It’s not every day a book floors you and stays lurking in your thoughts for weeks after, but that’s exactly what happened to me after reading Nesting.
The novel by Roisín O’Donnell was released just weeks ago but is tipped to become one of the year’s biggest books, with Ryan Tubridy even picking it for his book club's first read.
Now that Nesting has been longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025 it’s looking even more likely that we’ll be seeing the cover everywhere... and rightly so as Nesting tells a tale that needs to be told.
First things first, what is Nesting about? Nesting’s synopsis reads: ‘On an ordinary spring afternoon in Dublin, Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision that will change her life forever. Grabbing an armful of clothes from the washing line, she straps her two young daughters into the car and drives away. All she knows is that home is no longer safe.
‘What begins as an escape soon turns into a battle for survival. With little money, no job, and her family across the sea, Ciara finds herself trapped in a broken housing system, forced to raise her children in a hotel room. As the seasons shift from summer to winter, she faces an impossible choice—rebuild her life from scratch or return to the husband who refuses to let her go.’
There’s no denying that Nesting is a difficult read but it’s beautifully written and it is impossible for the reader not to connect with the main character Ciara as she navigates raising her two young girls and trying to find some normality in their life as they navigate the year in a tiny hotel room.
While I usually speed through books, there were moments when I had to put Nesting down and take a break as the content was very heavy. Some scenes are brutal and you’re left aching for Ciara, wanting to heave her out of her situation, but as in real life, things are never that easy.
Although Nesting can be tough at times, there’s something about Roisín O'Donnell’s writing that pulls you back in, endlessly hoping that things will work out, and while the story is desperately heartbreaking at times, you’re constantly rooting for Ciara and praying she gets a stroke of luck.
There are positive moments as well and exchanges that fill you with hope for the future, take Ciara’s friendship with the Brazilian worker Diego at the hotel where she’s staying.
Nesting isn’t an easy read and it’s far from the typical ‘sit back and relax’ holiday book you might be used to putting in your suitcase but it’s a well-needed one - the jarring realisation that the story will hit very close to the bone for many people makes it even more essential.
Many women know the pain of coercive control all too well and too many people are living in hotels while waiting for appropriate accommodation. It’s a crisis we should be educated on, even if it’s painful to read.
For advice or help, contact Women's Aid.
