About the book
WINNER of the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2023
WINNER of the John McGahern Prize 2023
'Unputdownable . . . one of the best novels of the year' Sunday Independent
* * *
In the seaside town of Tramore, County Waterford, visitors arrive in waves with the tourist season, reliving the best days of their childhoods in its caravan parks, chippers and amusement arcades.
Local teenager Helen Grant is indifferent to the charm of her surroundings; she dreams of escaping to art college with her glamorous classmate Stella Swaine and, from there, taking on the world. But leaving Tramore is easier said than done. Though they don't yet know it, Helen and Stella's lives are pulled by tides beyond their control.
Following the Grant and Swaine families and their neighbours over three decades, The Amusements is a luminous and unforgettable story about roads taken and not taken - and a brilliantly observed portrait of a small-town community.
* * *
'THIS BOOK is EVERYTHING' Marian Keyes
'Flannery's flawed, hopeful characters live and grow on the page' ANNE ENRIGHT, author of The Gathering
'Quietly beautiful . . . Flannery's characters are very well drawn, as is her understanding of small-town mores and idle gossip. It's a book that leaves and impression long after the final page' IRISH INDEPENDENT
'Effortless, perceptive, and hugely entertaining - I loved it' DONAL RYAN, author of Strange Flowers
'A cracker of a book' KATHLEEN MAC MAHON, author of Nothing But Blue Sky
'Fantastic . . . we were gripped' STELLAR
'If you like dark humour, superbly drawn characters, caravan parks, fish suppers and slot machines, The Amusements is what you've been waiting for' JAN CARSON, author of The Fire Starters
'A joy to read' LOUISE NEALON, author of Snowflake
'A brilliant book. I loved meeting all these characters, who jumped off the page and stayed in my head' RÓISÍN INGLE
'Brilliant. Dramatic, heartfelt, sometimes shocking and sad' IRISH EXAMINER
Editions of Amusements
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780241994948
- EBook
- ISBN 9781844885886
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780241997185
Read an Excerpt
WINNER of the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2023
WINNER of the John McGahern Prize 2023
'Unputdownable . . . one of the best novels of the year' Sunday Independent
* * *
In the seaside town of Tramore, County Waterford, visitors arrive in waves with the tourist season, reliving the best days of their childhoods in its caravan parks, chippers and amusement arcades.
Local teenager Helen Grant is indifferent to the charm of her surroundings; she dreams of escaping to art college with her glamorous classmate Stella Swaine and, from there, taking on the world. But leaving Tramore is easier said than done. Though they don't yet know it, Helen and Stella's lives are pulled by tides beyond their control.
Following the Grant and Swaine families and their neighbours over three decades, The Amusements is a luminous and unforgettable story about roads taken and not taken - and a brilliantly observed portrait of a small-town community.
* * *
'THIS BOOK is EVERYTHING' Marian Keyes
'Flannery's flawed, hopeful characters live and grow on the page' ANNE ENRIGHT, author of The Gathering
'Quietly beautiful . . . Flannery's characters are very well drawn, as is her understanding of small-town mores and idle gossip. It's a book that leaves and impression long after the final page' IRISH INDEPENDENT
'Effortless, perceptive, and hugely entertaining - I loved it' DONAL RYAN, author of Strange Flowers
'A cracker of a book' KATHLEEN MAC MAHON, author of Nothing But Blue Sky
'Fantastic . . . we were gripped' STELLAR
'If you like dark humour, superbly drawn characters, caravan parks, fish suppers and slot machines, The Amusements is what you've been waiting for' JAN CARSON, author of The Fire Starters
'A joy to read' LOUISE NEALON, author of Snowflake
'A brilliant book. I loved meeting all these characters, who jumped off the page and stayed in my head' RÓISÍN INGLE
'Brilliant. Dramatic, heartfelt, sometimes shocking and sad' IRISH EXAMINER
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Amusements about?
WINNER of the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2023
WINNER of the John McGahern Prize 2023
'Unputdownable . . . one of the best novels of the year' Sunday Independent
* * *
In the seaside town of Tramore, County Waterford, visitors arrive in waves with the tourist season, reliving the best days of their childhoods in its caravan parks, chippers and amusement arcades.
Local teenager Helen Grant is indifferent to the charm of her surroundings; she dreams of escaping to art college with her glamorous classmate Stella Swaine and, from there, taking on the world. But leaving Tramore is easier said than done. Though they don't yet know it, Helen and Stella's lives are pulled by tides beyond their control.
Following the Grant and Swaine families and their neighbours over three decades, The Amusements is a luminous and unforgettable story about roads taken and not taken - and a brilliantly observed portrait of a small-town community.
* * *
'THIS BOOK is EVERYTHING' Marian Keyes
'Flannery's flawed, hopeful characters live and grow on the page' ANNE ENRIGHT, author of The Gathering
'Quietly beautiful . . . Flannery's characters are very well drawn, as is her understanding of small-town mores and idle gossip. It's a book that leaves and impression long after the final page' IRISH INDEPENDENT
'Effortless, perceptive, and hugely entertaining - I loved it' DONAL RYAN, author of Strange Flowers
'A cracker of a book' KATHLEEN MAC MAHON, author of Nothing But Blue Sky
'Fantastic . . . we were gripped' STELLAR
'If you like dark humour, superbly drawn characters, caravan parks, fish suppers and slot machines, The Amusements is what you've been waiting for' JAN CARSON, author of The Fire Starters
'A joy to read' LOUISE NEALON, author of Snowflake
'A brilliant book. I loved meeting all these characters, who jumped off the page and stayed in my head' RÓISÍN INGLE
'Brilliant. Dramatic, heartfelt, sometimes shocking and sad' IRISH EXAMINER
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Amusements?
Fiction > Fiction: literary and general non-genre > Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general
Where can I read a sample of Amusements?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780241994948
How long is Amusements and how many pages does it have?
Amusements has 240 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Amusements?
Aingeala Flannery
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Amusements is available as paperback(ISBN 9780241994948) and ebook(ISBN 9781844885886) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780241997185)
Where can I buy Amusements online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Amusements from below
Where can I buy Amusements?