Summary: An autobiographical novel set in 1960s Ireland, this irresistible story follows the rise and fall of the O’Feeney family, seen through the eyes of a precocious little girl. More savage than civilized, Noleen is a rare character from a Dublin long forgotten, where Nelson’s Pillar still stands in O’Connell Street?but not for long?and where untamed musicians gather in the O’Feeneys’ kitchen to raise a jar and the roof. Noleen’s father, a successful actor and scoundrel king of the city, does his best to destroy his family, while her mother tries to save it. Noleen schemes to make it through each Dublin day, cadging sweets and growing tough in the midst of chaos. In the end, however, nothing?not even a fierce girl’s powerful imagination?can hold the family together and keep them, safe as geese in the sky, in their home on Tolka Row.
"What Malloy does in remembering this journey is brave and honest, and the child-like spirit and voice she so skillfully captures are truly remarkable." - Irish America
“As magical as a fairy tale and just as grim, Honor Molloy’s Smarty Girl pierces the heart with its pure Irish song.” - Brown Alumni Magazine
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