Big Girl, Small Town: Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award
Feb 2020 · Hachette UK
4.8star
4 reviewsreport
Ebook
320
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
SHORTLISTED FOR THE COMEDY WOMEN IN PRINT PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE ONDAATJE PRIZE
'Milkman meets Derry Girls. A cracking read' Sinead Moriarty
'A thrillingly fresh, provocative and touching voice' Marian Keyes
'Bawdy yet beautiful, full of everyday tragedy, absurdity and truth. I grew extraordinarily attached to Majella' Sara Baume
Routine makes Majella's world small but change is about to make it a whole lot bigger.
*Stuff Majella knows*
-God doesn't punish men with baldness for wearing ladies' knickers
-Banana-flavoured condoms taste the same as nutrition shakes
-Not everyone gets a volley of gunshots over their grave as they are being lowered into the ground
*Stuff Majella doesn't know*
-That she is autistic
-Why her ma drinks
-Where her da is
Other people find Majella odd. She keeps herself to herself, she doesn't like gossip and she isn't interested in knowing her neighbours' business. But suddenly everyone in the small town in Northern Ireland where she grew up wants to know all about hers.
Since her da disappeared during the Troubles, Majella has tried to live a quiet life with her alcoholic mother. She works in the local chip shop (Monday-Saturday, Sunday off), wears the same clothes every day (overalls, too small), has the same dinner each night (fish and chips, nuked in the microwave) and binge watches Dallas (the best show ever aired on TV) from the safety of her single bed. She has no friends and no boyfriend and Majella thinks things are better that way.
But Majella's safe and predictable existence is shattered when her grandmother dies and as much as she wants things to go back to normal, Majella comes to realise that maybe there is more to life. And it might just be that from tragedy comes Majella's one chance at escape.
'It's a smasher' Kathy Burke
* Michelle's latest novel Factory Girls is available now*
SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
SHORTLISTED FOR THE COMEDY WOMEN IN PRINT PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE ONDAATJE PRIZE
'Milkman meets Derry Girls. A cracking read' Sinead Moriarty
'A thrillingly fresh, provocative and touching voice' Marian Keyes
'Bawdy yet beautiful, full of everyday tragedy, absurdity and truth. I grew extraordinarily attached to Majella' Sara Baume
Routine makes Majella's world small but change is about to make it a whole lot bigger.
*Stuff Majella knows*
-God doesn't punish men with baldness for wearing ladies' knickers
-Banana-flavoured condoms taste the same as nutrition shakes
-Not everyone gets a volley of gunshots over their grave as they are being lowered into the ground
*Stuff Majella doesn't know*
-That she is autistic
-Why her ma drinks
-Where her da is
Other people find Majella odd. She keeps herself to herself, she doesn't like gossip and she isn't interested in knowing her neighbours' business. But suddenly everyone in the small town in Northern Ireland where she grew up wants to know all about hers.
Since her da disappeared during the Troubles, Majella has tried to live a quiet life with her alcoholic mother. She works in the local chip shop (Monday-Saturday, Sunday off), wears the same clothes every day (overalls, too small), has the same dinner each night (fish and chips, nuked in the microwave) and binge watches Dallas (the best show ever aired on TV) from the safety of her single bed. She has no friends and no boyfriend and Majella thinks things are better that way.
But Majella's safe and predictable existence is shattered when her grandmother dies and as much as she wants things to go back to normal, Majella comes to realise that maybe there is more to life. And it might just be that from tragedy comes Majella's one chance at escape.
'It's a smasher' Kathy Burke
* Michelle's latest novel Factory Girls is available now*
Ratings and reviews
4.8
4 reviews
Damon Oldcorn
- Flag inappropriate
May 17, 2020
A writer that really understands the life and times of her characters. This is a funny poignant story that you feel has real heart from a troubled time in history. You can't but help reading the words in the accents of their world. Astonishing debut novel, wouldn't be surprised to see the TV/Film version in short order.
1 person found this review helpful
Kath Crolla
- Flag inappropriate
October 15, 2024
Beautifully written. The Irish is captured on the page so you can hear it. The workings of Majella's mind are materfully captured. I so enjoyed it.
About the author
Michelle Gallen was born in Tyrone in the 1970s and grew up during the Troubles a few miles from the border. She studied English Literature at Trinity College Dublin. Her first novel, Big Girl, Small Town, was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, the Comedy Women in Print Prize, Newcomer of the Year at the Irish Book Awards and the Kate O'Brien Award. It was longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
