Islands Ever After and other stories by Majella Cullinane

Everything about this book is beautiful – from the colourful and inviting cover, to the fourteen exquisitely crafted short stories within the covers. Set in Ireland, Scotland, and New Zealand, these separate islands are physical and metaphysical. The stories span from contemporary to historic settings, and the different characters are well-crafted and unforgettable. Each story is uniquely human and individual, but what connects them is the shared human experience.

There is an officer in the First World War who is on a quarantine island and heartbreakingly losing his sight. There is a student in Dublin who yearns for love, but he struggles to understand the nuances of the language used around him. There is a fight for survival during a maritime tragedy, an executioner in turmoil, and a woman separated from her spouse during a COVID-19 lockdown.

Majella is originally from Ireland, and she now lives in New Zealand, so it’s no surprise that Irish stories seep into the book, alongside the ones set in Scotland and Aotearoa.

Islands Ever After is perfect reading to dip into, with people searching for connection and belonging, with stories of love and loss, troubles and new beginnings. Majella is such an elegant writer, and every story is a delight.

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Quentin Wilson Publishing