{"product_id":"the-truth-must-dazzle-gradually-9781405935173","title":"The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTHE IMMERSIVE AND HEARTFELT EXPLORATION OF FAMILY AND LOVE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ''A beautiful bittersweet story of love, loss and families. Tears were shed!'' \u003cb\u003eGRAHAM NORTON\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ''A moving and powerful novel'' \u003cb\u003eJOHN BOYNE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ''Human, graceful and healing, a true gift of a novel'' \u003cb\u003eSEBASTIAN BARRY\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ''A beautiful story'' \u003cb\u003eSARAH WINMAN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ''Lyrical, optimistic and redemptive'' \u003cb\u003eCLARE CHAMBERS\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e''Just loved it . . . so moving on motherhood, depression, family ties and Ireland'' \u003cb\u003eANNIE MACMANUS  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e __________\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e On an island off the west coast of Ireland, the Moone family gathers.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Maeve is an actor, struggling with her most challenging role yet - as a mother to four children. Murtagh, her devoted husband, is a potter whose craft brought them from the city to this rural life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In the wake of one fateful night, the Moone siblings must learn the story of who their parents truly are, and what has happened since their first me\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA \u003cb\u003ebeautiful bittersweet story of love, loss and families \u003c\/b\u003eall set in the most irresistible of locations. Tears were shed! -- Graham Norton\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA moving and powerful novel from one of Ireland's finest new writers\u003c\/b\u003e -- John Boyne\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSuch a true gift of a novel, with its sumptuous forward momentum, and rare precision, and inspired imagery.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Truth Must Dazzle Gradually \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003egenerates a very bright light, one that is human, graceful, and healing. It's an absolute pleasure to read\u003c\/b\u003e -- Sebastian Barry\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJust loved it . . . so moving \u003c\/b\u003eon motherhood, depression, family ties and Ireland -- Annie Macmanus\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA beautiful story. \u003c\/b\u003eI was \u003cb\u003egripped\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eheld in a state of love for all the characters\u003c\/b\u003e -- Sarah Winman, \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eTin Man\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eI devoured this, falling in love with the setting and with every character \u003c\/b\u003e- and when I reached the end, I wept. \u003cb\u003eIt is just glorious.\u003c\/b\u003e A sweeping family safe and, at the same time, \u003cb\u003ea close-up on the everyday beautiful details that make up love\u003c\/b\u003e -- Emma Flint, author of \u003ci\u003eLittle Deaths\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe are seduced by the story of the star-crossed lovers\u003c\/b\u003e * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003eCullen's \u003cb\u003equietly devastating\u003c\/b\u003e second novel is\u003cb\u003e both a family saga and a careful exploration of the reality of living with mental health issues \u003c\/b\u003e * i paper *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA beautiful meditation on family life in Ireland\u003c\/b\u003e -- Elaine Feeney, \u003ci\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn \u003cb\u003eextremely moving\u003c\/b\u003e read. \u003cb\u003eHandles\u003c\/b\u003e the complexities of love, grief, family life and mental illness \u003cb\u003ewith sensitivity and depth.\u003c\/b\u003e A\u003cb\u003e truly gorgeous \u003c\/b\u003enovel. -- Ali Land, author of \u003ci\u003eGood Me, Bad Me\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIntensely moving, beautifully written and drenched with Irish atmosphere, this novel asks brave and thoughtful questions about mental health\u003c\/b\u003e * Daily Mail *\u003cbr\u003eI really enjoyed Helen Cullen's \u003cb\u003econfident voice and lyrical descriptions \u003c\/b\u003eand was relieved by the \u003cb\u003eoptimistic and redemptive ending \u003c\/b\u003eas \u003cb\u003eI had become so invested in the characters. I'll look out for more from this author\u003c\/b\u003e -- Clare Chambers, author of \u003ci\u003eSmall Pleasures\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSo wonderful on the Irish family and the utter complexity of motherhood, family entanglement and love\u003c\/b\u003e -- Elaine Feeney, poet and author of \u003ci\u003eAs You Were\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn \u003cb\u003ehonest meditation on love and motherhood\u003c\/b\u003e - this is a story of the confessions that aren't easily made; the secret hopes and desires that can feel too complicated or painful to express. \u003cb\u003eCullen is a thoughtful writer and she dissects the stubborn optimism of the human heart with skill and sympathy\u003c\/b\u003e * Irish Independent *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA compassionate portrayal of love, support and grief,\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Truth Must Dazzle Gradually\u003c\/i\u003e contains moments so recognisable to anyone who has suffered from depression that \u003cb\u003ecredit must be given to Cullen for depicting mental illness in all its senseless brutality while never exploiting it for sentimental reasons... \u003c\/b\u003eThere are many strengths to this novel, not least of which is the author's decision not to fill the pages with anguish . . .\u003cb\u003e a writer whose skill is matched by an ability to surprise with each new work\u003c\/b\u003e -- John Boyne, \u003ci\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePrecise, haunting and, above all, beautiful . . . \u003c\/b\u003ehas the twin ability to \u003cb\u003einspire you to take delight in the world\u003c\/b\u003e, yet \u003cb\u003ealso cry with the pain that unfolds in its pages . . . a book of rare quality\u003c\/b\u003e * i magazine *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eI loved this book so much . . . Gorgeous\u003c\/b\u003e -- Aisling Bea\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA powerful and poignant \u003c\/b\u003enarrative told over a lifetime;\u003cb\u003e exploring unconditional love, heartbreak and the beautiful flaws of human nature set within a family unit\u003c\/b\u003e. (Cullen) is \u003cb\u003ean astute and empathic writer and an incredible voice in Irish literature. \u003c\/b\u003eYou'll fall in love with the Moone family and they will linger in your heart long after you read the final pages -- Cat Hogan, author of \u003ci\u003eThey All Fall Down\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThere Was A Crooked Man\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeautifully-observed\u003c\/b\u003e [...] charts a family across 37 years, living through a tragedy on a remote island; portraying mental health and the fall-out around it with \u003cb\u003eenormous humanity and integrity.