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The little red chairs of the title are those that represented the 643 children killed in the siege of Sarajevo, chairs that were placed alongside many more empty chairs that represented the adult deaths. O'Brien has managed to weave the terror of this into a small village in Ireland, in a book of three different parts. The first part introduces us to most of the characters, and normal village life slowly becomes connected with Sarajevo with the realisation that the natural healer is not who he s
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This was my first experience of Edna O’Brien. A very, VERY impressive book. A multitude of topics woven into a tide experience of being human, recounted. Yes it does contain two brutally violent scenes (as other readers have warned), and yet I say: this is a story about building strength, and it is for us the sensitive ones. Are the feelings of shattered hope of happiness, of unjust politics, neighbourly cruelty, precarity of emigration known to you? As for me, I’m at awe. Perfect time of life t
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nope. new mom can't.
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Feb 17, 2016
Heather-Lea
marked it as to-read

Apr 12, 2016
silly_soup
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May 04, 2016
Michelle
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Jun 23, 2016
Colleen
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Aug 22, 2016
Terri
marked it as own

Jan 02, 2017
Renate
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Jan 15, 2017
Katy
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Feb 18, 2017
Deedee
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Oct 22, 2019
Anna
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Jan 11, 2020
Ginger
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Apr 27, 2021
Erica
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May 16, 2021
Jen
marked it as wishlist