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The Raptures
The Raptures | Jan Carson
7 posts | 4 read | 15 to read
'ORIGINAL and COMPELLING...CHEF'S KISS!' MARIAN KEYES 'I gobbled up The Raptures . . . packed with wit and heart, and always utterly absorbing.' LISA MCINERNEY When several children from the same village start succumbing to a mysterious illness, the quest to discover the cause has devastating and extraordinary consequences. It is late June in Ballylack. Hannah Adger anticipates eight long weeks' reprieve from school, but when her classmate Ross succumbs to a violent and mysterious illness, it marks the beginning of a summer like no other. As others fall ill, questions about what - or who - is responsible pitch the village into conflict and fearful disarray. Hannah is haunted by guilt as she remains healthy while her friends are struck down. Isolated and afraid, she prays for help. Elsewhere in the village, tempers simmer, panic escalates and long-buried secrets threaten to emerge. Bursting with Carson's trademark wit, profound empathy and soaring imagination, The Raptures explores how tragedy can unite a small community - and tear it apart. At its heart is the extraordinary resilience of one young girl. As the world crumbles around her, she must find the courage to be different in a place where conforming feels like the only option available. 'Utterly compulsive and gripping . . . Jan Carson is a true original. An absolute must read. Outstanding.' ELAINE FEENEY 'Heart-rending, hilarious . . . it's a belter' LOUISE KENNEDY 'Blistering...glorious...written from the guts and from the heart.' LUCY CALDWELL 'One of the most exciting and original Northern Irish writers of her generation' SUNDAY TIMES Darkly funny, highly inventive and deeply moving, The Raptures is an unmissable novel of 2022.
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blurb
erzascarletbookgasm
The Raptures | Jan Carson
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Lovely timing..this book came in the post today. Who do I thank? 🥰

erzascarletbookgasm @Cathythoughts ? @LeahBergen ? I have forgotten your clues 🔎 2y
LeahBergen That one‘s not from me but it‘s an Irish writer, so maybe…. 😆😆 2y
Cathythoughts @LeahBergen and Detective Leah 🕵️‍♀️ is correct. It‘s from me Jessie. I hope you will enjoy as I did. Happy belated birthday 😘 2y
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BarbaraBB Happy belated birthday Jessie! I sent you a little something with BD, it should arrive one of these days too ❤️🤞🏽 2y
erzascarletbookgasm @Cathythoughts thank you so much dear Cathy, I look forward to reading it. ❤️ 2y
erzascarletbookgasm @LeahBergen 😂 Cathy is my main suspect..but I had to ask 🤣. Thank you Detective Leah 🔎😉 2y
erzascarletbookgasm Thank you Barbara! ❤️I‘m excited! @BarbaraBB 2y
LeahBergen @erzascarletbookgasm That‘s right; you never know! 😆 I hope you had a lovely day. ❤️❤️ 2y
66 likes1 stack add9 comments
review
TrishB
The Raptures | Jan Carson
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Pickpick

Set against a tragic happening to a group of young school children, this book does manage some funny, small town moments.
Very real claustrophobic atmosphere and real moments of insight into growing up, acceptance and loneliness.
A good read - thanks Emma 😘
I would have finished yesterday but got carried away by the footie and subsequent fizz 🥂🥂

LeahBergen It‘s hard to read when you‘re tipsy. 😆 2y
Cathythoughts Nice review 👍❤️ 2y
TrishB @LeahBergen it definitely is 😂 2y
TrishB @Cathythoughts thanks Cathy- I enjoyed it 👍🏻 2y
99 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
TrishB
The Raptures | Jan Carson
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#bookhaul
Todays Waterstones purchases 😁♥️
Tagged one curtesy of @Oryx review!

Oryx Hope you like! I also have the How High We Go in the Dark one - but haven't started it yet. Sounds really good though 2y
squirrelbrain Great haul - I really want to read The Raptures too, after @Oryx review! 2y
TrishB @Oryx nothing to do with it being one of the lovely special editions 😁 2y
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TrishB @squirrelbrain it‘s been stuck in my brain! 2y
Cathythoughts Tagged book is really good 👍🏻❤️ 2y
Megabooks Nice!! 🤩 2y
Cinfhen 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💜💜💜 2y
88 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
Cathythoughts
The Raptures | Jan Carson
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Pickpick

An engaging story set in Northern Ireland, about a group of children who become suddenly ill, and the investigation to discover the source of this illness. Themes of loss , of grief, troubles ,divisions.. The North. Capturing time and place through language and details of everyday life, what it‘s like to live through troubled times. A powerful , sometimes funny, page turner that had me crying in the end.

