Reviews & Awards
“Of particular delight are the many unexpected twists and turns.” THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
“…takes readers’ breath in the first stanza and keeps them captivated to the last line.” LITERARY TITAN AWARDS
“This is a book of fine writing… with an excellent ear for the voices of the past and the present, the shocks and pain inflicted by people, the suffering of loss and the pleasures of love. The explanations and anecdotes are beautifully rendered with the power of vivid imagination rooted in popular tales and legends. The characters are equally vivid, revealed with a sure hand… A memorable book which has a wide sweep of emotions and a powerful range of description.” NORTHERN READER
“This book is full of tender and special words for the time of year, images of life, love and nature. Twelve poems sounds a small number, but there is a huge variety of rhythm and rhyme, imagery and ideas. It is a small book of big ideas, and is a tremendous success as a book of poetry for Christmas and other beginnings.” NORTHERN READER
Allowing Now: A Book of Mindfulness Poetry winner of the Firebird Poetry Book Award 2021
After the Rising wins BRAG Award for Literary Fiction. Gold Medallion Award from BRAG, the Book Readers Appreciation Group.
B.R.A.G. (Book Readers Appreciation Group) Medallion, Literary Fiction Award 2013 Honoree B.R.A.G.
“This literary historical novel reveals the great Irish poet WB Yeats and his muse Maud Gonne in their very human glory… Exceptionally lyrical writing and vivid characterisation does justice to the book's ambitious themes.” CAP CAROUSEL
Awarded for “Crafted and edited to a standard expected from major publishers.” AWESOME INDIE BOOK AWARDS
Awarded for “high-quality writing, design and overall market appeal.” BOOK EXCELLENCE AWARD
After The Rising & Before The Fall awarded Literary Titan award for “unique writing style, vivid world, complex characters, and original ideas.”
American Fiction Awards Finalist awarded to: After the Rising & Before the Fall. AMERICAN FICTION AWARDS
“Ross's verse is technically brilliant, emotionally beguiling and, at times, startling.” Kaleem Raja, Poetry Editor. THE VIEW FROM HERE
“I don't often beg authors for a review copy of their book but having read Orna's debut novel, I made an exception for this book [and it ] is even more skilful as the past and the present are seamlessly interwoven… I thought at first that I would not warm to Izzy's daughter, Star – some of the footnotes which she's added to her mother's story are terse (or worse) – but the splendid and most unexpected ending put everything into place.
This isn't a short read, or even an easy read, but it is infinitely rewarding… Pull the delicate strands of the relationships and see how the present mirrors the past, see how history repeats itself. It's superb.” THEBOOKBAG.CO.UK
After The Rising: “An incredible literary debut that will have the reader absolutely enthralled.”
“Puts culpable, fragile flesh and blood—lots of blood—on a defining moment in Irish history… Of particular delight are the many unexpected twists and turns.” SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
“A hauntingly captivating read.” SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
“With this little book of big, big poems, Orna Ross reaches into the corners of your soul and pulls out all that is beautiful.” AMAZON
“Ransacks the best scholarly sources and ingeniously knits a complex tale of betrayal, revenge, suspense, love — and surprise.” IRISH INDEPENDENT