I thought that this book was fabulous! Beautiful prose, realistic and stunningly sculpted characterisation and a clever plot which was poignant, thought-provoking and fascinatingly well-crafted.

Star the Sea is compelling, moving and poetic and yet is also exciting, inventive and stunningly clever. O'Connor uses many interesting devices as he pieces together his narrative and despite this the story is seemlessly composed creating a masterpiece plot.

His characters are all incredibly vivid and you are drawn in as a reader to identify with each of them even in the midst of their pain and their weaknesses.

The historical backdrop of this novel is incredibly moving and O'Connor manages to tell a deeply emotive tale without the merest trace of sentimentality, melodrama or sensationalism. Indeed the beauty of his prose balances the stark, grim detail outlined regarding poverty and the suffering of the starving.

And amidst all of this is a terrific whodunnit which keeps you guessing until the very end. Brilliant!