Confessions is a compelling debut novel from Catherine Airey. The story follows the lives of three generations of women, and is set between New York and an isolated Irish town. The novel delves into difficult subject matter, including mental health, sexual assault, abortion rights, political exploitation and terrorist activity.

In September 2001, sixteen year old Cora Brady is orphaned when her father is a victim of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York. Her mother, Maire, had died seven years prior, having taken her own life after long battles with mental illness. Shortly after her father’s demise, she receives a letter from her estranged Aunt Roisin, who offers her a home with her at her house in County Donegal, Ireland.

The tone of the book changes according to each character’s narrative. Each character has a distinct personality each of which has been cleverly described by the author. The book is full of family secrets, which engages the reader form the outset and that interest is maintained as the story unfolds. The way the character’s lives intersect is cleverly woven and skillfully handled.

There are not many negatives to mention, however there a two minor issues that impacted my enjoyment of the book. Firstly, the book is written without a strict timeline. Although each chapter is headed with a date, allowing the reader to piece the story together, it did create some confusion in my mind about time-frames of events. Secondly, some of the characters have different pet names for their family members, requiring some concentration to maintain the plot and story-line.

Overall, I consider the book to be an outstanding effort from a new and upcoming author, and I look forward with much anticipation to future offerings from Catherine Airey.

Set in the US and Ireland, this is a wonderful debut about three generations of women and their lives, loves, and secrets. Airey’s writing is accomplished and she succeeds very well in getting the reader to care for the characters. I liked the structure of this novel, which forces you to keep paying attention, and the focus on women and their personal struggles. Not always an easy read, but a great read nonetheless.
Thank you Penguin UK and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a sad, but powerful read. It spans several generations following Cora, Maire and Roisin from Ireland to New York and back again, with the final section being about Lyca, Cora's daughter who is trying to unravel her unspoken past.

The book opens with a bang as Cora's father is killed in the 9/11 tragedy, leaving her an orphan as her mother is already dead. Cora wanders aimlessly trying to assimilate the events when a letter from her Aunt Roisin calls her back to Ireland. There is so much in this book which is not spoken and the tightly woven plot slowly unwinds as you read on. Neither Roisin or Maire have had easy lives - and that is comparing them to Cora's heart-breaking situation at the start!

Same sex relationships, abuse (drugs and sexual), reproductive rights are all issues delicately handled and addressed through this novel. I found it a hard read, both emotionally and trying to decode what the characters were not saying to each other. The pace is slow, and the sense of tragedy is fairly relentless throughout as Lyca tries desperately to understand her ancestors.

A deep read, which is well-written, but needed some emotional grit for me to finish it!

This is a superb debut novel, spanning three generations of a family of Irish women. I became fully caught up in their lives, their relationships and the journey the book took me on. The storytelling was captivating, it’s an outstanding debut.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me access to this book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was sent an advance proof copy of Confessions by Catherine Airey to read and review by NetGalley. While I enjoyed reading about the lives of the characters in this novel I have to admit that I got quite confused at times and the book as a whole seemed rather disjointed in a way. There was one complete section that was told in a totally different style, the reason for which only became clear much later and I’m not convinced that it needed to be written in that particular way. I would have preferred to have read it as a physical book that I could flick back through easily to refresh who people were or where their story had left off, but I find trying to do that impossible on a kindle! I am probably in the minority in feeling that I would rather have the narrative told in a more ‘old skool’ linear way, but having said all that I still feel that Confessions is worthy of 4 stars and worth reading.

The publisher compares "Confessions" by Catherine Airey to "The Goldfinch" - a comparison that might be daunting for any debut novel, given the fear of falling short. While I understand the basis for this comparison, it's important to note that this is NOT Tartt's Pulitzer Prize-winning book. That said, "Confessions" holds its own quite well. Although the story and form are engaging and interesting, "Confessions" lacks Tartt's beautiful language and style.

Sisterly rivalry, relationships between female characters, mental health issues, sexual assault, 9/11, and a deep dive into family history all make for a compelling (though occasionally slightly slow) read. Many readers will likely enjoy the interesting foray into the world of gaming and game design, and I found myself wishing there was more exploration of this aspect.

For much of the book, I anticipated some grandiose "reveal" towards the end, and this expectation kept me turning the pages. Without spoilers, I'll simply say that the storylines come together neatly at the conclusion, leaving the reader with a sense of satisfaction. Despite being nearly 500 pages long, I found myself wanting more.

Bottom line: Quite an impressive debut.

With many thanks to the publisher.

