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Nora Webster
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
* * * Shortlisted for the 2014 Costa Novel Awards and the 2015 Folio Prize * * * Nora Webster is the heartbreaking new novel from one of the greatest novelists writing today. It is the late 1960s in Ireland. Nora Webster is living in a small town, looking after her four children, trying to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. She is fiercely intelligent, at times difficult and impatient, at times kind, but she is trapped by her circumstances, and waiting for any chance which will lift her beyond them. Slowly, through the gift of music and the power of friendship, she finds a glimmer of hope and a way of starting again. As the dynamic of the family changes, she seems both fiercely self-possessed but also a figure of great moral ambiguity, making her one of the most memorable heroines in contemporary fiction. The portrait that is painted in the years that follow is harrowing, piercingly insightful, always tender and deeply true. Colm Tibn's Nora is a character as resonant as Anna Karenina or Madame Bovary and Nora Webster is a novel that illuminates our own lives in a way that is rare in literature. Its humanity and compassion forge an unforgettable reading experience. 'A profoundly gifted world writer' Sebastian Barry
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Bookwormjillk
Nora Webster | Colm Taoibain, Colm T Ibin
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Pickpick

Nora is a new widow and mother of four when we meet her. Not only is she dealing with grief she must make changes to support her family. This book was a quiet look at life in Ireland around the 60‘s. The audiobook was beautifully read. Four stars.

56 likes6 comments
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Anna40
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

We meet Nora immediately after her husband‘s death. Two daughters are away in school, two boys are with her. Nora now has to navigate life without Maurice, and loses some of her freedom as she starts working and carrying the burden of responsibilities alone. Wonderful, intimate portrayal of a woman in her mid forties whose life is suddenly uprooted by loss. Beautifully read by Fiona Shaw

Gissy Sold! 🙋🏽‍♀️And added it to wish list❤️ (edited) 10mo
Anna40 @Gissy 🤓 10mo
26 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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kspenmoll
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Today‘s #libraryhaul OMG! As usual I went way way overboard. 7 books I requested through our #interlibraryloansystem arrived all at once; the rest I could not resist. 2 books are new- will read them first. Others can be renewed. Beautiful sunny day with slight wind- wonderful day to be out & about.

tpixie 🥳🥳🥳 13mo
5feet.of.fury That‘s a STACK 13mo
Suet624 Katherine! That‘s a lot! 🤣🤣🤣👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 13mo
Meshell1313 😮🙌 13mo
BarbaraBB The tagged book is fantastic 🤍 13mo
72 likes5 comments
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aa_guer2021
Nora Webster | Colm Taoibain, Colm T Ibin
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Pickpick

It sure has been a journey in my #bookspin BINGO board. The latest foray was to Ireland 🇮🇪🍀 and a widow having to navigate life having lost her other half. Being recently married, the thought is unbearable, but this is told in such a quiet, atmospheric and painterly way, that it was enjoyable. Her choices (the good & the bad), her children and the growth in the characters was well done. Life moves on. #recentlyread #nospoilers @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Great review!! 3y
20 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Ncostell
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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I‘m celebrating St. Patrick‘s Day with Nora Webster. I read Brooklyn several years ago and have been meaning to get to this one. Now seems like the perfect time! Happy St. Patrick‘s Day! 🍀

Aims42 I‘m about 50 pages into “Brooklyn” and I love his writing style 🥰 I‘m stacking this work by him too! 🍀💚 3y
Ncostell @Aims42 Brooklyn was a good one! I haven‘t read too far in Nora Webster yet but some of the characters from Brooklyn are mentioned in the beginning of this book. Keep a look out for Nora‘s name in Brooklyn, I‘m pretty sure he mentions her in passing.🍀 3y
Aims42 @Ncostell That‘s fun! I love when authors do that 😍 I‘ll keep an eye out for her 3y
See All 6 Comments
Aims42 Nora Webster made her appearance!!! 3y
Ncostell @Aims42 Oh good! I almost want to go back to Brooklyn and see if I can find it 😀 3y
Aims42 @Ncostell haha, I won‘t say anything 🤐 3y
50 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Suet624
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

