Donal Ryan can write, he has absolutely convinced me of that with this book. He is a real craftsman, you can tell by almost every sentence: the style is ingeniously simple, at the same time efficiently expressive, and some passages are of an unparalleled beauty. In fact, the book is one long, inner monologue, by an Irish woman, a 33-year-old teacher, Melody Shee. When the story/monologue starts, Melody appears to be in the 12th week of her pregnancy. The father is not her husband, but a 17-year-old apprentice, a boy from the "Travelers’ community" whom she taught to read and write. It is immediately the end of her marriage, which was already going very badly. And we also find ourselves in Catholic Ireland where adultery and extramarital pregnancies are devilish. In other words, the book starts at an absolute low point in Melody's life; she is clearly in an existential crisis: “I don't know why I'm the way I am, or even why I am. I can't see purpose to myself, nor could I ever.” Her monologue gradually adds elements that only reinforce her negative self-image.

The tone reminded me very much of Doris Lessing's introspective novels (especially Memoirs of a Survivor), with also a bit of Albert Camus (The Fall) in it. The strongest are the moments of stillness, in which Ryan shows his impressive literary talent. Only, with this novel he clearly aimed primarily at creating atmosphere (and he certainly succeeded in that), not at analysis or in-depth. That is what makes this novel, and therefore also the character of Melody, rather superficial. Ryan, for example, brings interesting elements to Melody's dealings with the Traveler's community, but even here we remain dissatisfied. That lack of depth also explains why the ending of the story surprises us with its abruptness: Ryan finishes it with what we feel is a much too cheap catharsis. In short: with this 3rd novel, the Irish writer shows that he is certainly one of the better and more interesting writers of the moment, but unfortunately it does not meet all expectations. ( )

Because I don't have enough books on Mount TBR I signed up to Your Shelf and one of my three books was Donal Ryan's All We Shall Know. I've never read Ryan before, but his last two books got a whole heap of good press coverage and word of mouth so I figured he'd be a good place to start.
Melody, the main character and narrator, is pregnant by Martin Toppy, a seventeen year old Traveller. A boy she was tutoring. She's driven Pat, her husband away, they've spent years tearing pieces off of one another and this has been one straw too many for him. She's alone with her unborn child and her memories. Of her best friend from childhood Breedie Flynn. Of how Pat and she got together. Of her parents and the death of her mother.
It is a novel all about the damage that people can do to one another, intentionally and accidentally.
And it is a really good read. Ryan really gets inside the head of Melody and despite the fact that she does some truly horrendous things I slowly came to understand and empathise with her, to a certain extent. Her past certainly informed who she became and why she is the way she is.
But the fact of the matter is that she did take advantage of a seventeen year old boy, would the reader be so accepting of that behaviour were the sexes reversed? She was in a position of power over him as well. Okay, so technically he is over the age of consent, but it still isn't addressed in the book as much as it could be.
And then there is the depiction of the Travellers, and while for the most part it seems fair and balanced and the Traveller characters themselves all have depth and nuance, I still think that maybe their culture is a bit "othered". Ryan himself says at the end that he did ask people if they thought he did a good job in depicting them, but he doesn't seem to have asked any Travellers themselves.
But those are qualms and issues that a good book should raise, so don't think of them as complaints about the book, instead it is a good thing that the book makes the reader consider things like these.
All in all my first "Your Shelf" book was certainly one that I enjoyed and am glad I read it. ( )

This is not my kind of book; I only read it because my reading group chose it. And I'm trying to read outside my preferred genres. But I really didn't enjoy this. The opening was intriguing, and the ending more satisfying than I'd expected, but the main protagonist Melody(who narrates) is most unappealing. It's difficult to like a book when I have no sympathy for the most important person.

There are some likeable characters: Melody's father is the only one whose point of view felt poignant and real; possibly because the author is himself a father. The other person I liked was Melody's young friend Mary, although she doesn't feel entirely believable. She is sometimes gentle and full of insight; other time angry, full of foul language.

I'm glad I finally read it, and I know it's popular in many circles, but I wouldn't personally recommend it.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/08/all-we-shall-know-by-donal-ryan.htm... ( )

This was such a compelling read, not least in Ryan's utterly convincing narration as a pregnant wife in a destructive marriage.
The first sentence sets the scene- Melody Shee is a 33 year old teacher, who finds herself expecting the child of her 17 year old traveller student. Each chapter takes one week of that time: the revelation to her husband and breakdown of the marriage; an attempt to visit the baby's father...and the befriending of a young traveller woman whose own life has similarities to Melody's; and the touching visits to her elderly father.
Melody's mindset changes...the initial preoccupation with suicide; and then a return to her shrill, accusatory self in the gossip-ridden small town. And into the tale come memories of her marriage, her deceased mother and a tragic teenage drama.....
"All the marks we ever made will fade away, and all the memories of all the things we ever did will die, and it will be as though we never existed. There's no more to be done, now that we've committed our terminal atrocities. There's nothing to be felt now but a strangely blunt dissonance..."
Fabulous writing. ( )

Les chapitres sont autant une suite de numéro de semaines qui s'enchaînent : ce sont les semaines de grossesse de la narratrice, une femme d'environ 35 ans, qui a quitté le compagnon qu'elle a rencontré adolescente et qui attend un enfant d'un presque enfant, un adolescent à qui elle donnait des cours d'anglais.
Le livre est bien écrit et les personnages, bien campés, sont percutants.
L'écrivain y donne une large place aux gens de voyage, visiblement dans une tentative de mieux faire connaître leur univers et leurs modes d'existence.
Cette ambition ne s'accorde pas forcément de manière très heureuse et crédible avec l'histoire mais le talent d'écriture de l'Irlandais Donal Ryan parvient (la plupart du temps) à nous faire oublier une association quelque peu étrange. ( )