When her father is killed in the 9/11 attacks, Cora is left parentless and adrift. Sixteen years old, a school truant and involved with an unsuitable man she takes up the offer to go live with her aunt in rural Ireland. Following the lives of three generations of a family across love, loss and climactic changes, this is a story of hope.
After reading the first section about a computer game I was ready to ditch this book but I'm glad I didn't. The rather pointless computer game sections apart, this is a great read. What I really liked was the fact that certain events in the life of the protagonists was dissected in detail but then other huge changes were not. The story itself filled in the details later and sparsely so there were no gaps in a narrative but it is not sequential. Addressing some huge issues around choice, the story is deep but also written in a heartfelt, but not saccharine, way.

Confessions is a very strong debut novel that I enjoyed reading. It opens in New York in 2001 when Cora realizes that her father has died and she decides to return to live with an Aunt in rural Ireland.

The narrators and timelines switch further back to when her mother was growing up and then much further forward which unsettled me a little bit. The relationships between the women and the society at the time they were alive is intense as they face various challenges.

A powerful account of three generations of women that clearly shows Airey as one to watch. Loved the opening and the sense of place in NY, especially. Beautifully written if, at times, just a touch too contrived for this reader but will definitely be keeping an eye on what she does next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I was intrigued by the structure of this novel - at first I wasn't sure if jumping around different time periods with different characters (in different tenses!) and also interspersing sections of video game text would work, but actually I think it really does. Airey's prose is simple but effective, and the characters that emerge across the novel feel realistic. The novel deals with some big issues, including death, grief, mental health, abortion and sexual assault, but they blend in with the plot perfectly. The ending feels slightly contrived, but that's my only criticism. An accomplished debut.

This is a well-written family saga which was a good page-turner. Sorry uses different narrative techniques effectively to tell the different parts of this story. I felt invested in all of the characters and they were all distinct from each other.

I think what this novel ultimately lacked was in doing anything different. In a way this is an Irish novel we've read many times before.

Still, a robust debut and an author to look out for in the future.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

Well, this was an emotional read.

Confessions follows a family across multiple generations, through love and tragedy, as they come to understand their history and its impact.

I love generational stories and Confessions was such an intricately plotted and compelling one, switching between perspectives and time periods to create a portrait of a complicated family and their relationships. The characters were so layered and realistic, with complex narratives and distinct voices making this a thoroughly engrossing novel. I was instantly drawn in by each voice and loved seeing how their stories linked to previous characters, with Airey skilfully interweaving time-distant threads to build an expansive plot.

The content was heavy, tackling trauma and grief, and showing the impact this can have for generations to come. It was quiet but thought-provoking, commenting on family relationships, mental health, abuse, power dynamics and bodily autonomy, tackling these difficult topics with sensitivity. I absolutely loved this book, and can’t wait to add a physical copy to my shelves!

Thank you to @vikingbooksuk for the chance to read this early!

*I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Wow what a tour de force!

Confessions is a multi-generational tale that follows four women from an Irish-American family - Cora, Máire (her mother), Rósín (her aunt) and Lyca (her daughter). Each woman gets the chance to tell their own story, while also uncovering more about their family. The book starts in New York, right after 9/11, with Cora, who finds herself in a very difficult situation and feels lost in life, which is when she gets a letter from an aunt she has never heard about, Rósín. The book takes us back to the 1970s in Ireland and we get to know more about Máire and Rósín, from when they were kids to adulthood, and start to understand how things came to be in Cora's life and her relationship with her family. It's hard to explain this narrative without either sounding generic, so you don't miss out on the journey this book takes you on, or being too specific, ruining all of the twists and turns of this story. Just know, this is a story that will keep you guessing until the end.

Confessions is a nuanced and complex tale of a family, but it also discusses gender politics in Ireland and so many other issues throughout its narrative. The writing style was impeccable and so different. The sections' openings had the format of a videogame, which reminded me of Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. This is such a sensational debut novel! I am really excited to read more of Catherine Airey's work.

It's honestly one of the best books I've read in a long long time and I already want to read it again! This is definitely one of the highlight releases of 2025.

Thank you so much to Viking for the proof and also NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Confessions takes us between New York and Burtonport, a small town in Ireland and spans decades from 1974 to 2023.

As we delve into each characters story, we piece together the pieces of the puzzle just as one of the characters, Lyca does. This is brilliantly clever writing. Secrets are revealed over time, and demonstrate the complexity of what is to be human.

Whilst many stories have referenced 9/11 this really gives us an insight into the aftermath from a family members perspective. But this is just one part of the puzzle. There are so many other strands which make it hard to describe the brilliance of the story with any justice.

