In the wilds of Donegal, Ireland, 1999, Saoirse is an artist living an outwardly idyllic life. Her tender husband Daithí and two beloved daughters are regular subjects for her work, and in them she has found the safe home that she has always longed for. She tends not to talk about her past, and those that love her have learned to accept that the full story is too painful for her to disclose.
When her Dublin exhibition unexpectedly wins a prestigious award that invites a swarm of publicity, Saoirse is left panic stricken. The unanticipated recognition threatens to expose a decade's worth of buried memories and past crimes. Because what her family and friends don't know is that Saoirse has been on the run since she was seventeen, she has stolen an identity to survive, and whilst Ireland might now be her home, it wasn't her first - and now her past life is poised to reclaim her.
The novel weaves between flashbacks to a complicated childhood in Michigan, and Saoirse's journey to and in Ireland to forge safety for herself.
Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubuse was published on 26 February 2026 by Eriu / Bonnier Books. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour
Saoirse is a quietly powerful novel that explores identity, survival, and the complicated space between reinvention and deception. Set largely in the rugged landscape of Donegal in 1999, this is a story that unfolds with a steady, thoughtful pace, revealing its emotional depth layer by layer.
Saoirse herself is a fascinating central character. An artist living what appears to be a peaceful life with her gentle husband Daithí and their two daughters, she seems to have found the stability and belonging she longed for. Her family are not only the centre of her world but also the focus of her art, and there’s a tenderness in these domestic scenes that grounds the novel beautifully. Yet from the beginning there is a quiet sense that Saoirse is holding something back. She avoids speaking about her past, and her family know not to ask questions, they do not push for more information.
Saoirse has an art exhibition in Dublin which wins a prestigious award, and along with that comes publicity that begins to feel like a threat to her privacy. The author handles this tension with great skill, gradually revealing why Saoirse lives with such caution. Through a series of flashbacks, the narrative moves between rural Ireland and Saoirse’s earlier life in Michigan, offering glimpses into a childhood and adolescence that shaped the woman she has become.
My mother was from Donegal and I spent every summer of my childhood there, so the setting was very familiar to me and the author has brought the place to life on the page, Donegal is wonderfully evoked. The wild, coastal landscape feels almost protective, yet also isolating, just like Saoirse’s own emotional state. It’s easy to imagine how someone seeking safety might choose such a place to disappear into, and the contrast between the quiet Irish community and the memories of America adds an extra layer of intrigue.
What stood out most for me was the complexity of Saoirse as a character. She is not always easy to understand, but she is entirely compelling. Her decisions, often made in moments of pressure or fear, reflect someone who has spent much of her life simply trying to survive.
This is an evocative and absorbing novel about the weight of the past and the fragile nature of the lives we build for ourselves. Thoughtful, unsettling at times, and deeply human, Saoirse is a memorable read that lingers long after the final page. I’d happily recommend.
Michigan, USA.
She is a teacher and artist as well as a writer, and her short fiction, essays and poetry have appeared in various publications.
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