Written by Irish novelist Anne Enright, The Gathering (originally published in 2007), tells the story of a rather large Irish family who one day gathers for the funeral of a man called Liam Hegarty, an alcoholic who died by his own hand. The Gathering is told from the point of view of Liam's sister named Veronica, who chronicles her family's strange and oftentimes troubled history as a way to try to make sense of her beloved brother's tragic death.
When it was released, The Gathering received mostly positive reviews. Kirkus Reviews, for example, loved the book. In their review, they wrote that the book is "A dreamy, melancholy swirl of a story, wise about the bonds and burdens linking children to each other and their grown selves." Publisher's Weekly was less effusive in their praise, but called Enright's book "taut."
