The Lesser Bohemians
Eimear McBride"The Lesser Bohemians is every bit as stylistically resourceful as Girl, every bit as urgent and authentic. It is also more well-rounded, better... As for the content, it is equally harrowing, but the pain is leavened by headiness and hope... The Lesser Bohemians is a full-on sensory experience — and another superlative achievement." - Toby Lichtig, The Wall Street Journal
One night in London an eighteen-year-old girl, recently arrived from Ireland to study drama, meets an older actor and a tumultuous relationship ensues. Set across the bedsits and squats of mid-nineties north London, The Lesser Bohemians is a story about love and innocence, joy and discovery, the grip of the past and the struggle to be new again.
A captivating story of passion and innocence, joy and discovery set against the vibrant atmosphere of 1990s London over the course of a single year, The Lesser Bohemians glows with the eddies and anxieties of growing up, and the transformative intensity of a powerful new love.
"In both books, language alternately delights and devastates, twisting without turning into a gimmick; instead, the beauty of grammatical function is on display… McBride’s second novel is often about excitement and possibility… I found myself almost embarrassed to be devouring it, hoping for the happy ending I was not expecting of McBride or either of these characters." - Vice