This is the 2nd book in a row that I‘ve read about the death of a loved one & they couldn‘t be more different in tone and in my emotional investment. Nora‘s husband dies, leaving her with 4 children and a life that now must be slowly and completely revamped. Toibin takes his time with the story and you sit alongside Nora as she discovers herself and eventually moves through her grief. I felt a bit removed, but still enjoyed the story. #bookspin

Leftcoastzen This is on my TBR mountain. 4y
TheAromaofBooks Great review!! 4y
Suet624 @Leftcoastzen it was on mine for ages too. Best part of quarantine is reading my TBR. 4y
See All 11 Comments
Suet624 @TheAromaofBooks thank you. And thanks for getting it off my shelf. This book spin concept is 🔥 4y
BarbaraBB Great review. I loved it when I read it. 💔 4y
BarbaraBB I read it in after a similar feeling book too. 4y
Suet624 @BarbaraBB thanks for the recommendation. I‘ve stacked it. 4y
TheAromaofBooks haha thank you! So simple, yet it works! I love seeing people get so excited about reading books they were meaning to read anyway! 😂 4y
ValerieAndBooks Mrs. Bridge is good but probably should read this one first — did you, @BarbaraBB ? 4y
BarbaraBB @ValerieAndBooks I didn‘t. I read it afterwards and enjoyed it less actually. I don‘t think you need to read Mr first, but I‘m not sure! 4y
ValerieAndBooks @BarbaraBB it‘s been a while since I‘ve read both, so you may be right about the order...but I do agree I liked Mrs. Bridge more. 4y
49 likes3 stack adds11 comments
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Erofan
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

The second book finished for #EasterExtravaganza #Readathon 📘

Nora Webster recently lost her husband. She was left with four children and now must learn to live again! This novel presents the real life, everyday thoughts and actions of the heroine. There are no dramatic twists. This is a simple story, told in a calm measured tone. 🍀💔🎶

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Kazzie
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
Pickpick

Great writing. Meandering story, but good insight into 1960s-70s Ireland

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Cinfhen
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

My first Colm Toibin! This book was gifted to me by a very special friend and I recognize why she thought I‘d appreciate Nora. (Which I absolutely did) Nora is a young widow, mother/ sister in a small Irish village where she‘s been since birth and everyone has come to see her in a certain light. As Nora starts to make small changes they create big ripples for those around her. It‘s a quiet read with plenty of strong character development. 👇🏼

Cinfhen Thank you so much @BarbaraBB for believing in me and helping me recognize my own inner strength xx I feel truly blessed to call you a friend 😘 5y
Cathythoughts Lovely review! Sounds very good ♥️👍🏻 5y
Kalalalatja Great review 👌 5y
See All 18 Comments
TrishB Great review 💜 5y
JennyM ♥️ - sounds a lovely read 5y
ClairesReads I liked this one too 5y
Tex2Flo You always have such pretty flowers in the image! 5y
BarbaraBB I am so happy you recognized the strength! 💜 5y
Cinfhen Thanks all!! This was a slow read but I appreciated Nora‘s inner strength and resolve to stand on her own and the fact that @BarbaraBB sent it to me at a time when I was feeling a little down really resonated xx I think you would all enjoy @JennyM @TrishB @Cathythoughts maybe not so much you @Kalalalatja 😂😂 5y
Cinfhen My #FridayFlowers bring me so much joy @Tex2Flo thanks for noticing them 🥰 5y
Cinfhen Have you read other books by Colm Toibin @ClairesReads ???? I just ordered this one 5y
Kalalalatja I already read it, and only gave it a so-so, so you are correct 😂😂 but I do know the feeling of the right book at the right time, and I can appreciate it for being that to you 💕 5y
LeahBergen Lovely review (and lovely flowers)! 😘 5y
Cinfhen I agree about right book/ right time @Kalalalatja BTW: did my package arrive yet??? I mailed it about 3 weeks ago 😘 5y
Cinfhen Thanks so much @LeahBergen 💜 5y
Kalalalatja I got a notice it is ready to be picked up from the PO, and plan on doing it tomorrow 👍😘 (edited) 5y
Cinfhen Glad it‘s not lost 😊 @Kalalalatja 5y
ClairesReads @Cinfhen I‘ve read a couple but not that one- look forward to hearing what you thing 5y
112 likes6 stack adds18 comments
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Bubbly_D
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
Pickpick

Very fascinating story. Greatly enjoyed reading and am a huge Colm Toibin fan!

