Dawn O'Porter reviews Louise Kennedy's Stations for the Radio Times Book Club, sponsored by Dr. Oetker Ristorante

❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

Dawn O'Porter is the new host of the Radio Times Book Club, sponsored by Dr. Oetker Ristorante, and there's a fantastic book up first.

Louise Kennedy's Stations is our first pick, and it follows the story of Róisín and Red, two characters with an inexplicable and indefinable relationship in Ireland in the 1980s. Readers follow snapshots of them growing up in a heartbreaking and, at times, funny, novel.

In the first book review, that you can watch above, Dawn is joined by Radio Times' Deputy Digital Editor, Helen Daly, to discuss what they thought about the novel – while munching on some delicious Dr. Oetker Ristorante pizza.

Get in touch via Radio Times' social channels to let us know what you thought of Stations. Did you agree with Dawn and Helen? What star rating would you give Louise Kennedy's latest novel?

Reader review: Lisa Thompson

What did you think of Stations by Louise Kennedy?

Before Stations, the last few books I read just weren't hitting the spot; they had either been hard work or felt throwaway. This book changed that. The opening line had me at hello, and from that moment I inhaled it. After I finished it I couldn’t sleep. It made me think but also feel. It isn't just a wonderful story, but a book with real depth. It spans genres, somehow combining a coming-of-age love story, historical fiction and social commentary. The characters are imperfect, but you still root for them. It is often very dark but feels weirdly hopeful. My favourite thing is that Kennedy doesn't give you everything at once; she has the patience and restraint to keep things unknown until the last moment, making the pay-off so satisfying. This is a book that makes you yearn, and then quietly breaks your heart.

Who would you recommend it to and why?

For anyone who wants a love story with real depth – just maybe don't read it in public, because you probably will cry.

What star rating would you give it?

4.8/5

For all the latest RT Book Club news, interviews, Q&As with the authors, reviews of previous books and more, visit The Radio Times Book Club, sponsored by Dr. Oetker Ristorante.

Authors

Helen Daly is the Deputy Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.