A little while ago I received a surprise copy of The Inheritance by Cauvery Madhavan thanks to lovely Lisa Shakespeare. I so enjoyed the book (reviewed here) that I simply had to invite Cauvery to stay in with me to chat all about it. Luckily, she agreed to be here!
Let’s find out more:
Staying in with Cauvery Madhavan
Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Cauvery and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.
Linda it’s great to be here chatting with you! I’ve been following you and your book reviews for a good while now so I’m delighted that it’s my turn to feature in your book bag.
You are always so lovely sharing my posts and I really appreciate it, thank you. I know that I know, but tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?
I’ve brought along my fourth book The Inheritance. I’m so proud of this book Linda – it’s the first of my novels to be set fully in Ireland, in the south west of the country. The Beara Peninsula is a truly special place and the landscape, both in the past and the present, is the scaffolding for my story. It was a joy to set my characters and their stories against this backdrop.
And you should be proud of it Cauvery as it’s an absolute delight to read. You capture the setting so beautifully. And as The Inheritance is out tomorrow, let me wish you happy publication day for tomorrow.
Thanks so much Linda.
I’ve read and loved the book already and readers can find my review here, but what can others expect from an evening in with The Inheritance?
Be prepared to be captivated by the rugged beauty of Beara and to meet a cast of unforgettable characters! You’ll follow Marlo O’Sullivan from the moment he arrives in Glengarriff and gets to know all his neighbours who will have such a huge impact on him before he knows it. The historical thread from 400 years ago is a hidden history, told through the eyes of a seven year old child who has unfinished business in the ancient oak forests of the valley.
When the historical thread weaves in, it’s a truly surprising aspect. Other than me, who loved the book, what have others said about it?
Donal Ryan who was an early reader said: “Marlo is a wonderful character and the way you prism our view of 1980s Beara and its people through his eyes is masterful. The interweaving of the stories from the past is fantastic. I think it really works, as it adds to the sense of the long fractious history of the place and the lies, secrets and violence that shape the country and a person.”
I totally agree! What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?
I brought along a bunch of blood red fuchsia and some orange montbretia too because these wildflowers captivated Marlo the morning after he arrived in Glengarriff.
I loved your descriptions of the flowers!
And this is a copy of a photograph that I took of myself at the ancient stone vault of the O’Sullivan clan on Dursey Island. So much of the critical action in the historical part of the novel happens on this beautiful island that is today reached by cable car.
I’m so jealous. As a result of reading The Inheritance I’m desperate to visit.
And to round it off I have a glass of Guinness straight from Casey’s pub in Glengarrif!
That sounds perfect. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about The Inheritance Cauvery. Pour me a glass too and I’ll give Linda’s Book Bag readers a few more details about the book.
The Inheritance
It’s 1986 and 29-year-old Marlo O’Sullivan of London-Irish stock has just found out that his sister is his mother. To steady his life, he moves to Glengarriff, to a cottage he has inherited, in the stunning Beara Peninsula. When a neighbour dies unexpectedly, Marlo takes over his minibus service to Cork. There is nothing regular about the regulars on the bus – especially Sully, a non-verbal 7 year old, who goes nowhere but does the journey back and forth every day, on his own. Marlo is landed with this a strange but compassionate arrangement, fashioned to give the child’s mother respite from his care. Sully’s obsession with an imaginary friend in the ancient oak forests of Glengarriff slowly unveils its terrible secrets – a 400-hundred-year-old tragedy revels itself.
Published by Hope Road tomorrow, 19th September, The Inheritance is available in the usual places including directly from the publisher here.
About Cauvery Madhavan
Cauvery Madhavan was born and educated in India. She worked as a copywriter in her hometown of Chennai (formerly Madras). Cauvery moved to Ireland over three decades years ago and has been in love with the country ever since. Her other books are: Paddy Indian, The Uncoupling and The Tainted.
She lives with her husband and three children in beautiful County Kildare.
For further information, visit Cauvery’s website, follow Cauvery on Twitter/X @CauveryMadhavan and find her on Instagram.