Synopses & Reviews
This "gripping and moving" novel, as
The Guardian has noted, offers "a taut, expertly crafted plot" while it likewise "captures brilliantly changes of mood and unexpected quirks of behavior." As
The Salesman opens, it is the hottest summer in Dublin's history, and Billy Sweeney has more than the weather on his mind. His daughter lies in a coma in the hospital, the result of a mysterious attack at the petrol station where she worked. Devastated by the unfolding consequences of that terrible night, frustrated by officialdom, and failed by the system, Billy finally tires of seeking legal justice. He decides to take the law into his own hands, but when his plans go spectacularly wrong, the results are terrifying, often hilarious, and in the end, unforgettable.
Review
"Powerful . . . O'Connor's writing [is] freewheeling and supple, switching between the comic, the candid, and the profane."—
James Saynor, The New York Times Book Review"O'Connor has a great eye for the absurd in common things, a great ear for the comic in ordinary speech. His writing is terrific."—Roddy Doyle
"Stunning . . . A narrative brilliantly blending past and present as O'Connor deftly probes the aftermath of loss and tragedy, interwaeving the harsh facts with dark humor that glints on the edge of pain."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A game of psychological cat and mouse is at the core of The Salesman . . . [A] gripping story."—Harper's Bazaar
"Pungent and cruelly evocative language . . . Painfully vivid [and] gripping . . . Mr. O'Connor's dialogue is by turns bristling and bleak, tender and funny, and his characters are free of stereotypes."—The Wall Street Journal
"A sharp, unsparing reflection on modern Ireland . . . A deft, often angry, and moving portrait of the complexities of loss and vengeance."—Kirkus Reviews
"Mesmerizing . . . The honesty and bravery of O'Connor's writing make emotions authentic and redemption almost credible."—The Observer
"[A] superbly written novel."—Literary Review
"O'Connor's depiction of a relationship disintegrating under the pressure of money and drink is painfully believable."—The Sunday Times
"While Sweeney's rage towards his daughter's attackers and the climactic cat-and-mouse game that follows make for gripping reading, it is O'Connor's thoroughly real portrayal of a crumbling marriage that makes for the novel's most stirring scenes."—The Irish Voice
About the Author
Joseph O'Connor was born and lives in Dublin, Ireland. He is the author of the Whitbread-finalist novel
Cowboys & Indians, the novels
True Believers and
Desperadoes, and numerous non-fiction books and plays. His books, including
The Salesman, are bestsellers in England and Ireland.