** A copy of Foster by Claire Keegan was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **

Foster is the second Claire Keegan book I've read and I can safely say Keegan writes beautifully . To tell such rich stories in 'small' books is a superpower. Foster is a story that will break your heart and put it back together. Highly recommend!

In this beautiful story a girl is sent to stay with childless relatives when her mother is about to give birth again. She finds this 'foster' couple expressively loving in a way her parents are not and don't have the time to be and before long favours them over her own. She learns a good deal in this coming-of-age tale about a time in rural Ireland which no longer exists and suffers both joy and heartbreak. There is something wonderfully old fashioned about the way this story works but in the end it has a very modern subtlety as well.

This short book is memorable...lasting...wondering...thinking...imagining...what might happen next...the little girl is sent to family when her own family becomes too large...her mom is expecting another baby...eventually, the little girl goes home...it is sad that she gets to experience what could be and then has to go back to what is. This is a talented and gifted author at weaving a cannot put down story...few words...but a huge impact. I want to read more from this author. The book was sent to me by Netgalley for review, and I thank the publisher for the electronic copy. This book is different...it is not what we expect...don't miss this...

This is my first experience reading Claire Keegan. Foster was a beautiful experience - quiet, simple and entirely moving.

Claire Keegan has a way of capturing the smallest pieces of your heart with such few words that you don't realize how dazzling her heartfelt stories are until you reach the end and just let out a sigh of relief/pleasure that such beautiful words exist to be read.

Foster will break your heart and piece it back together and I promise that it is a story you will not forget.

This isn't a book to share with the children at school but is definitely one I'll be lending to friends and colleagues.

Foster is the story of an unnamed child who is taken, by her father, to stay with a couple on a farm. She doesn't know them or how long she will be staying but she settles and is shown love and care that she doesn't seem to have experienced before. Unsurprisingly, this has a huge positive effect on her.

The voice of the child in this is incredible and so believable. I also loved how real the couple she stays with seem. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

It's easy to think that when a book is this small (96 pages) that it's unlikely to have much of an impact but Foster is the most exquisitely beautiful, small bundle of perfection that worms it's way into your core before you have even realised it's finished.

This short but perfectly formed story, set in rural Wexford in the 1980s, follows an unnamed little girl as she is sent off to live with distant relatives while her mother gets ready to give birth to yet another child. As the story moves on we see her realise there's a whole world of care, love, affection and comfort that she didn't even realise she was missing.

It's quite striking how much Keegan says within these pages while actually saying very little at all. It's quite a hard book to write about as it's one that evokes so many feelings from each individuals own interpretations. For example, for me, leaving the little girl unnamed I feel added so much to the sense of her apparent insignificance at the start.

A gentle yet powerful book overflowing with life's pain yet also it's beauty. Not a single word is wasted and every sentence is so meaningfully crafted and delivered straight to the heart.

What comes first in your mind when you read a book title name "Foster"? Yeah right. Foster means to bring up a child that is not one's own by birth. This title is so so apt to this story.

A small, underprivileged Irish girl is sent to live with foster parents on a farm in rural Ireland, without knowing when she will return home. Her father who drives her there doesn't say when he will return for her, or even say goodbye properly.
In that stranger place she finds a warmth and affection she has not known before and slowly begins to blossom in their care. They both loved the girl in their own way.

It's a big change for the little girl, from an
underprivileged, living with her overcrowded family to a home filled with love, attention, care and surplus. She lived short time with her foster parents but she felt valued, cared for and finds a space to learn and develop.

Later, a secret is revealed and suddenly she realizes how fragile her idyll is. She understands how people have their own sorrows to deal with.

The depiction of the life, families and neighbourhoods is so real, and the description of nature and Irish summer is beautiful.

This is a novella, tiny book which you can finish reading at one sitting. Easy to read and beautifully written. Must read. Literally couldn't put it down. This is indeed a short book but I can assure you won't be regret a second reading this book.

Highly recommended.

Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Thank you @netgalley and @faber_and_faber @groveatlantic for the #arc in exchange for a honest review.

