Land by Maggie O'Farrell

What a fantastic book! I loved Hamnet, but wasn't that enthralled with The Marriage Portrait, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. I think I like Land even better than Hamnet — it's that good.

Beginning on an Irish peninsula in the 1860's, Land follows the lives of cartographer Tomas and his son, Liam, as they map Ireland for the British. Tomas is affected by a mysterious incident while mapping, and the local priest, who thinks he is possessed, performs an exorcism, changing the lives of Tomas and his family. 

This is a saga that maps not only Ireland, but the lives of Tomas and his family. The book is character-rich and atmospheric, as it recounts the Great Hunger that transformed Ireland and the impact of British rule on it. Beautifully written, Land is an absorbing and ambitious family saga that transports the reader back in time. 

5/5 stars.  

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