All We Shall Know
DONAL RYAN

Honesty is different from realism. One can snap a photograph and still deceive. Most novels attempt to deceive. Donal Ryan’s seem unflinchingly truthful. And lyrical. Common speech is beautiful by his pen, as are rough, common people.

All We Shall Know is the story of Melody Shee, told in her own voice, a 33-year-old married teacher, pregnant with a child her estranged husband knows isn’t his. Chapters move from “Week Twelve” through to “Week Forty” and on to “Post-partum”. Melody spends her days in the dark, with the TV on but muted. Impotent speech is one of Ryan’s consistent themes.