SYNOPSIS
1924. Blinded in an attack in the aftermath of Irish independence, Rose Raven is living quietly with her brother. When she discovers he’s involved in anti-government propaganda, she tells no one, even her lover Rudy. When Ultan dies, Rose is the only person who knows where the shameful truth is hidden. Charting the dangerous first years of the Irish Free State, the novel tells the story of Rose’s secrets, every one of them a risk to the success of the new Ireland.
REVIEWS SUMMARY
‘A superbly crafted novel that grabs the attention from the outset and releases it only at the end, it conveys with great skill – probably better than any history book could – the conflicting, crisscrossing, complex loyalties of so many families caught up in those high-octane, dangerous times.’ – Brian Maye, The Irish Times
‘A compelling tale of intrigue and tragedy. Timeless.’ – Irish Independent
‘A consistently beautiful stream of imagined descriptions’ – Sunday Business Post
‘A pacy plot, lyrical writing and compelling characters.’ Sunday Independent
‘An engrossing, enlightening, beautiful novel.’ – Jennifer O’Connell, The Irish Times
‘Appealed to me on so many levels, from the subtlety of the prose, to its lyricism… a web of intrigue, love, loss and betrayal that keeps you hooked right up to the end’ – Eileen Dunne, RTE Culture ***** Review
‘Cunningham manages that rare trick of being both exciting and reflective.’ – Summer reads, Sunday Independent
WHAT OTHERS WRITERS ARE SAYING
‘This elegant, supremely crafted novel continues to beguile, its magic unceasing until the . . . stunning final denouement.’ Patrick McCabe
‘Cunningham’s novel is lyrically tender, but grows into a forensic distillation of nationalist and religious fault-lines.’ Dermot Bolger
‘Freedom is a Land I Cannot See is an intriguing, satisfying and beautiful novel about love, loss, truth and courage.’ Ciarán Collins
‘A masterful novel that will never leave you’ Julia Keller, Pulitzer Prize winning writer