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Kala
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
22 posts | 16 read | 11 to read
A gripping literary page-turner from a rising Irish talent in which former friends, estranged for twenty years, reckon with the terrifying events of the summer that changed their lives. In the seaside village of Kinlough, on Irelands west coast, three old friends meet for the first time in years. TheyHelen, Joe and Mushwere part of an original group of six inseparable teenagers in the summer of 2003, with motherless, reckless Kala Lanann at its white-hot center. But later that year, Kala disappeared without a trace. Now remains have been discovered in the woodsincluding a skull with a Polaroid photo tucked insideand the town is both aghast and titillated at reopening this old wound. On the eve of this gruesome discovery, Helen had reluctantly returned for her fathers wedding, the world-famous musician Joe had come home to dry out and reconnect with something authentic, and Mush had never left, too shattered by the events of that summer to venture beyond the counter of his mothers caf. But when two more girls go missing, they are forced to confront their own complicity in the events that led to Kalas disappearance. Ultimately, they must do what others should have done before to stop the violent patterns of their towns past repeating themselves once again. In cracklingly vivid prose, Kala brilliantly examines the sometimes brutal costs of belonging, as well as the battle in the human heart between vengeance and forgiveness, despair and redemption.
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squirrelbrain
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Pickpick

This was the first book I read on my hols and, probably because I had such high hopes after seeing the author speak, I was ever so slightly disappointed that it didn‘t quite live up to my expectations.

I still liked it, but it was very violent and I didn‘t feel particularly connected to either the characters or the setting so it felt like I skimmed along the surface rather than being engrossed in the story.

Content warning below ⬇️

squirrelbrain As well as the violence against humans there is serious violence against animals, specifically dogs. 2mo
squirrelbrain @TrishB - take note of the warning if you plan on reading this. ⬆️ 2mo
TrishB Oh I was thinking about this one today when I chose one off my kindle. That puts me off completely though. The humans fine….thank you 😘 2mo
squirrelbrain @TrishB - I can tell you where it is if you do want to read it - it‘s not throughout the book. 2mo
julesG @TrishB 😁 can understand it. Don't touch the animals 2mo
48 likes5 comments
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kellock
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Pickpick

Really enjoyed it.

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Kboltz
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Mehso-so

I did like Kala, Helen and Mush as characters but the different views as you go through this story to find out what happened to Kala did not make me think that something really jaw dropping was going to occur…and it didn‘t. Set in Ireland, this mystery was too uneventful for me and at the end…ok I‘m done. 🫤 I did finish it so three stars it gets. 🫤🫤🫤

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kellock
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Next up . . . Another 99p purchase. I've heard good things.

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LittlebearReads
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Pickpick

This one‘s a wild ride! While “Kala” is primarily a rather dark mystery, Walsh also plays with time and the linear structure thereof in a really neat way.

Elizabeth2 This one was good. Really dark and gruesome, but gripping. ❤️📚 5mo
Cathythoughts I enjoyed this too 👍🏻♥️ 5mo
8 likes2 comments
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LapReader
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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From my building‘s book swap a while back.

thebacklistbook Quick question with your address for the swap which of the first numbers split by the slash is unit number? 5mo
thebacklistbook Thank you 5mo
38 likes3 comments
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Elizabeth2
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Pickpick

Kala is told both in the past - the story of 6 teenagers coming of age when one of them goes missing, and the present the POV of 3 of these friends as they grapple with the past and uncover the secrets of the small Irish town where they grew up. It is intense, very dark, but beautifully written. Slow at first, it then had me on the edge of my seat as the mystery is unraveled. The ending was not entirely satisfying. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 /5 ❤️📚 …more⬇️

Elizabeth2 I listened to this on audio and it was excellent. Three different narrators tell the story in their Irish brogue. It did get a little confusing when the story shifted between past & present. *trigger warnings* make sure you check them out before reading if you have triggers. This book is violent, intense and very dark. Trigger warnings are spoilers though. 10mo
Elizabeth2 Trigger warnings: animal abuse (graphic), suicide, alcohol abuse, incest (mild), bullying, drug use, violence (graphic), human torture. 10mo
26 likes2 comments
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jlhammar
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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A few new acquisitions!

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Elizabeth2
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Wow! I‘m about 80% through this audiobook. It‘s very dark, and I‘m on the edge of my seat! Lots of trigger warnings for this one, so make sure you seek those out if you have subjects you don‘t want to come across in your reading. A few are posted in the first comment. They are spoilers, so only look if you have triggers. ❤️📚

Elizabeth2 Triggers: animal abuse, suicide, human torture, alcohol abuse, incest, attempted rape, graphic violence 10mo
32 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Elizabeth2
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Listening to this on audio as I clean today. I‘m embracing audiobooks more this year, in an attempt to get more reading in on my busier days. A group of friends, now in their 30s, grappling with the aftermath of one of their group going missing when they were teens and a town that‘s full of its own secrets. I heard the audio of this book was a good one with 3 narrators, and beautiful Irish brogue and proper place name pronunciation a plus!

