In Anne Enright’s potent eighth novel, 23-year-old freelance writer Nell McDaragh is inspired by the grandfather she never knew, a famous Irish poet named Phil. Nell’s mother Carmel has complicated feelings about her father—Phil left her family when she was growing up, just as her mother was sick with cancer. The Wren, the Wren flips between the three generations, revealing how Phil’s absence and life’s work impacted Carmel and Nell. Both mother and daughter reckon with their connection to a man whose celebrated public image stood in direct contrast to his messy private life. Enright, a master of family narratives, creates a powerful and disquieting meditation on the relationship between parents and their children. —Annabel Gutterman
Buy Now: The Wren, the Wren on Bookshop | Amazon
Looking for more book recommendations? Sign up for Worth Your Time
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- How Far Trump Would Go
- Why Maternity Care Is Underpaid
- Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
- Saving Seconds Is Better Than Hours
- Why Your Breakfast Should Start with a Vegetable
- Welcome to the Golden Age of Ryan Gosling
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time