It's easy to think that when a book is this small (96 pages) that it's unlikely to have much of an impact but Foster is the most exquisitely beautiful, small bundle of perfection that worms it's way into your core before you have even realised it's finished. 

This short but perfectly formed story, set in rural Wexford in the 1980s, follows an unnamed little girl as she is sent off to live with distant relatives while her mother gets ready to give birth to yet another child. As the story moves on we see her realise there's a whole world of care, love, affection and comfort that she didn't even realise she was missing.

It's quite striking how much Keegan says within these pages while actually saying very little at all. It's quite a hard book to write about as it's one that evokes so many feelings from each individuals own interpretations. For example, for me, leaving the little girl unnamed I feel added so much to the sense of her apparent insignificance at the start.

A gentle yet powerful book overflowing with life's pain yet also it's beauty. Not a single word is wasted and every sentence is so meaningfully crafted and delivered straight to the heart.