Morgan's TOP 5 in 2025 | Ordinary Saints - Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin

Morgan says... A remarkable debut. Ni Mhaoileoin captures the challenging and complex emotions of being queer in a Catholic household and being from a Catholic country. This story is at once heartfelt, tender and pacy; exploring the themes of 'conflicting' identities. A perfect, searing example of the depth of ever evolving sibling dynamics and grief.

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Can you imagine it? I'd say to them. Can you imagine me there in the front row in Saint Peter's Square? The lesbian sister of a literal saint.

Brought up in a devout household in Ireland, Jay is now living in London with her girlfriend, determined to live day to day and not think too much about either the future or the past. But when she learns that her beloved older brother, who died in a terrible accident, may be made into a Catholic saint, she realises she must at last confront her family, her childhood and herself

Inspired by the author's own devout upbringing, Ordinary Saints is a brilliant debut novel from a fresh, exciting new voice which asks - who gets to decide how we are remembered - and who we will become?