Savage Her Reply - YA Book of the Year, Irish Book Awards 2020

Deirdre Sullivan, from Galway in the West of Ireland, is one of the UK and Ireland's most distinctive YA voices. Her hugely acclaimed Tangleweed and Brine, a collection of feminist retellings of classic fairytales, won Young Adult Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards 2017, the Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Award 2018 and the Irish Times Ticket Reader's Choice Award for YA Fiction.

‘This dark, beautiful retelling of the Irish tale “The Children of Lir”, filled with transformed swans, air demons, betrayal and forgiveness, is saturated with the power of Sullivan’s lyrical prose.’ - Imogen Russell Williams, The Guardian; 'Deirdre Sullivan’s Savage Her Reply breathes new life into the Irish legend of the Children of Lir.' - Fiona Noble, The Observer; '[Deirdre Sullivan's] writing is extraordinary and the illustrations by Karen Vaughan beautiful. A stunning book.' - Justine Carbery, Irish Independent; ‘This is a fiercely feminist novel … intellectually pleasing and emotionally devastating.’ - Claire Hennessy, The Irish Times; ‘No-one else writes like Deirdre Sullivan. She is lyrical, poetic and thoroughly intoxicating.’ - Juno Dawson; ‘Unsettling, haunting, and darkly lyrical, Savage Her Reply is a beautiful thing.’ - Louise O’Neill; ‘Stirring and shocking, a feat of absolute poetry.’ - Sarah Maria Griffin