This is the second Claire Keegan book I have read (The first being Small things like these) and she is masterful at creating so much emotion and connection to characters in a short story This follows a young girl sent to live with foster parents who are relatives of her family, on a farm in rural Ireland for a short but undetermined amount of time. The relationship she builds with the foster parents is beautiful and full of warmth, which is not something she is used to. The final scene is beautifully sad and leaves you thinking and hoping for a different outcome. Highly recommend, Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the arc.

I didn't know what to expect from this, but paint me surprised.

It's a really short book, a novella really, but what a novella.

The story of a young girl left with people she's never met because her parents are expecting their umpteenth child, it's the most beautifully-written sad story you'll come across. Be it an initial suspicion of the Kinsellas or a perpetual sense of empathy for the little narrator, Claire Keegan writes evocatively to lure you into a sense of multiple falsehoods, which she neatly undoes as time passes.

Thanks, NetGalley and Grove Atlantic, for the ARC.

I’m always in awe of short story authors; they can draw you in so quickly and leave a real mark on in such few words. And if anyone does this well it’s Claire Keegan. The writing is pure and delicate, the story is powerful and full of soul. And while the story appears quite simple and sparse, each word is carefully chosen, and each sentence skilfully crafted. It’s more about what’s implied than what’s written, Keegan quite subtly inviting readers to draw their own conclusions. For this reason it would make a great book club read. A real treasure of a book.

A beautiful and emotional story about a girl from an impoverished and expanding family, (her mother is expecting again) and for a time she is fostered to a childless couple where she is given attention and care. It’s so well written, I felt for this poor girl and the lovely couple who show her more kindness than she’s known before.

A beautifully written tale of childhood innocence and simple, hard-working country folk. It's positively dripping with Irish charm and is a feel-good, sensory feast.
My first by Claire Keegan, and without a doubt, I'll be dipping into her other works.
It's an adorable novella that can comfortably be read during a train journey. Enjoy. You won't be disappointed!

My thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for granting this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An example of a good story in a less-than-novel length. I'm interested to check out the film version of this one. Recommended.

I really appreciate the free review copy!!

How can Claire Keegan do so much with so few pages? I am so glad the longer version of this story is finally coming out in a US edition.
I have already adopted John Kinsella’s wise saying :”many’s the man lost much just because he missed a perfect opportunity to say nothing “ so much is expressed in this story without characters having to say so little.
Another 5 star read from Claire Keegan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Press for this e ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Foster by Claire Keegan.

This is a short story about a young girl who is unexpectedly dropped off at an older couple's house by her father for an unforeseen amount of time. She is small, quiet, and unkempt, and gravely afraid of disappointing this couple that she is staying with. But with gentle coaxing, she soon discovers just how safe she is, and finds the room and love she needs to blossom.

Heartbreaking, and beautifully written, Claire Keegan does such a good job with the quiet stories. Not quiet in emotion, just quiet in tone, she lets your heart do all of the work. A worthwhile story that can be indulgently consumed in a day.

4.5 Stars

One Liner: Beautiful!

A little girl is sent to live with a new family in Ireland. She knows nothing about the reason or strangers in rural Ireland who welcome her with loads of love and affection. She is surprised by the love they give her (something she has never had) and begins to bloom. However, she is unsure of how things stand when the reason is finally revealed.
This is a short book brimming with emotions and beautiful prose that reflect the complexity of human life. The story comes from the nameless girl’s POV.
Oh, what do I say? I’ve become a fan of the author’s writing after reading Small Things Like These last year. This book is no different and packs a punch in less than 90 pages.
We have a little girl of probably seven or eight years who tells us what she feels, thinks, and understands during her stay with the Kinsellas. There is so much to the story than the given plot line. We see an undernourished girl have a better life for a few days. It’s not just the food either. It’s nourishment in all forms- care, affection, correction, gentle advice, and love.
The writing is evocative yet understated. Most of the story relies on the reader to understand what’s not being said. Take your time to read this one and cherish it. Award-winning books and stories make me wary, but this is an exception.
I felt for the girl and the Kinsellas. I wanted them to have a happy ever after. The ending is bittersweet and suits the story. But I wanted more. I understand why the author ended it at that point, but I needed more from this book.
The ending is a bit vague, so if you are like me, check out this blog on Julian Girdham’s website (https://www.juliangirdham.com/blog/claire-keegan-on-foster). It’ll make you feel better.
To sum up, Foster is a beautiful and bittersweet story about life and human choices. It’s a short read but will stay with you for a long time.
Thank you, NetGalley, Grove Atlantic, and Grove Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

At the onset of the novel, we meet our young narrator as she is being driven by her father to a relative’s home in Wexford County in the Irish countryside. She is to remain in John and Edna Kinsella’s care for an undecided interval of time. She has never met the Kinsellas before and is uncertain of how she will fare with her foster family.

