Nesting
One afternoon, Ciara grabs a few things, packs up her young daughters, and takes them away from her husband Ryan. She’s not sure where to go, but home isn’t safe. She lands at a hotel in Dublin that houses women fleeing abusive relationships. From there, she navigates the dizzying maze of finding work and services, managing young kids, and staying strong while her husband alternately begs her to return and further drives her into the ground. Because leaving is one thing, but staying gone proves to be the real challenge.
This was a heart-wrenching and realistic portrayal of the difficulties of leaving abusive relationships, particularly because it focused on the emotional abuse and coercive control that keep people stuck. With children in the mix, the complications and challenges multiply. A testament to the strength of women who walk away with nothing but hope for themselves and their children.
This post may include affiliate links. That means if you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Please see Disclosures for more information.
Publisher’s Description
An extraordinary and urgent debut by a prize-winning Irish writer, Nesting introduces an unforgettable new voice in fiction.
On a bright spring afternoon in Dublin, Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision that will change everything. Grabbing an armful of clothes from the washing line, Ciara straps her two young daughters into her car and drives away. Head spinning, all she knows for certain is that home is no longer safe.
This was meant to be an escape. But with dwindling savings, no job, and her family across the sea, Ciara finds herself adrift, facing a broken housing system and the voice of her own demons. As summer passes and winter closes in, she must navigate raising her children in a hotel room, searching for a new home and dealing with her husband Ryan’s relentless campaign to get her to come back. Because leaving is one thing, but staying away is another.
What will it take for Ciara to rebuild her life? Can she ever truly break away from Ryan’s control – and what will be the cost?
Tense, beautiful, and underpinned by an unassailable love, hope and resilience, this is the story of one woman’s bid to start over.