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Cinfhen
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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What a WONDERFUL surprise!!! A special note with a lovely book from a very caring friend. Thank you so much @BarbaraBB the note meant so much to me along with your thoughtful gift. I‘m curious to see why you chose this particular book❤️As always, I‘m extremely grateful. #LittensAreTheBest

BarbaraBB I am happy you received this one so quick! I bought it because it is a favorite of mine and I read somewhere you‘d like to read this author. I hope you‘ll enjoy it once you get to it 💕 5y
Cinfhen I‘m looking forward @BarbaraBB I‘m so grateful for your sweet gesture 😘😘😘 5y
BarbaraBB You know why! 5y
GatheringBooks that looks lovely! i love book people! 🧚🏼‍♀️🥰😍📚💕 5y
86 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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wallacereads
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Next up in my quest to #readmyowndamnbooks.

Crazeedi Curious what you think of this book when done 5y
wallacereads @Crazeedi - I thought it was okay...nothing really happens so I had a hard time staying engaged. 5y
Crazeedi @wallacereads exactly, just rather meh, right? I read another book by him, Brooklyn, and had the same opinion. And I heard his books were so great🤨 5y
31 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Corar
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

Not the kind of book I usually pick up, but I have a challenge where I am reading books recommended by President Obama. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed listening to this story about a recently widowed mother in 1960s Ireland. The audio book narrator (Fiona Shaw) was excellent.

9 likes1 stack add
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Felso
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Finished~ It is such an amazing feeling when you read the perfect book at the perfect time in your life. This book, and Nora the main character, have given me so much to ponder. Even though Nora is a fictional character, I feel close to her and that I‘m not alone.

42 likes3 stack adds
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Felso
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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I bought this last summer, finally getting to read it. Nora and I are going through the same thing now. We‘ll see how things turn out for her.

MaureenMc 💗💗🙏 6y
41 likes1 comment
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mklong
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

My Toibin binge continues with Nora Webster. This one follows the recently widowed Nora as she grieves and tries to put her life back together. Nora isn‘t always the best company, she tends to either act rashly, with little thought for repercussions, or not at all. She also maddeningly wavers on and doubts even the smallest decisions. All of that though makes her feel real and alive on the page. Not my favorite of Toibin‘s work, but still a pick.

LeahBergen Nice review! 6y
Reviewsbylola I️ loved Brooklyn but this one bored me to tears. The pacing seemed off. 6y
mklong @LeahBergen Thank you! 6y
mklong @Reviewsbylola I can see that. I spent a lot of the book wondering if anything was really going to happen. I think the mundanity of it was intentional though. The big drama of Morris‘s early death happened before the book even started and this is the struggle for normality in the aftermath. I suppose that doesn‘t make it not boring though. 6y
Reviewsbylola I️ don‘t always mind slower books, especially when there‘s a focus on character development, but something about this just didn‘t click for me. 6y
44 likes5 comments
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BarbaraBB
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

This is the subdued story of Nora Webster after the death of her husband. She is weighed down with a grief that she doesn't know how to deal with. She is critical, contemplative and thinks carefully about how to move forward. Slowly you see how Nora creates space for other things in life, like a new hairstyle, tentative friendships, music and being able to form her own opinion on the political situation in Ireland in the 1960s. #favourite

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AmberB1
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
Mehso-so

I loved listening to this book because of the narrator's Irish accent. In fact, for days after, I kept finding myself pronouncing some words with the same accent.

