Colm Tóibín presents a striking vision of the Virgin Mary as a mother wracked with grief, who is bitterly mourning the brutal death of her son
The Blackwater Lightship
Written by Colm Tóibín
- Shortlisted
- The Booker Prize 1999
- Published by Picador
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Three generations of women arrive at an uneasy peace after years of strife, in Colm Tóibín’s resonant and complex family drama
Set in modern day Ireland, The Blackwater Lightship tells the tale of Dora Devereaux, her daughter Lily and grand-daughter Helen. Declan, Helen’s adored brother, is dying. Brought together in the grand-mother’s crumbling old house with two of Declan’s friends, the characters are forced to listen to each other’s stories - funny, shocking and sad – as they come to an acceptance of each other across generational boundaries.
Colm Tóibín
Colm Tóibín is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright, journalist, critic and poet. He was born in County Wexford, Ireland
More about Colm Tóibín Other nominated books by Colm Tóibín
Colm Tóibín’s tender story of deep love and devastating loss, and of the heartbreaking choice between two sides of an ocean, personal freedom and duty
Colm Tóibín captures the exquisite anguish of a man whose artistic gifts led to triumph but whose private life was haunted by loneliness and longing
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