Deirdre Madden had lurked under my radar until Remembering Light and Stone, but even then I was sceptical. It wandered aimlessly yet I was happy to be carried along by the strength of its sensual language and melancholic introspection. But surely this is just a one hit wonder! Luckily for me, this genre - one of my faves - seems to be exactly Madden's wheelhouse.

Over the course of a day, we're taken through years of relationships and history as the protagonist reveals her memories like a colour linocut. True feelings are hinted at just beneath the surface. There are lots of thinking and monologues but it never stagnates. There are some of my favourite archetype characters like the Illusive Successful Chameleon Friend and the Academic Aesthete, and the semi/less-successful Outsider who forms an unlikely relationship with them and catalogues it all. In a lesser writer, I would've rolled my eyes, but Madden elevates it all.

Even now as Madden subtly establishes herself as one of my potential faves, I struggle to pinpoint her elusive mastery. But mastery it really is, and I'll have to start expanding my Madden collection. ( )

A particularly poignant journey through one woman's thought-world. As an artist and playwright the unnamed narrator takes us through the longest day of the year, June 21st - which also happens to be the birthday of her long-time friend Molly Fox, explaining the title. It is a lovely contemplative story that brings insight into how eventful an uneventful day can really be. "Molly Fox's Birthday" is a keen analysis of how the seemingly mundane can trigger deeply moving and impactful moments in one person's life. From her thoughts in the early morning hours to contemplating how to deal with her own troubled romantic relationships the story is like one of the bees making it's way from flower to flower in Molly Fox's front garden. It is beautifully written in a strong Irish tradition reminicent of Oscar Wilde or James Joyce. It is a wholly feminine narrative that proves itself worthy of the multiple literary accolades. While charming and intriguing it is a story that brings to light the hidden life that plays out in everyone's mind through their thoughts however scattered they may first appear to be. A wonderful study in mindfulness!

I am very grateful for having been awarded this book through a GoodReads GiveAway! ( )

A gentle, slow-paced character-based novel that takes place over the course of one day: the longest day of the year. Narrated by a playwright whose name we never learn, there are well-crafted reminiscences, interspersed with a few events as the day progresses.

The novel examines perceptions, the way we present ourselves to other people, and how different friends can see the same person through different lenses. Quite thought-provoking, and beautifully written. But not for people who like a lot of plot, or fast action.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2023/07/molly-foxs-birthday-by-deirdre-madd... ( )

A short novel that explores the nuances of a friendship between a playwright, actress and art critic. The novel follows the narrator's stream of consciousness over the course of a day, which happens to be her friend, Molly Fox's birthday. The narrator is staying at Molly's house while Molly is away and various people visit during the day which triggers many memories. ( )

A quiet, contemplative story of one person's reflection about the relationships among a small group of people in modern UK, largely Ireland. It's a story about Irish families as well as lives in and around the theatre. Definitely my style of book and I did enjoy it. The only problem I had was that the people seemed to belong to such a very different world to the one I inhabit. That meant I couldn't personally relate closely enough to the characters to get emotionally involved. This lack of emotional involvement is actually something I've now observed about all of the Madden novels I've read, so perhaps it is a characteristic more fundamental to Deirdre Madden's style of writing. ( )