The Carnival at Bray

Starred review from September 15, 2014
In 1993, 16 year-old Maggie and her family move from Chicago to small-town Ireland with the latest of her mother's romantic partners. Moving to Bray, Maggie leaves behind warm, practical Nanny Ei and beloved Uncle Kevin, a 26-year-old who plays in a band, sneaks her into grunge rock concerts and makes himself responsible for Maggie's musical education. Arriving in Ireland, Maggie finds that she's no better at fitting in with the girls of St. Brigid's than she had been at her old school. Instead, she forms a loose web of connections with local figures: Dan Sean, a Bray legend at 99, whose home becomes a refuge for Maggie in times of family conflict; Aine, the bookish classmate with whom Maggie reluctantly goes on double dates; and Eoin, the gentle boy with whom Maggie falls in love. The narrative subtly and carefully interweaves peer and family drama-much of it involving troubled Uncle Kevin-with the highs and lows of the grunge music scene, from the transformative glory of a Nirvana concert to the outpouring of grief around the death of Kurt Cobain. Every character, every place comes alive with crisp, precise detail: Maggie's heartbroken mother "howling along in an off-key soprano" to Joni Mitchell's Blue, Dan Sean welcoming Maggie with a Cossack's hat and a hefty glass of port. Powerfully evocative. (Historical fiction. 14 & up)

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September 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-This promising debut, set in the heyday of grunge, tells the story of Maggie Lynch, a displaced Chicagoan and grunge music fan, living in a quiet town (Bray) on the Irish Sea. Maggie was uprooted from her friends, her music scene, and her beloved Uncle Kevin when her romantically fickle mother married her latest boyfriend, resulting in a move to his hometown. During her time of difficult adjustment to Ireland, Maggie falls in love with Eion the very moment a devastating loss hits her family, leading to rebellion and a journey to Rome to see Nirvana and fulfill Uncle Kevin's wish for her. Foley sets the scene vividly, writing that Bray has a "soggy sort of grandeur" and weaving in the tiny cultural differences that Maggie has to navigate as an American. The narrative voice is clear and compelling, but Maggie often makes decisions that feel incongruous to her character. She has an independent spirit, but Eion only joins her on the journey because she needs a rescue. A self-professed Nirvana fan, which is critical to the plot, she never seems to like the band as much as she is trying to impress Uncle Kevin. However, the secondary characters are complex and sympathetic: Foley has also populated Bray with a host of quirky, loving, and memorable background characters, which enriches the story. Recommended for teens who enjoy travelogue romance stories or novels about rock music.-Susannah Goldstein, Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2015
Gr 9 Up-When 16-year-old Maggie's mother decides to marry someone she just met and move the family from Chicago to Ireland, Maggie is unsure what to expect. Leaving behind her beloved Uncle Kevin and grandmother, Maggie is slow to make friends in the rural town of Bray, though her eight-year-old sister quickly assimilates. Maggie finds refuge with a 99-year-old neighbor and falls for a boy who works in the local pub her mother and stepfather frequent. When Uncle Kevin suddenly dies, Maggie runs away in order to fulfill her uncle's dying bequest to attend a Nirvana concert in Rome. Music is a pervasive theme; it's 1993 and Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, and the grunge movement play key roles in the story. Erin Moon perfectly captures the lilting Irish dialects while clearly differentiating among voices. Portions of Irish folksongs are performed beautifully. VERDICT The themes of dysfunctional families, moving, first (and awful) sexual experiences, and rebellious music will resonate with teens. Give this to fans of "This Song Will Save Your Life" by Leila Sales (Farrar, 2013). ["Promising debut": "SLJ" 9/14 review of the Elephant Rock book.]-"Julie Paladino, formerly of East Chapel Hill High School, NC"

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.