Surrounded by the beauty of her native Mayo, eighteen-year-old Lily dreams of being a famous singer on the London stage – but her parents have planned a more normal life for her – to pursue a degree in UCD.
However, leaving home also means leaving a passionate romance with a handsome visiting American named Theo. Once in Dublin, secrets and betrayal abound: Lily’s sister Moyra begins a relationship with Theo, and Lily’s Aunt Terry, a nun, appears to be harbouring a hidden past. As Moyra’s relationship with Theo turns grim, she desperately needs her sister’s support to keep tragedy at bay. But still longing to perform, Lily finds herself at a crossroads in life.
Disturbing yet heart-warming, critical yet nostalgic, Two Sisters Singing delivers a convincing portrayal of both the warmth and the wrath of 1940s Ireland. Never flinching from the savage social impact of the church’s power, Carmen Cullen conveys the charming and simplistic quality of the time, as reflected in the lines of classic Irish ballads, particularly those by the author’s iconic aunt, Delia Murphy. This heartfelt and bittersweet story is a stirring evocation of a bygone era.
Carmen Cullen
Carmen Cullen was Head of English in Coláiste Dhúlaigh Secondary School in Dublin and Director of the Oscar Wilde Autumn School in Bray. She is now a full-time writer. Carmen’s widely praised first novel, Two Sisters Singing, is loosely based on the life of her aunt, the singer Delia Murphy. Her second novel, Hello Love, traces the effects of family on a writer’s life. Daisy, Daisy, the third part in the trilogy, reflects the shifting face of Ireland, and the dilemma of a mother who needs to grow and change, yet feels the strong pull to stay and protect her children.