This is a story to savour and immerse yourself in. It's heavy at times for sure, but beautiful for that heaviness. Life can be heavy, and this book doesn't sugarcoat the struggles we may all have at times.

A lovely multi-generational story set in New York and Ireland in the aftermath of 9/11. The story follows three generations of the same family as we discover what happened to each of them and how they ended up in the current day.

Airey’s prose is both sharp and immersive, capturing the weight of unspoken histories and the quiet defiance of women who refuse to be erased. Confessions isn’t just a story about family secrets; it’s a testament to the power of reclaiming one’s past.

An exceptional debut with exquisite writing that portrays an intercontinental and multigenerational saga of women

Congratulations to Catherine Airey on this accomplishment!

Thanks NetGalley and Viking Books UK for the invite to read this ARC!

Confessions is very well poised to become the most talked about literary fiction this year!

We follow 3 POVs of women spread across the US and Ireland set in three different timelines -

Just after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Cora Brady is suddenly an orphan after losing her father and is now embarking on a transatlantic journey to Ireland to live with her aunt who she didn’t know existed.

In 1974, sisters Maire and Roisin sisters are navigating unique circumstances - with Roisin and the boy next door Michael’s intervention, Maire’s life is about to change forever.

Burtonport, 2019 - Lyca Brady is living with her mother Cora and aunt Ro in their infamous old house that has its share of secrets buried deep within it.

Review -

This is a deeply character driven novel, but one that also excels in storyline construction. Airey weaves a tale around these 3 women and brings them together in a way you can never imagine!

This is in no way an easy read. The novel encompasses so many difficult themes - mental health issues, the aftermath of 9/11 and abortion rights - while also exploring convoluted sister dynamics, decades old secrets and the complex emotions of a teenager who’s just orphaned.

It’s the writing that takes the spotlight of course and portrays women who belong to each other yet are distant, cold and almost estranged as oceans separate them - the twist of fate intertwining their lives in an impossible manner.

The style of narration and the presentation format are unique - although some might find the jumping timelines and POVs slightly confusing initially. But the gravity of the story is powerful enough to sweep us away into its immersive, captivating world.

Definitely worth a read if you are a fan of the genre!

This inter-generational, multilayered saga flits between the story of two sisters, Róisín and Máire, in 1970s Donegal and teenager Cora Brady who finds herself alone in New York City in the aftermath of 9/11. It’s an ambitious debut that I have a hunch is going to make quite a splash this year.

Given current affairs stateside, its publication date feels auspicious and timely. Airey explores the isolation and alienation experienced by Irish immigrants and the silencing of women’s voices - especially in relation to reproductive rights and sexual freedom.

In rural Ireland, some of the key scenes take place in an old school building which is taken on by a primal therapy group known as ‘The Screamers’. I didn’t realise until later, that Airey drew this concept from real life and based it on the Atlantis commune who owned a house in Burtonport in the seventies. It’s a seductive concept (I’m drawn to the idea of a Scream Shed at the bottom of the garden) as is the use of the choose your own adventure sub-plot/narrative (I loved these books as a kid).

The Scream School acts almost like a portal to another world - broadening the sisters’ horizons and offering them escape routes and glimpses of other ways to live. For me, this aspect of the story worked really well. I was less convinced by the choose your own adventure thread. To me it seemed stapled on to the story and took me away from the action at key points, as did the gaming narrative.

The plot of this tale is really propulsive and Airey weaves in repeated references to connect the different women’s stories. In this way she reminds us of inherited and residual trauma and its repercussions through the generations. I did feel at times that this story was overstuffed with themes and ideas. There was little room for characters to breathe and for the reader to reflect. There’s a lot to love yet I hope she pares it back a little in her next novel. I’ll most certainly be reading it. Confessions is published on 23 January in the UK and Ireland.

With thanks to @vikingbooksuk, @penguinukbooks and @netgalley for granting me an eARC for this review.

A story about the complications involving an extended family after the 9/11 attacks. I understand the impact as written in the book and the effect of the dreadful attack on the family but i found the timelines difficult to follow at times. The times and narrator changes regularly.
The first half of the book i found depressing, the focus is on endless misery.

This is a very unusual read.
On one hand, it's the story of three generations of women. It's also a history of the decades that it covers and the two are so closely entwined. From 9/11 to the Irish abortion referendum and Celtic Tiger, from New York to a small village in Donegal. While not an easy read it's definitely a worthwhile one and I'm stunned that is a debut, the author is certainly one to watch.