Foyle's work has been described as 'compelling and memorable.' This collection is littered with flawed characters, secrets and violence. In the title story Frankie doesn't appear to want love - her partner Peter thinks that perhaps she just isn't 'built for it.' Unable to find happiness in the present, Frankie looks back with a kind of nostalgia to the moments after her father last hit her: 'He stood back and waited a few seconds before he fixed my hair behind my ears.' The story is shocking and sad. 'The secret life of Madame Defarge' is a beautifully written exploration of violence, as is 'Two Vampires,' a horror story which starts like a joke: 'Two Vampires cross the road, enter a cafe and order eggs.' The reader is hoping for a less violent end in 'Sweet Frankie' however, the adults in the story appear to be helpless to prevent it. The collection concludes on a redemptive note in 'The Kiss' as Dennis looks at Ruth's black and green bruises: 'I smelled the medicine from the bandages,' he says, 'and I just kissed her.' Read 'The Secret Life of Madame Defarge' here.
Read Orfhlaith Foyle's blog here.
Read an interview with Foyle here.
Read a review here.
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