Our book group choice for June 2024 is Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. In the quiet Irish town of New Ross, 1985, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and devoted family man, finds his ordinary life disrupted as Christmas approaches.
While making his rounds, Bill’s deliveries to the local convent reveal a disturbing secret: a young girl locked in the coal shed, a chilling hint of the Magdalene Laundries’ dark history.
Haunted by his own troubled past and the girl’s plight, Bill grapples with a moral dilemma. The community’s silence and the Church’s powerful influence weigh heavily on him, yet he cannot ignore the injustice he’s witnessed.
As the festive season unfolds, Bill must choose between preserving his comfortable life or risking everything to expose the truth and offer a glimmer of hope to those trapped in the shadows. In a society bound by tradition and fear, one man’s act of courage may ignite a spark of change. “Small Things Like These” is a poignant exploration of compassion, moral responsibility, and the enduring power of small acts of kindness in the face of darkness.
Discussion Questions
- What did you think of the length of the book?
- Was the subject matter something that could be tackled effectively in a novella?
- Could it have been a longer book? Should it?
- Does the book add anything to a subject matter that has already been extensively covered?
- Why do you think the main character was male? Did this work for you?
- How well do you think the characters were drawn? Was enough time given to them?
- How did you find the ending?
- What does the book say about Ireland today?
- Would you recommend the book?
Individual Ratings
Jo's Rating 
Hayley's Rating
Sue's Rating
DKB's Rating