Donal Ryan’s most recent novel, The Queen of Dirt Island (2023), follows the life of Saoirse (pronounced Sor-sha for those — namely the non Irish—not in the know). The novel opens with a happy new father in the days following Saoirse’s birth. As one expects in Irish stories, loss and heartbreak quickly follow the opening scene, and Saoirse comes of age among women: her tough, stand-offish mother and her foul-mouthed, country-bumpkin of a paternal grandmother. In time a fourth generation of female joins their ranks. The Queen of Dirt Island is Saoirse’s coming-of-age tale as she makes sense of the world, finds her unique voice, and learns the meaning of true love.