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A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing

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About this listen

ONE OF THE SUNDAY TIMES' '25 BEST NOVELS OF THE 21ST CENTURY'

Eimear McBride's award-winning debut is an unforgettable novel from a major new literary talent.

A Girl is a Half-formed Thing tells the story of a young woman's relationship with her brother, and the long shadow cast by his childhood brain tumour. It is a shocking and intimate insight into the thoughts, feelings and chaotic sexuality of a vulnerable and isolated protagonist. The author's spellbinding reading illuminates every nuance of the text with feeling and sympathy.

The listener enters the narrator's head, experiencing her world first hand. This isn't always comfortable - but it is always a revelation

WINNER OF THE BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION, 2014; WINNER OF THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE, 2014

KERRY GROUP IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD, 2014; WINNER OF THE GOLDSMITHS PRIZE, 2014

©2013 Eimear McBride (P)2014 Faber Audio Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Scary Thought-Provoking Inspiring Tear-jerking

Critic reviews

"You only need to read the first paragraph of McBride's debut novel to know you are reading something special. She builds up images impressionistically over paragraphs and pages, and her writing has such glorious cadence that it should be read aloud." ( The Times)
"A virtuosic debut: subversive, passionate, and darkly alchemical. Read it and be changed." (Eleanor Catton, author of The Luminaries)
"Eimear McBride is that old-fashioned thing, a genius... The adventurous reader will find that they have a real book on their hands, a live one, a book that is not like any other... [it] is an instant classic." (Anne Enright, Guardian)
"A writer of remarkable power and originality." (David Collard, Times Literary Supplement)
"A brutal and brilliant debut... This book will arouse powerful emotions in anyone who accords it the respect of reading with attention." (John P. O'Sullivan, Sunday Times Ireland)
"A remarkable achievement." (John Boland, Irish Independent)
"There's an immediacy, an emotional directness as the narrator rails against a frustrating, unfeeling world. Brave, bold, brilliant." ( Daily Mail)
"Ten pages in and all the bells start ringing. It explodes into your chest." (Caitlin Moran)
"Soul-wrenchingly sad." ( Financial Times)
"McBride weaves something dazzling... She set out to pick up the experimental modernist baton from James Joyce and Samuel Beckett, and she has done just that." ( Observer)
"It truly is one of the most extraordinary things I've read in the last year." ( Harper’s Bazaar)
All stars
Most relevant
Despite it being deeply uncomfortable, I was captivated by this book. Incredible audio performance from the author herself - I recommend the audiobook to fully appreciate the style of this book. Not for the faint of heart, due to its merciless honesty, but do give this a read if you appreciate great writing

Ingenious writing- disturbing yet fascinating

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Restores faith in the possibility of originality and brilliance. Moving, vivid, compassionate, extraordinarily insightful. And outstandingly read by the author.

Genius

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trust me it's worth the listen. my advice is to set a side some time to listen as it's Irish author and performance are brilliant. it takes a moment to get into the sway. but there is the deep and loving sad story of this young girl.

authentic work.

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An amazing performance of a disturbing stream of consciousness tale of one girl's growth in small town Ireland. Horribly real.

Disturbing, compulsive

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I have struggled with stream of consciousness writing before but having the author read their own work means that you stay with the story and hear every word as it was intended. This is, quite simply, a masterpiece. If I could give it 10 stars, I would. Please, please read it.

Knockout.

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