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eTonally reminiscent of recent Colm Tóibín\u003c\/b\u003e -- Caoilinn Hughes, author of \u003ci\u003eOrchid and The Wasp\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA beautiful novel\u003c\/b\u003e - Helen Cullen writes with \u003cb\u003esuch deft care and attention about the things that hold us together \u003c\/b\u003ewhen everything falls apart -- Rónán Hession, author of \u003ci\u003eLeonard and Hungry Paul\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSuch a tender read. Astute and compassionate, it made me cry. It's full of love. And it's quietly magnificent\u003c\/b\u003e -- Tor Udall, author of \u003ci\u003eA Thousand Paper Birds\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA perfect combination of\u003cb\u003e deeply-felt tragedy with great hopefulness\u003c\/b\u003e -- Anne Youngson, author of \u003ci\u003eMeet Me at the Museum\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA remarkable book\u003c\/b\u003e -- Joy Rhoades, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Woolgrower’s Companion\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA superb second novel that goes to places you mightn't expect but which ultimately end up making a great deal of sense. \u003c\/b\u003eIt touches on a lot thematically and doesn't ever suggest that any one life path can be a cure for severe mental illness and it does some things that... are very pleasing indeed. \u003cb\u003eI had a LOT OF FEELINGS\u003c\/b\u003e -- Claire Hennessy, author and editor of \u003ci\u003eBanshee Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLoved it. Beautiful and original\u003c\/b\u003e * Sunday Independent *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA beautifully observed saga of abandoned dreams, loss and self-discovery\u003c\/b\u003e -- Alan McGonagle, author of \u003ci\u003eIthaca\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbsolute poetry and a love letter to family and to the arts. \u003c\/b\u003eThe \u003cb\u003edepiction of depression is as accurate as any I've read and the empathy in this book is beautiful\u003c\/b\u003e -- Maggie Smith, award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eGood Bones\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eKeep Moving\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePowerful, intimate, moving - a beautiful exploration of love and family\u003c\/b\u003e -- Maria Dickenson, M.D. Dubray Books\u003cbr\u003eThis \u003cb\u003ewill touch your soul\u003c\/b\u003e * Sainsbury's Magazine *\u003cbr\u003eCullen's \u003cb\u003eatmospheric novel captures beautifully the continuity of life even at times of deepest grief.\u003c\/b\u003e If we avoid tragedy in literature, we're closing ourselves off to some of the most powerful and moving writing, as exemplified by Helen Cullen's second novel which\u003cb\u003e deals delicately and humanely with the subjects of mental health and the ravaging effects of grief\u003c\/b\u003e * Business Post *\u003cbr\u003eAn Irish novel moves from a family's joy to tragedy and back in this \u003cb\u003epoignant yet hopeful novel spanning the late 1970s to 2015\u003c\/b\u003e * Shelf Awareness *\u003cbr\u003eCullen's \u003cb\u003elyrical prose drives the immersive and heart-wrenching narrative.\u003c\/b\u003e This complex study of depression and its impact on family dynamics will lure readers * Publishers Weekly *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLove is here in spades... clear a weekend for this gorgeous read\u003c\/b\u003e * Library Journal (starred review) *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for Helen Cullen \u003c\/b\u003e * - *\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you liked \u003ci\u003eHarold Fry\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMe Before You\u003c\/i\u003e, you will love Cullen's nostalgic debut. \u003cb\u003eThis life-affirming book will draw you in and keep you there\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e * Independent *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDelightful\u003c\/b\u003e * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDeeply moving\u003c\/b\u003e * Irish Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eI found myself totally transported\u003c\/b\u003e into William's poignant and beguiling world of lost opportunities and love\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis will touch your soul\u003c\/b\u003e * Sainsbury's Magazine *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCullen's writing is precise, haunting and, above all, beautiful . . . has the twin ability to inspire you to take delight in the world, yet also cry with the pain that unfolds in its pages\u003c\/b\u003e * i *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDeals delicately and humanely with the subjects of mental health and the ravaging effects of grief . . . ultimately a hopeful read that lives long in the memory\u003c\/b\u003e * Business Post *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCullen's quietly devastating novel is both a family saga and a careful exploration of the realities of living with mental health issues\u003c\/b\u003e * i *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA thoroughly moving and frequently funny story of love and compassion\u003c\/b\u003e * The New European *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA tender and unflinching exploration of mental illness and how it can eat into the heart of a family. Full of empathy and genuinely moving\u003c\/b\u003e, a novel that \u003cb\u003ewill stay with me for a long time\u003c\/b\u003e -- Christine Dwyer Hickey, prizewinning author of \u003ci\u003eThe Narrow Land\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49083930509655,"sku":"9781405935173","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781405935173.jpg?v=1725550478","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-truth-must-dazzle-gradually-9781405935173","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}