The Secret Scripture A Novel
The Secret Scripture A Novel by Sebastian Barry is a first edition published by Penguin in 2008, featuring 300 pages in English. This novel follows Roseanne McNulty, once a captivating young woman in County Sligo, Ireland, who now finds herself in a mental hospital as she approaches her hundredth year. Determined to document her life, she hides her manuscript beneath the floorboards of her room, while her caregiver, Dr. Grene, is tasked with evaluating her and other patients as the hospital prepares to close.
Readers will discover a narrative that intertwines Roseanne’s recollections with the findings of Dr. Grene, who uncovers a contrasting account of her life through a document from a local priest. As they navigate their complex relationship, the story reveals long-hidden secrets against the backdrop of a tumultuous Ireland, marked by conflict and the pervasive influence of the Catholic Church throughout the twentieth century. This exploration of love, betrayal, and tragedy invites reflection on the personal impacts of societal forces.
Official synopsis Publisher
A gorgeous new novel from the author of the Man Booker finalist A Long Long Way
As a young woman, Roseanne McNulty was one of the most beautiful and beguiling girls in County Sligo, Ireland. Now, as her hundredth year draws near, she is a patient at Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital, and she decides to record the events of her life.
As Roseanne revisits her past, hiding the manuscript beneath the floorboards in her bedroom, she learns that Roscommon Hospital will be closed in a few months and that her caregiver, Dr. Grene, has been asked to evaluate the patients and decide if they can return to society. Roseanne is of particular interest to Dr. Grene, and as he researches her case he discovers a document written by a local priest that tells a very different story of Roseanne s life than what she recalls. As doctor and patient attempt to understand each other, they begin to uncover long-buried secrets about themselves.
Set against an Ireland besieged by conflict, The Secret Scripture is an epic story of love, betrayal, and unavoidable tragedy, and a vivid reminder of the stranglehold that the Catholic Church had on individual lives for much of the twentieth century.
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