WINNER of the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2023WINNER of the John McGahern Prize 2023Unputdownable . . . one of the best novels of the year Sunday Independent In the seaside town of Tramore County Waterford visitors arrive in waves with the tourist season reliving the best days of their childhoods in its caravan parks chippers and amusement arcades.Local teenager Helen Grant is indifferent to the charm of her surroundings she dreams of escaping to art college with her glamorous classmate Stella Swaine and from there taking on the world. But leaving Tramore is easier said than done. Though they dont yet know it Helen and Stellas lives are pulled by tides beyond their control.Following the Grant and Swaine families and their neighbours over three decades The Amusements is a luminous and unforgettable story about roads taken and not taken and a brilliantly observed portrait of a smalltown community. THIS BOOK is EVERYTHING Marian KeyesFlannerys flawed hopeful characters live and grow on the page ANNE ENRIGHT author of The GatheringQuietly beautiful . . . Flannerys characters are very well drawn as is her understanding of smalltown mores and idle gossip. Its a book that leaves and impression long after the final page IRISH INDEPENDENTEffortless perceptive and hugely entertaining I loved it DONAL RYAN author of Strange FlowersA cracker of a book KATHLEEN MAC MAHON author of Nothing But Blue SkyFantastic . . . we were gripped STELLARIf you like dark humour superbly drawn characters caravan parks fish suppers and slot machines The Amusements is what youve been waiting for JAN CARSON author of The Fire StartersA joy to read LOUISE NEALON author of SnowflakeA brilliant book. I loved meeting all these characters who jumped off the page and stayed in my head RISN INGLEBrilliant. Dramatic heartfelt sometimes shocking and sad IRISH EXAMINER