Much of the book consists of vignettes or set-pieces, where far too many characters extraneous to the main plot tell their stories, resulting in too many narrative voices. Characterisation is superficial, especially in the Irish village, where too many Irish stereotypes are depicted. So all the ingredients of a good novel are here but O’Brien fails to deliver.

And the third part takes place at a war crime trial in The Hague, as Dr Vlad turns out to be a wanted war criminal from the Balkans – based on Radovan Karadzic. Part 2 is set in London whither his victim Fidelma escapes having become infatuated with him. The trope of a stranger coming into a community and disrupting it is a well-worn one, and inevitably Dr Vlad’s arrival has unforeseen consequences. Divided into three unequal parts, it tells of the arrival in a small Irish village of a new-age type healer and sex therapist. But just because something's worth writing about doesn’t automatically make a novel successful. Ambitious certainly, and I can see that in addressing the problem of evil and the repercussions of the Balkan wars her intentions are admirable. O’Brien lives in London.This book is a mess and I am puzzled by the many laudatory reviews, especially those in the newspapers, where it seems to be taken for granted that O’Brien can do no wrong. Notable works also include August Is a Wicked Month (1965), A Pagan Place (1970), Lantern Slides (1990), and The Light of Evening (2006). Her 1960 debut novel, The Country Girl, was banned in her native Ireland for its groundbreaking depictions of female sexuality. She has also received, among other honors, the Irish PEN Award for Literature, the Ulysses Medal from University College Dublin, and a lifetime achievement award from the Irish Literary Academy. She is the 2011 recipient of the Frank O’Connor Prize, awarded for her short story collection Saints and Sinners. Notable works also include August Is a Wicked Month (1965), A Pagan Place (1970), Lantern Slides (1990), and The Light of Evenin Edna O’Brien is an award-winning Irish author of novels, plays, and short stories, has been hailed as one of the greatest chroniclers of the female experience in the twentieth century.

Edna O’Brien is an award-winning Irish author of novels, plays, and short stories, has been hailed as one of the greatest chroniclers of the female experience in the twentieth century.

The Little Red Chairs by Edna O'Brien