The BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick
Publisher’s Weekly
Prima Magazine
Woman & Home
Saoirse (2026)
Celadon (US) Eriu/Bonnier UK (Ireland, UK, Australia)
‘This is a knockout.’
―Publishers Weekly
'Utterly beautiful with lyrical prose and storytelling, I loved this!
― Nina Pottell ― Prima
‘An acclaimed novelist in the UK and Ireland, Hurtubise delivers a stellar U.S. debut, spinning a transcendent journey of discovery that radiates with exceptional honesty and lingering atmospheric depth.’ ― Booklist
“Saoirse is a delicious literary jigsaw, leaving the reader to piece together the memories, paintings, and confessions of our eponymous heroine. Beautifully written and enticingly intriguing… Charleen Hurtubise is a shiny new star in the Irish literary firmament.”
―Liz Nugent, bestselling author of The Truth About Ruby Copper
“Audacious and propulsive, a story that surges with emotional vitality―this is a dazzling novel.”
―Colin Walsh, author of Kala
“A novel as rich with narrative layers as the visual art of its protagonist, yet limned with trauma, with the consequences of secrecy and silence, and with the hope that can come from true connection and community, Saoirse is an audacious act of storytelling.”
―Belinda McKeon, author of Tender
"Compelling….Searing and intimate."
―New York Times
"A beautifully wrought, deeply human story of the power of creativity in the face of survival. By turns funny and moving, with an unforgettable cast of characters (with a special mention to Daithí, the Mr. Darcy of Donegal) Saoirse brims with humanity and hope."
―Louise Nealon, author of Snowflake
"Saoirse is utterly absorbing as both a character study and a mystery. Beautifully written, with poignancy and depth, this is one that will stay with me."
―Jo Spain
"Gripping and emotionally complex, Saoirse is a moving portrait of love, heartbreak and the sacrifices one woman makes for the family and life she deserves...luminous!"
―Michelle Gallen, author of Factory Girls
"Hurtubise balances grit and tenderness on a high wire of sustained tension."
―Lauren McKenzie, author of The Couples
"Laced with trauma and tenderness, Saoirse is a remarkable feat of storytelling that spans decades and continents but never feels overwhelming or undercooked."
―BookBrowse
"Stunning story-telling."
―Good Housekeeping
"A beautiful, immersive read."
―Montecito Journal
'An intimate, intense exploration of identity, reinvention and survival'
―Woman & Home, Book of the Month
'A deeply powerful story, it combines propulsive storytelling with writing of real intimacy and lyrical beauty; it shimmers with emotion, the heart of its heroine - and her will to survive - and hope'
―Natasha Poliszczuk, editor-in-chief of BookBrunch
'One of my favourite books of the year!'
― Netgalley review
'Wow! This book is absolutely BRILLIANT and I predict great things next year when it's released. The story, characters, settings ... it's the whole package wrapped up into a beautifully written page-turner. My heart was in my mouth at times and I rooted for Saoirse all the way. Very, VERY highly recommended' - Netgalley review
'For me, it was about the interactions between the characters, Hurtubise's portrayal steeped in reality, the love, the emotion, the physical and mental traumas that emanated from her narrative. I loved this novel'
―Netgalley review
About Saoirse
In Michigan, Sarah’s childhood was defined by fear and silence. As a teenager, she saw a chance to escape and took it. Now, in 1999, she is an artist living on the rugged coast of Donegal, Ireland, where she is known as Saoirse, a name that sounds like the sea and means ‘freedom’ in her adopted country’s language. And free is precisely how she is finally beginning to feel. Her partner and two beloved daughters are regular subjects for her paintings, and together they have made the safe home she has always longed for. But Saoirse's secrets haunt her. No one must learn of the identity she has stolen in order to survive; they cannot know of the dangers that she crossed an ocean to escape.
When her artwork wins unexpected acclaim at a Dublin exhibition, the spotlight of fame threatens to unravel the careful lies that hold her world together. Journalists and admirers begin to ask questions about the mysterious artist from Donegal and she fears the unwanted publicity will expose all that she has done.
Saoirse is an evocative, suspenseful, and inventive exploration of the intimate relationship between art and life and the lies we tell ourselves in the name of reinvention.
The Polite Act of Drowning (2023)
About The Polite Act of Drowning
“Loved every word of it. Such a beautifully written, evocative book. Heartbreaking at times, this is ultimately a story of hope. The best book I’ve read this year so far. If you liked The Paper Palace, you’ll love this.”
Eriu/Bonnier UK (Ireland, UK, and Australia)
Michigan, 1985. The drowning of a teenage girl causes ripples in the small town of Kettle Lake, though for most the waters settle quickly. For sixteen-year-old Joanne Kennedy, however, the tragedy dredges up untold secrets and causes her mother to drift farther from reality and her family.
When troubled newcomer Lucinda arrives in town, she offers Joanne a chance of real friendship, and together the teenagers push against the boundaries of family, self-image, and their sexuality during the tension of a long, stifling summer. But the undercurrents of past harms continuously threaten to drag Joanne and those around her under…
Eriu/Bonnier UK (Ireland, UK, and Australia)
“A beautiful and captivating novel, lyrical and sensuous. It is hard to believe this is a debut – it feels so accomplished, like the work of a writer who has toiled and toiled at her craft to strike her own shimmering note.”
―Donal Ryan, author of The Spinning Heart
A beautiful and powerful novel about how the past never leaves us, and how secrets can destroy a family. Hurtubise writes so evocatively, I was completely immersed in the world of Kettle Lake, its colourful characters and the heartbreak of a community.
―Elaine Feeney, author of How to Build a Boat
"Sensory and dynamic, the prose revels in the natural beauty and claustrophobic social dynamics of Kettle Lake...Interweaving themes of trauma, identity formation, sexuality, and grief with delicacy, The Polite Act of Drowning is a coming-of-age tale that cuts to the heart of human experience."
―Foreword Reviews, Starred Review
"On the surface, The Polite Act of Drowning is a coming-of-age narrative, but diving deeper reveals that it is also an exploration of the fragility of life and the impact of death on those around it... Hurtubise creates a powerful narrative of family and hardship... The Polite Act of Drowning finds hope and love in the deepest parts of Kettle Lake."
―Shelf Awareness