On Canaan's Side - Sebastian Barry - A Short Summary & Review

On Canaan's Side - Sebastian Barry - A Short Summary & Review 

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

The tale of an Irish girl in America.

A short summary:

On Canaan’s Side is the life story of Lilly Bere, an Irish woman who emigrates to America after violence and political division upend her youth. Told late in her life, Lilly’s narrative moves between Ireland and the United States, tracing exile, love, motherhood, loss, and survival across decades marked by unrest and quiet endurance.

As Lilly recounts her past, Barry reveals how history does not merely shape lives; it wounds them, follows them, and resurfaces in unexpected ways. This is not a story driven by plot so much as by memory, where what matters most is what is carried forward.

My favorite quote from the book:

"Tears have a better character cried alone."

- Sebastian Barry, On Canaan's Side

Questions to ponder while reading:

Would you have been able to forgive?

Would you have felt left behind?

My review:

The violence born of Ireland’s division stuns me every time I encounter it, and Barry never lets that violence feel abstract. It is intimate, personal, and devastating in its reach.

This is a beautiful, bittersweet story, written with restraint and aching humanity. Lilly is a remarkable character: observant, resilient, and profoundly gentle despite everything she has endured. She doesn’t dramatize her suffering; she simply lives with it, and that quiet honesty makes her unforgettable.

Lilly Bere belongs firmly on my list of favorite characters, proof that endurance itself can be a form of grace.

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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