a small Irish village just after the Troubles.”—Parade “An inventively foulmouthed gem of a novel . . . Majella, our clear-eyed protagonist, is far more than a gifted wisecracker . . . Majella is a welcome addition to the diverse family of protagonists that includes young Christopher Boone in Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Hesketh Lock in Liz Jensen’s The Uninvited, and Keiko in Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman, all of whom perceive reality through a similar lens . . . In this oddly affecting novel of everyday defeats, [Majella’s] triumph is more thrilling than any army’s victory.”—The Wall Street Journal “[Majella] is bright, earthy and funny . . . [A] brilliant comic novel.” —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Majella is a compelling character caught in a fascinating slice of time, and her journey is exquisitely rendered. With echoes of Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine crossed with the 1990s-set sitcom Derry Girls, this debut is recommended for fans of Ottessa Moshfegh, Emma Donoghue, and Sally Rooney.” —Library Journal, starred review “[A] sensational debut . . . Gallen’s effortless immersion into a gritty, endlessly bittersweet world packs a dizzying punch.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “[A] darkly comic novel . . . Majella is a nuanced and complicated heroine . . . Fans of Sara Baume's novels and the Irish TV series Derry Girls will adore this complex, clever, and deeply moving debut novel.” —Booklist, starred review “An irreverent portrait of small-town Northern Ireland . . . Uproariously funny.”—Kirkus Reviews "I loved Majella from the first page. Our relatable heroine jumps off the page like an old friend. Utterly brilliant and deliciously hilarious! With humor, wit and beauty, Gallen subtly unveils a violence and conflict that lies beneath, exploring the legacy of the Troubles and the deeply felt effects through generations."—Christy Lefteri, author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo "Fans of Milkman rejoice! Through its keen, immersive focus on the seemingly mundane routines of a Northern Irish town just after the Troubles, Big Girl, Small Town illuminates an enigmatic, violent social ecosystem. When have I read a tougher, more tender protagonist for the ages than Majella? She is an apt, heartbreaking guide through this fierce, raw, unignorable debut."—Marie-Helene Bertino, author of Parakeet "Big Girl, Small Town is a darkly funny, big-hearted novel about feeling ordinary in a tumultuous world. Set in Northern Ireland just after the Troubles, this novel is wildly charming, relatable, and downright addicting. Despite a life full of political and personal ruin, heroine Majella O’Neill is an extraordinary force of light fighting to figure it all out. Perfectly delightful and incredibly moving, you won't be able to put this book down." —Crissy Van Meter, author of Creatures “A darkly hilarious novel about small-town life . . . Wildly entertaining.” —The Guardian “Sinead Moriarty's endorsement 'Milkman meets Derry Girls' is as accurate as you'll get. But Big Girl, Small Town is even funnier than Derry Girls, while being just as fraught as Anna Burns's Booker Prize winner.” —The Irish Independent “A confident debut with a very memorable protagonist.” —The Irish Times “Engrossing.” —Image magazine (One of 8 “Must Reads” of 2020) “Bawdy yet beautiful . . . I grew extraordinarily attached to Majella.” —Sara Baume, author of A Line Made by Walking “A thrillingly fresh, provocative and touching voice.” —Marian Keyes, bestselling author of Grown Ups “It's the humour, dry and gritty, that sets Big Girl, Small Town apart . . . to think that this is Michelle Gallen's debut is astonishing, as Majella's narration is bold and assured . . . evocative, caustic and compelling.”—Sunday Business Post “A winning evocation of a small Irish community whose people burst from its pages. Engaging and satisfying.”—Daily Mail “Superb.” —Irish Examiner “Darkly funny.”—Mail on Sunday “Gallen's debut deserves comparisons with Anna Burns' Milkman for its depiction of the impact of the Troubles on a vulnerable young woman, but this terrifically imagined tender black comedy is very much its own book."—Metro “Charming . . . there is an easy warmth to Big Girl, Small Town.”—Sunday Times “Milkman meets Derry Girls. A cracking read.”—Sinead Moriarty, bestselling author of Seven Letters
Library Journal
★ 11/01/2020
DEBUT Majella O'Neill keeps a running list in her head of top 10 things she likes and dislikes. The dislikes list actually runs to a full 97 items, with subcategories, but she sometimes thinks it could be distilled to one item: other people. She lives in Aghybogey, a small village in Northern Ireland still feeling the effects of the Troubles. Working at the local chip shop, she regularly cleans up after her needy, alcoholic mother. Years have passed since the unexplained disappearance of Majella's father, and her grandmother's murder has just rattled the village. Majella finds comfort in her routines—wearing the same clothes, spending Sunday evenings at the pub, eating microwaved dinners from the chip shop while tucked into bed watching DVDs of Dallas, the greatest show ever—but is deeply shaken by the death of her grandmother. Majella is a compelling character caught in a fascinating slice of time, and her journey is exquisitely rendered. VERDICT With echoes of Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine crossed with the 1990s-set British sitcom Derry Girls, this debut is recommended for fans of Ottessa Moshfegh, Emma Donoghue, and Sally Rooney.—Julie Kane, Washington & Lee Lib., Lexington, VA
