Bookseller Reviews
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For fans of 'The Five People You Meet In Heaven'
Anne Griffin's novel "When All is Said" is narrated by Maurice Hannigan. Addressed to his absent son, it is the story of his life through his relationship ... READ MORE
Just BEAUTIFUL.
BEAUTIFUL!
I didn't want to put this book down, an enjoyable read about a grumpy man Maurice, who finds himself in a pub he dislikes toasting five people i... READ MORE
What an absolute corker of a book!
This is my favourite book of the year so far and I've read a few and some very good ones at that. It's taken me some days to write this review, one because... READ MORE
A giant hug in a book
For people who liked The Five People You Meet in Heaven, you will love this tender tale of Maurice, a grumpy old man who tells the tale of his life and one... READ MORE
Moving and readable in equal measure
This is such a brilliant book.
Maurice is such a fantastically feasible character; not without his flaws, he nonetheless inspires a tremendous amount of ... READ MORE
A moving story of life and loss.
An entertaining novel about Maurice who goes into a bar one day and so begins the tale of five toasts to five people in his life. Each chapter is the stor... READ MORE
Tender, cautious and beautiful.
There is something so special here - it is thoughtful, somewhat mournful and nostalgic. Griffin tiptoes the line between existence and lack of with great c... READ MORE
Meaningful Storytelling And A Character Who Comes To Life Before Your Eyes
I read this in preparation for it being our Fiction Book of the Month, feeling a little sceptical as I am a huge fan of Mitch Albom's The Five People You M... READ MORE
Beautiful and Down to Earth
5 toasts to the 5 people who played the largest roles in shaping a life, this is the story of Maurice Hannigan. A beautiful tale of love, loss and unexpect... READ MORE
Synopsis
Five toasts. Five people. One lifetime.
I'm here to remember - all that I have been and all that I will never be again.
At the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town sits 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. He's alone, as usual -though tonight is anything but. Pull up a stool and charge your glass, because Maurice is finally ready to tell his story.
Over the course of this evening, he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him. Through these stories - of unspoken joy and regret, a secret tragedy kept hidden, a fierce love that never found its voice - the life of one man will be powerfully and poignantly laid bare.
Heart-breaking and heart-warming all at once, the voice of Maurice Hannigan will stay with you long after all is said.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
- ISBN: 9781473682993
- Number of pages: 272
- Dimensions: 219 x 179 x 24 mm
- Weight: 377g
Customer Reviews
View allA vivid telling of an extraordinary ordinary man
That title is a jumble, I know but having lived with Maurice Hannigan in my head for the last few days, it seems right somehow.
Beautifully unfurled with ... READ MORE
A rather tender portrait of living and of grief
Maurice Hannigan is at the bar of the hotel he has hated since it opened. He has five toasts planned. Through each toast we find out the stories that make ... READ MORE
The Voice Of A Generation
In Anne Griffin's debut novel Maurice Hannigan, an elderly farmer from County Meath sits in a hotel bar and looks back on his life. He's seen Ireland chang... READ MORE
Recommended to me - passing on the recommendation
A member of staff in Kettering Waterstones recommended this book to me and I'm so glad I followed her advice. It's extraordinary. Beautifully written - the... READ MORE
A fabulous read
Gosh! I'm so grateful to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and the author, Anne Griffin for the opportunity to preview this fabulous read in exchange for my ... READ MORE
A beautiful read
When All Is Said is Anne Griffin's debut novel. This is gorgeous book that will pull at your heartstrings and should come with a box of tissues; you have ... READ MORE
What a story
This is a fantastic read. Straight from the heart. You can feel every emotion of the characters.
Moving
Maurice Hannigan is toasting five people who made the biggest impact on his life - and left him behind. Five people, five drinks, five stories. But in the ... READ MORE
make every moment matter
A book of heartbreak, when all is said, the life documented here-over five toasts at a hotel bar- is one of goodbyes;
"Noone really knows loss until i... READ MORE
Beautifully written must-read
5 Solid Stars for this debut! I felt I was sitting beside Maurice Hannigan in that bar and he was telling me about each of the people he was drinking to as... READ MORE
Mind blowing
I don’t want to spoil this book for anyone so all I can say is the book is truly amazing ! Truly !
All the twists and turns in Maurice’s life , the love ,... READ MORE
Depressing
although I would agree this book was very well written it was incredibly depressing. I'm afraid I didn't come across any humorous moments it just seemed ... READ MORE
What Five People Would You Choose ?
84 year old Maurice Hannigan sits on a bar stool in a hotel in Ireland and raises a glass or five to his life. His tributes are to the five people he has c... READ MORE
Wasn't what i would usually read, but enjoyable
When All Is Said is a life story set in 5 parts as Maurice raises a toast to the 5 people in his life who have impacted his life the most. There are some p... READ MORE
Great read
Have just finished this beautifully written book , Waterstones book of the month last month , so glad the member of staff recommended it to me , if you rea... READ MORE
a wonderful story, beautifully told
Review phenomenal debut .. 5 whopping stars
To say I adored this book is an understatement, it's a breathtaking debut, told as the rambling narrative of a... READ MORE
Thought provoking
This was one of those books I didn't want to end.
84-year-old Maurice Hannigan takes a seat at a hotel bar, he is grumpy at the delay being served and is ... READ MORE
Exceptional read
It's not often that one reads a book and thinks there's not a word I would change had I been lucky enough to write this book! Read it
books like this don't... READ MORE
Brilliant Debut
Thank you to the publishers for this review copy.
This is a brilliant read, it will give your emotions a little mini work out.
With each toast made you lea... READ MORE
A brilliant debut novel
I know it is only March, but this has to me one of my top books for 2019. I was so reluctant to get to the end, I read the last chapter slower and slower a... READ MORE
Gentle, Heartwarming, Real
A heartwarming book. The story of a man's life, told by himself when he's in his eighties. He's a hard man, always been crotchety and too fond of money, ... READ MORE
Maurice Hannigan is a man well worth metting...
We begin When All Is Said by meeting 84 year old Maurice Hannigan, a man who has lived quite the life and is about to share snippets of it with us readers,... READ MORE
Perfect!
I was sent a copy of When All is Said by Anne Griffin to read and review by NetGalley.
What a beautiful book! It, to me, is typically Irish in style – gen... READ MORE
Heartwarming read
This book had all the feels. I loved it from beginning to end. The five toasts to celebrate, remember, regret a life full of ups and downs. Maurice is a re... READ MORE
A wonderful read
A wonderful read. A story told with humour and insight, through a script that just flows, and keeps you wanting more. What a delight!
A quiet tale, beautifully told
I thoroughly enjoyed ‘When all is said.’ I loved how there was so much humour in a book that was predominantly about loss and grief. I could ‘hear’ the tal... READ MORE
Breathtakingly beautiful
Only once in my life prior to When All Is Said have I sobbed at a book; it is one that will stay with me for a long time. A truly unique read, I could not ... READ MORE
Definitely recommend
I don't normally read books set in Ireland but the title caught my attention. I wasn't expecting some of the twists that were in that books but I enjoyed M... READ MORE