Fleeing the nest

A tale of building a new life after an abusive relationship makes for an impressive debut.

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Why don't you just leave him? It's the all-too-frequent question asked of women suffering domestic abuse, put only by those who have never experienced the crippling fear, the abnegation of self-worth, the constant anxiety about children, money, a safe place to live. But Ciara Fay, pregnant for a third time, does extricate herself and her young daughters, Sophie and Ella, from the control and aggression of husband and father Ryan, and the challenges of her escape and the building of a new life make for compelling reading. Irish writer Roisín O'Donnell has won awards for her short fiction but this is her debut novel and she impresses.