The Secret Scripture

“Above all it is the surpassing quality of Mr. Barry’s language that gives it its power…It is like a song, with all the pulse of the Irish language, a song sung liltingly and plaintively from the top of Ben Bulben into the airy night.” —New York Times

“Just as [Barry] describes people stopping in the street to look at Roseanne, so I often found myself stopping to look at the sentences he gave her, wanting to pause and copy them down…When I reached the last page, I did feel that I had shared a profound experience.” —Boston Globe

“Sebastian Barry has created one of the great narrative voices in contemporary fiction in The Secret Scripture. It is a book of great brilliance, powerfully and beautifully written.” —Chairman, Costa Book of the Year Award Committee

“By juxtaposing several views of the life of Roseanne McNulty, Sebastian Barry creates a remarkable portrait, detailed analysis, and an engaging mystery surrounding her life…Narrator Wanda McCaddon alternates between an old woman’s creaky rasps for Roseanne and Dr. Grene’s outwardly professional, sympathetic though insecure voice. McCaddon does a fine job of presenting the nuances of Roseanne’s history through these two characters’ actions, thoughts, and memories. Those who love historical novels will find this audiobook fascinating. Those interested in women’s history, especially in the times and places where women come under the influence of an unscrupulous, moralistic, patriarchal, and blatantly biased society, will come to admire Roseanne’s survival to the century mark. A thought-provoking audiobook for adults and mature teens.” —SoundCommentary.com

“Luminous and lyrical.” —O, The Oprah Magazine

“Written in captivating, lyrical prose, Barry’s novel is both a sparkling literary puzzle and a stark cautionary tale of corrupted power.” —Publishers Weekly