Cathythoughts @Oryx I finally finished it. I thought it was excellent ❤️ 2y
TrishB Great review Cathy- very tempted by this one! 2y
Cathythoughts @TrishB Thanks X It‘s a great read. 2y
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Centique Great review Cathy! 2y
erzascarletbookgasm Lovely review Cathy! Stacking 👌 2y
Cathythoughts @Centique Thanks Paula😘 2y
Cathythoughts @erzascarletbookgasm Thanks Jessie! I imagine you will like it whenever you get there 😄 2y
squirrelbrain Lovely review! I stacked this when @Oryx recommended it; now you make me want to read it even more! 2y
Oryx @squirrelbrain I cannot stress enough how accurate this book is in depiction of place and people. I know the people in this book. My friend was saying she could name a real person for every character in that book. I mean, that's not always a good thing... But it's real life 😉 2y
Oryx I also liked that it was also about something other than The Troubles (directly, anyway) obviously acknowledging the massive divisions and prejudice, but the story was not focused on that. 2y
LeahBergen Another great review! 👏👏 2y
CarolynM Great review! Stacked 🙂 2y
Reggie You got me interested. Stacked! 2y
Cathythoughts @squirrelbrain I imagine you would like it Helen 😄 2y
Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Thanks Leah 😘 2y
Cathythoughts @CarolynM @Reggie Thanks ! I‘d love to hear your thoughts whenever you may get there 👍👍 2y
Tamra Stacked! 2y
CarolynM A parcel from you has arrived! I have put it away for next week. You're too kind😘 2y
73 likes5 stack adds18 comments
quote
Cathythoughts
The Raptures | Jan Carson
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A quote about Mr Gracey , the Undertaker:

Mr Gracey‘s the soul of discretion. You have to be when you work with the dead.

Centique That is a brilliant quote! 2y
Cathythoughts @Centique I think so ! This book has brilliant little turns of phrases… a good read 👍🏻 2y
Tamra Now that‘s something to pause on! 2y
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Tamra The blurb nearly reads like a period witch hunt novel, which is appealing. 😬 I‘ll keep any eye out for your review! 2y
Cathythoughts @Tamra it‘s good ! Problem is finding time to read it 🙄.... I should have a fairly free day tomorrow 🤞😄 2y
Balibee146 Look interesting... Downloaded kindle sample and waiting for your verdict 👍 2y
Cathythoughts @Balibee146 I‘m about halfway now , and it‘s a good read 👍❤️ 2y
66 likes7 comments
review
Oryx
The Raptures | Jan Carson
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Pickpick

I thought this was great. It's set in small town northern Ireland in 1993. It's about a community where a group of children start to fall ill and die. It's set from the point of view of 11-yr old Hannah. the story is inherently tragic, but the author has a great lightness to her writing. There's so much humour and love here too. And her capturing of small town protestant Northern Ireland (gossip, religion, farming) is detail perfect. Recommend!

TrishB Lovely review Emma- stacked 👍🏻 2y
rockpools It sounds great! (Already stacked ☺️) 2y
squirrelbrain What @rockpools said…I think I already stacked it when you bought it! 2y
Cathythoughts Great 👍🏻 just started this one. 2y
Cathythoughts I think it‘s good, but I‘m not a fan of the cover ! (edited) 2y
77 likes3 stack adds5 comments
blurb
Oryx
The Raptures | Jan Carson
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Ok, so I lasted a whole 11 days without buying a book this year. Oops.

I'm my defence, how could I resist a book about a girl in a small Northern Irish village in the 90s. I've heard good things about this one (tagged).

And the other is a blame it on @rockpools 😘

Plus, those covers ❤️❤️

squirrelbrain Assembly was amazing… The Raptures sounds great too…stacked! 2y
Emilymdxn Those covers are gorgeous! 2y
TrishB Loved Assembly ♥️ other one looks good! 2y
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rockpools Assembly was a blame it on @TrishB and @squirrelbrain ! And I might stack the Raptures. Enjoy 😊 2y
AmyG Hahahaha...I lasted 11 days, too. 2y
Tamra I‘m anxious to read Assembly! I‘m sure it was @TrishB 😄 2y
70 likes3 stack adds6 comments