Edna and John are a kind and compassionate couple. They take care of her and involve her in their daily routine. From what we understand, when compared to her home with her parents, her experience with her foster family is markedly different. Unlike her own family where she is one of many children (her mother, Mary, was heavily pregnant at the time of our young narrator being sent to the Kinsella’s home) and there are more mouths to feed, here she wants for nothing- food, clothing, kindness and a deep emotional connection- a family among whom she feels loved and wanted. She observes that there is a lot of work that is done throughout the day on the farm, but Edna and John proceed at an easy and unhurried pace. Edna and John, have secrets and have experienced loss in the past but they embrace this young girl as a part of their family. She reciprocates their feelings and in their care, she thrives. However, this arrangement is temporary and as her time with Edna and John nears its end and she is taken back to her biological family, we share in her realization of how the definition of home and family can change over time. As her heart breaks, our hearts ache for her.

Much is left unsaid and left for the reader to understand and interpret. Claire Keegan’s prose is simple yet elegant. Seen from the eyes of a child, the story revolves around themes of family and belongingness and how even the smallest gestures of kindness can profoundly impact the innocent heart of a child. With its vivid imagery and emotional depth, Claire Keegan’s Foster is a short but impactful story that will stay with you long after you have finished reading. Last year I was first introduced to Clare Keegan’s work with her beautiful novella, Small Things Like These. With Foster, Claire Keegan does not disappoint and proves without a doubt that she is a masterful storyteller.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the digital review copy of this poignant novella. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

“As soon as he takes it, I realise my father has never once held my hand, and some part of me wants Kinsella to let me go so I won’t have to feel this. It’s a hard feeling but as we walk along I begin to settle and let the difference between my life at home and the one I have here be. He takes shorter steps so we can walk in time. I think about the woman in the cottage, of how she walked and spoke, and conclude that there are huge differences between people.”

Foster is an extended short story by award-winning Irish author, Claire Keegan. When her mother is heavily pregnant with her fifth child, a young girl is deposited with John and Edna Kinsellla, a couple on a Wexford farm, people from her mother’s family. How long she will stay is unsure, and she has no expectation about her reception there.

The care and attention given her by these strangers ought not be unfamiliar to her, but she initially struggles to trust the genuineness of the approval, encouragement and warm praise she receives. Criticism is what she's up used to from her parents, proud but poor folk struggling to make ends meet, her father a little too fond of a smoke, a drink and a wager; “With my mother it is all work: us, the buttermaking, the dinners, the washing up and getting up and getting ready for Mass and school, weaning calves and hiring men to plough and harrow the fields, stretching the money and setting the alarm.”

With Edna Kinsella: “Her hands are like my mother’s hands but there is something else in them too, something I have never felt before and have no name for. I feel at such a loss for words but this is a new place, and new words are needed.”

The girl is happy to help with chores around the house and farm and enjoys the spirit of cooperation the couple has; any mistakes or missteps are excused without fuss. It's later that a gossipy neighbour reveals some thing about the couple that helps her understand her position with them. Shown kindness and love, it’s little wonder she’s sad to leave them at the end of summer.

Keegan’s descriptive prose is often gorgeous: ” There’s a big moon shining on the yard, chalking our way onto the lane and along the road” and “The wind is high and hoarse in the trees, tearing fretfully through the dry boughs, and their leaves rise and swing.” Her spare prose succinctly evokes setting, situation and mood. it is no surprise this story is a prize winner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Grove Atlantic.

This was a sweet, charming, and endearing novella that really immersed me in rural Ireland in the ‘80s. I enjoyed the local color and evocative setting.