'This is the most astonishing piece of writing, lyrical in its emotion and spare in its construction . . . Tóibín has crafted an unmissable read.'
- Sunday Herald
'It is in his emotional choreography that Tóibín shows himself to be an exceptional writer. Helen is estranged from both her mother and grandmother . . . Tóibín helps them make peace - and he does it beautifully.'
- Sunday Telegraph
'He writes in spare, powerful prose and he is truly perceptive about family relationships which, at times, makes reading his stories incredibly painful. But this is a beautiful novel.'
- Belfast News
'We shall be reading and living with The Blackwater Lightship in twenty years.'
- Independent on Sunday