Jari-chan Audio books make chores so much more fun! 10mo
Elizabeth2 @Jari-chan they really do! 🙂 10mo
27 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Gissy
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Yes!!!! 🙌Perfect, amazing selection @MidnightBookGirl for the #JolabokaflodSwap23 I‘m so happy with this book and the chocolate 🍫 perfect 😋Beautiful card🎄😍

Thank you🥰

Also, thank you to @MaleficentBookDragon for another amazing JolabokaflodSwap
📖 🍫💚❤️💚

MidnightBookGirl I‘m so glad you liked it! I have the audio on my TBR bc it looked so good! 11mo
49 likes1 comment
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Tove_Reads
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Sad and proud at the same time. I usually never bail, but now I‘ve done it twice. Simply could not get into the way the story was written in the tagged one. Decided it‘s not worth reading even though I wanted to know whodunnit. The other one‘s writing style was too pretentious for me. So, I‘ve finally learned to bail!!!!

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Lesliereadsalot
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Pickpick

Really liked this book although it took me forever to finish it. We go back and forth with a group of six Irish teens, finding out who they were at 15 and who they are now. There are a lot of secrets in this small town, with the most important one being who murdered one of the six. By the end of the book, the characters are indelibly etched in your mind.

Chelsea.Poole I saw this on the NPR best of the year list. Great review, stacked 😊 12mo
10 likes1 stack add1 comment
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VRM1975
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
Mehso-so

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TheEllieMo
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

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Cathythoughts
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Loving Kala , the characters growing up..grown up. We move back and forth through their lives. This thriller , this crime book, I could quote so much of it. I‘ll quote one character whose life is kind of ‘ perfect ‘ now , and yet he is lonely

‘ Lonely for the warmth of human imperfection‘

The humanity , characters voices intermingle , fused , their desire to be one , the gang, at times I have to backtrack unsure who is speaking
Excellent book

squirrelbrain Great review - I have this on Kindle too, although goodness knows when I‘ll get to it. 13mo
Cathythoughts @squirrelbrain It‘s really good !! 👍🏻 13mo
Tamra Fabulous review - I can‘t wait to read this one! 😍 13mo
See All 8 Comments
Cathythoughts @Tamra It‘s dark , but I loved it. 13mo
Tamra @Cathythoughts I‘m on a looongggg hold for the audio via the library. 😬 13mo
Cathythoughts @Tamra I hope it comes in for you sooner …🤞🏻 13mo
Lesliereadsalot Picking it up tomorrow! 13mo
Cathythoughts @Lesliereadsalot I hope you will enjoy. Look forward to your thoughts ❤️ 13mo
55 likes3 stack adds8 comments
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EverydayImReading
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Pickpick

I very much enjoyed this novel. The story unfolded beautifully as the story is told by Kalas friends. Each chapter is told by a different character and each voice is unique. At times it got confusing for me and some chapters had those dreaded “Booker prize gimmicky prose” tricks that I detest. Despite that it flowed well and far better than any B prize book that I‘ve read and that was because it had an actual story and characters I cared about

Cathythoughts Great review. I‘m about to start it … 👍🏻😊 13mo
22 likes1 comment
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Amiable
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Mehso-so

A thriller set in Ireland about a missing girl and the secrets that her friends have kept for 20 years? I wanted to like this book. But it seemed like nothing much happened for the first 175 pages—and then when it finally picked up, the plot lines were unnecessarily convoluted and all over the place. Glad I borrowed this one from the library.

Cinfhen Yup! It was hard to get into this one 1y
55 likes1 comment
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Angitron
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Just started this one and I am already GRIPPED!!

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Bookbuyingaddict
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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On offer today in the UK 🇬🇧 for kindle at 99p excellent 👌 reviews ready Teddy ….. buy 😆 your welcome 🤗 😆

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Cinfhen
Kala: A Novel | Colin Walsh
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Pickpick

Beginning in 2003, we meet a group of HS students high on life and each other. Kala the fierce ringleader is the glue that holds the crew together and then one night she simply vanishes leaving the rest of her friends lost & pained. Now 20 years later the group reunites but old resentments & suspicions still remain. A mix of suspense, mystery and coming of age. #BorrowNotBuy #GoodNotGreat

Cinfhen **Animal cruelty ** can be skipped over 1y
58 likes2 stack adds1 comment