The Raptures

Absolutely MAGNIFICENT: dark, witty, charming. I LOVED it * MARIAN KEYES *
Heart-rending, hilarious . . . It's a belter. * LOUISE KENNEDY *
An Agatha Christie-esque whodunnit, a dark supernatural mystery and an account of mass trauma. Carson forges these parts into a tragicomedy in which fantastic elements slot almost seamlessly alongside kitchen-sink realism...compassionate and meticulously observed.' * GUARDIAN *
Original and vivid, The Raptures is its own beautiful, unique thing * IRISH TIMES *
The book's beauty comes from its hilarious depiction of claustrophobic small-town life * Sunday Times *
Anutterly compulsive and gripping portrayal of the brilliance of children, the power of intergenerational relationships, and the certainty of our human desire to belong. An utterly engrossing read - one that confronts the trauma of loss and the dangers of religious zealotry through powerful narrative, compelling characters and sharp wit. Jan Carson is a true original. An absolute must read. Outstanding. * ELAINE FEENEY *
The Raptures is a wonderful piece of fiction. It engages the reader with a clever plot and with its perfect portrayal of parochial life in Northern Ireland imploded by tragedy told in prose that shimmers with empathy, warmth and humanity. * IRISH INDEPENDENT *
A fascinating tale of trauma, fury and panic. * INDEPENDENT *
I gobbled upThe Raptures. It's a delightful read - sharp, packed with wit and heart, and always utterly absorbing. And it's got that perfectly Irish mix of darkness and humour, the smartarsed wink into the void. * LISA MCINERNEY *
A blistering account of small-town Ulster life, The Raptures is unflinching in its exploration of the corrosive effects of fear and small-mindedness on a community, and the trauma wreaked by uncompromising religious fundamentalism on a young and tender soul. Rich in a glorious colloquial idiom, rich with Jan Carson's sharp, sardonic wit, it is ultimately a hopeful read, too, about the ways - whether we like it or not - we are all connected. This is a book written from the guts and from the heart. * LUCY CALDWELL *
An original and exciting work that's equal parts terrifying, hilarious and memorable... It is truly one of those books in which every piece fits together like the cogs of a watch. * SUNDAY TIMES IRELAND *
Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure, The Raptures is a very special novel. Jan Carson is a writer of astounding empathy, giving every character - alive or dead - a voice that rings brilliantly true. A real gem. * RUTH GILLIGAN *
This superb book deserves all the plaudits and praise going. * SUNDAY INDEPENDENT, IRELAND *
I laughed, cried, was enraptured. * SAGA, BOOK OF THE MONTH *

Jan has such a singular voice; she is somehow able to write gently and playfully about the largest, most timely and tragic of topics. Here she has conjured a scenario that feels both very true and very mysterious. I adored it.

* SARA BAUME *
The Raptures is perfect and generous and beautifully crafted and everything I demand from a book. And Hannah, brave and brilliant Hannah -- I've made up a room for her in my heart forever. I'll be putting it in every hand this Christmas. * KARL GEARY *
An instantly compelling and novel take on a fractured society, The Raptures is a captivating, clever book by a truly original writer * Sarah Gilmartin *