Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Big Girl, Small Town

By: Michelle Gallen
Narrated by: Nicola Coughlan
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $14.52

Buy for $14.52

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award.

Stuff Majella knows

  • God doesn't punish men with baldness for wearing ladies' knickers
  • Banana-flavoured condoms taste the same as nutrition shakes
  • Not everyone gets a volley of gunshots over their grave as they are being lowered into the ground

Stuff Majella doesn't know

  • That she is autistic
  • Why her ma drinks
  • Where her da is

Other people find Majella odd. She keeps herself to herself, she doesn't like gossip and she isn't interested in knowing her neighbours' business. But suddenly everyone in the small town in Northern Ireland where she grew up wants to know all about hers.

Since her da disappeared during the Troubles, Majella has tried to live a quiet life with her alcoholic mother. She works in the local chip shop (Monday-Saturday, Sunday off), wears the same clothes every day (overalls, too small), has the same dinner each night (fish and chips, nuked in the microwave) and binge watches Dallas (the best show ever aired on TV) from the safety of her single bed. She has no friends and no boyfriend, and Majella thinks things are better that way.

But Majella's safe and predictable existence is shattered when her grandmother dies, and as much as she wants things to go back to normal, Majella comes to realise that maybe there is more to life. And it might just be that from tragedy comes Majella's one chance at escape.

©2020 Michelle Gallen (P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"Milkman meets Derry Girls. A cracking read." (Sinead Moriarty)

"A thrillingly fresh, provocative and touching voice." (Marian Keyes)

"Bawdy yet beautiful, full of everyday tragedy, absurdity and truth. I grew extraordinarily attached to Majella." (Sara Baume)

What listeners say about Big Girl, Small Town

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Narration full of flavour.

This world simply invites you in. Great narration that had me in stitches. The slice of life narrative is successful in its simplicity.

The only let down was the ending. A more dramatic/decisive conclusion would have been more satisfying than the abrupt open ending.

This will, however, be one of my regular repeats!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!