The Glorious Heresies

The Glorious Heresies is a novel by Irish author Lisa McInerney, first published 9 April 2015 in the United Kingdom by John Murray.

The novel is set in Cork, Ireland, in the wake of economic downturn, and explores the meager circumstances and decisions of several characters who are on the fringe of society. The plot explores drug and alcohol abuse, poverty, drug dealing, prostitution, religious abuse, unplanned pregnancy, rehabilitation, and organised crime, enveloped around the accidental homicide of someone, committed by 59-year-old Maureen, which in varying ways implicates the rest of the characters.

The novel was received positively by critics and it won the Women's Prize for Fiction and the Desmond Elliott Prize.

Summary
The narrative follows a young man called Ryan as he struggles with family issues and the Irish criminal underworld.

Characters

 * Maureen — An elderly woman who kills an intruder in her house. This inciting incident brings various other characters into the know about the disposal of the body and has far-reaching consequences on all of them for years, as tensions and mistrust worsen.
 * Ryan — Tony's son, a 15-year-old drug seller. Abused by his alcoholic family, he finds solace in Tara. However, he spends time in jail and fate is not particularly kind to him during the novel's plot.
 * Tara — Ryan's neighbor and sexual partner.

Reception
The Glorious Heresies received mostly positive review. The Irish Times described the book as "biting, moving and darkly funny". The Guardian criticised the novel for lacking in energy during its final third but said McInerney "has talent to burn".

Awards
The novel was the winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2016. It's winner of the Desmond Elliott Prize.