Nora by Nuala O’connor

Highly recommend this audiobook to those who enjoy historical fiction. The narrator did an excellent job expressing emotion and telling the story in a way that will keep the listener engaged in the story. I also appreciate the use of language from the time period. The book is lengthy, but worth the time spent going from cover to cover!

Nora is the wife of writer James Joyce. The book takes you into an artist’s world filled with the struggles and uncertainties of living with (and dependent upon) a spouse whose income is not guaranteed, who spends frivolously, and prefers “the drink.”  

After listening to this audiobook you will find it cannot be denied that the Joyce’s enjoyed quite a passionate love affair (often described explicitly in the book) despite their persistent troubles of poverty and addiction. They really were quite devoted to one another considering the promiscuity of the community they engaged with socially.  Upon starting this book I knew very little of the Joyce family and now feel compelled to read his most popular work. 

Thanks to @netgalley.com for the arc.