Rainsongs

Rainsongs is a novel about memory, faith and love, "a compelling story freighted with heartbreak and loss" (Shena Mackay), and a meditation on the fragile, improbable ways that history, landscape and unlikely intimacies can offer quiet redemption. Newly widowed Martha Cassidy has returned to a remote cottage on the west coast of Ireland to a virtually abandoned village. Looking out her window towards the Skelligs, Martha recalls her ten-year-old son, Bruno, before his untimely death twenty years earlier. As the days unfold, she finds herself drawn into a standoff between the entrepreneur Eugene Riorden and a local hill farmer, the elderly Paddy O'Connell. As the crisis between these men escalates and Paddy suspiciously ends up in hospital, Martha develops a relationship with Colm, a talented but much younger musician and poet, roughly the same age that Bruno would have been if he'd lived. As the Celtic Tiger is reeling with change from the rhythms of an... "Newly widowed, Martha Cassidy has returned to a remote cottage in a virtually abandoned village on the west coast of Ireland for reasons even she is uncertain of. Looking out from her window towards the dramatic rise of the Skelligs across the water, she reflects on the loss of Brendan, her husband and charming curator, his death stirring unresolved heartache from years gone by. Alone on the windswept headland, surrounded by miles of cold sea, the past closes in. As the days unfold, Martha searches for a way forward beyond grief, but finds herself drawn into a standoff between the entrepreneur Eugene Riordan and local hill farmer Paddy O'Connell. While the tension between them builds to a crisis that leaves Paddy in hospital, Martha encounters Colm, a talented but much younger musician and poet. Caught between its history and its future, the Celtic Tiger reels with change and Martha faces redemptive choices that will change her life forever"--Provided by publisher Le jour baisse dj lorsquils franchissent un mur de pierres sches pour se frayer un chemin en direction dune petite baie. 'Ferme les yeux, Martha, et attends que je te dise de les rouvrir.' Puis au dtour dun rivage, il dit : 'Maintenant.' Devant eux, le ciel est en feu, rouge sang et or. Peu peu il sassombrit, devenant violet, puis noir, avant que la grande boule de feu ne tombe dans la mer. Cest sur la cte ouest de lIrlande, au sein dune nature sauvage, pre et magnifique la fois, que Martha, qui vit et enseigne Londres, est venue faire le point sur sa vie. Son mari, irlandais, brutalement dcd, possdait l-bas un cottage, dans son village natal, face locan et aux inquitantes les Skellig. Il y allait souvent seul? et elle plus rarement. Il y a la pluie, les embruns, les feux de tourbe, dincroyables couchers de soleil, les pubs enfums o tout le monde chante de vieilles balades. Et des rencontres, souvent inattendues Newly Widowed, Martha Cassidy Has Returned To A Remote Cottage In A Nearly Abandoned Village On The West Coast Of Ireland. There, She Reflects On Another Loss In Her Life: That Of Her Ten-year-old Son, Bruno, Who Met An Untimely Death Twenty Years Earlier. As The Days Unfold, Martha Searches For A Way Forward Beyond Grief, But Finds Herself Drawn Into A Standoff Between The Successful Hotel Developer Eugene Riordan And An Elderly Local Hill Farmer Paddy O'connell. As The Crisis Between These Men Escalates And Paddy Suspiciously Ends Up In The Hospital, Martha Encounters Colm, A Talented But Much Younger Musician And Poet--roughly The Same Age That Bruno Would Have Been If He'd Lived. Caught Between Her History And Future, And That Of A Rapidly Changing Ireland, Martha Is Beset With Choices That Will Alter Her Life Forever. Sue Hubbard. Includes Bibliographical References.