Page Turners: Debut novelist Claire Gleeson

What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year?

Helen Garner’s This House of Grief, which is not a new release but one that had been on my radar for a while. It’s narrative non-fiction, about a real-life tragedy and its aftermath, and as gripping as any novel.

What’s your favourite bookshop in Ireland?

There’s very strong competition, but I think I’ll have to go with Chapters in Dublin, for its sheer size, range of new and second-hand books and the lovely cafe upstairs, which is the perfect place to settle down with a new read.

What’s some advice you’ve got for other aspiring writers?

Write to the end – you can always fix it later, so take the pressure off to get it right the first time. It’s so easy to start a new project, when you’re full of ideas and enthusiasm; it took me quite a while to develop the stamina to get to the end of a novel-length piece. But it’s so worth it when you do.

Lastly, what do the acts of reading and writing mean to you?

Next to the people I love, reading has always been the greatest joy of my life. To have a book out now, and to feel I’ve made some contribution to this world of literature that has enriched my own life so much, honestly means everything to me.

Claire Gleeson is shortlisted in the Newcomer of the Year category in this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards. You can vote for all your favourite books from 2025 at www.irishbookawards.ie/vote.