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Kalalalatja
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Mehso-so

Nora and I didn't really get along. I couldn't really feel for any of the characters, and it was all just a bit too slow for me. It didn't help that this Danish translation had a lot of spelling errors also. In spite of all this it still had some beautiful moments and it is probably a very realistic portrait of grief, even though I think it could have been done differently.

#MarchMadness

JenP Oh that's too bad. I didn't pick it to move on but plan to read it for another reading challenge. I'm hopping that I like it more 7y
Kalalalatja @JenP I hope so too! Every reader is different, so It's a possibility. Also I don't know how much it effects the reading experience that it was a translation 7y
Reviewsbylola I agree with everything you said. I really wanted to love it but I couldn't wait to be finished and done with it. 7y
Kalalalatja @Reviewsbylola my feeling exactly! 7y
60 likes4 comments
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Kalalalatja
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Next book for the #MarchMadness reading challenge. I would probably never have picked this book up if it wasn't for the reading challenge. But it actually does sound pretty good, so hopefully this will be a good read 🤞

#currentlyreading

Reviewsbylola This was a little slow for me. I wanted to love it like I did Brooklyn. 7y
Kalalalatja @Reviewsbylola it is pretty slow for me too. I am only four chapters in, and I am not completely sure what the point is yet. 7y
60 likes2 comments
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AmyJ
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
Mehso-so

Not a favorite, but an interesting narration on the path grief and coping.

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Books_Wine_Repeat
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

Nora Webster struggles to come into her own after her husband dies and she's left to care for her four kids on her own. I love Nora. She's brave, lonely at times and unsure of her future. Her realization that she 'neglected' her two younger kids and left them with a relative in order to care for her dying husband is heart wrenching. This was my first Colm Toibin. Love it!!❤❤

Soubhiville What an intriguing name the author has! I'll look for this, thanks for reviewing! 7y
lynneamch Loved Brooklyn, so bought several more by him. Didn't know which to read next. So, now I'll pick this one. Thanks! ☺ 7y
Books_Wine_Repeat @Soubhiville Yw! The author is Irish. 👍 @lynneamch Yw! I have Brooklyn and still haven't gotten around to it. 😬 7y
Soubhiville @lynneamch @Books_Wine_Repeat The Master is a Book Riot deal of the day! Just bought it. Thanks for bringing this author to my attention 😊📚 7y
Books_Wine_Repeat @Soubhiville Awesome! Thanks! That's on my wish list. 📚🎉 7y
74 likes7 stack adds5 comments
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Cydster61
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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3 likes1 stack add
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Cydster61
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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I'm going away for the weekend. My husband walked past my bag and thought for a moment I was reading Uncle Tom's Cabin in Gaelic.

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JenP
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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I actually have tons of books that would meet #titlewithapropername tag but this is one I'll be reading soon for #litsyatoz

I love Colm Toibin and have had this on my TBR since it came out.

Suet624 I love his books as well 7y
JenP @Suet624 have you read this one? 7y
Suet624 Nope it's on my TBR pile. 7y
25 likes1 stack add3 comments
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JenFischS
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Lunch break at work! PB&J + a new book to read = a happy me!! 🙃📚

4 likes1 stack add
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Mamashep
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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On the book club list and because of Brooklyn, I had to pick this one up at the library book sale.

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LWagoner
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
Pickpick

Colm Toibin has a beautiful and easy writing style. The words just flow. I found the story of Nora Webster very human. It was sad at times and then I would find myself laughing and cheering Nora on as she adapted and moved on with her life. Her spunk and grief were real.

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debmast
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

I liked it (still like Brooklyn more I think). Love the way Toibin writes and character development. I find myself invested in his characters, even the ones I don't particularly like!

Jess_Read_This Yes! I completely agree with your summation! 8y
2 likes1 comment
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Jess_Read_This
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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Pickpick

As I'm slowly reading each book he has written, I am getting more and more respect for him as a writer. He crafts a plot and characters so easily. The rhythms gently flow and yet there is a rawness to each of the characters that I can't explain how to replicate. Brilliant author!

10 likes2 stack adds
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Galo
Nora Webster | Colm Toibin
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I enjoyed Brooklyn. Let's give Nora Webster a try!