Breakfast on Pluto

Patrick McCabe's lyrical and haunting novel became a #1 bestseller in Ireland and was nominated for the Booker Prize. With delicate insight, McCabe introduces Mr. Patrick "Pussy" Braden, a hopeful hero(ine) whose survival and quest for love drive the narrative, set against the backdrop of the troubles in Ireland. Twenty years ago, Pussy escaped her hometown of Tyreelin, leaving behind her foster mother Whiskers and her chaotic household to start anew in London. There, she navigates life in blousey tops and satin miniskirts, often risking everything in the bars of Piccadilly Circus. However, the dangers she faces extend beyond the seedy clientele; the 1970s are marked by fear in both London and Belfast, pulling Pussy into a vortex of violence and tragedy that threatens to shatter her fragile spirit. Brilliant and profound, the novel intertwines light and dark, laughter and pain, with a sensitivity that leaves a lasting impact on readers long after the final page.