Marian Keyes at Dublin Book Festival 2020

To the backdrop of the beautiful Farmleigh House, an engaging and joyful event unfolded this morning: In association with Dublin City Council, Dublin Book Festival hosted Dublin City Libraries Readers’ Day with none other than national treasure herself, Marian Keyes

In conversation with the inimitable Róisín Ingle, Marian talked about her new novel, Grown Ups, its status as a ‘mature’ novel, and her gratitude that on this fourteenth novel, people’s investment in her work seems to only be increasing.

Beyond this, Marian both delighted and reassured with her trademark wit, as she confided that she too has experienced that universal rite of passage of having her work affectionately critiqued by friends of her mother. She also confessed that in this era of online scrutiny, she is waiting to be cancelled on Twitter; upon probing from Róisín, she admitted that she has had a few mini-cancellations, but the big one is yet to come. If Marian’s prediction comes true, we’re sure that the #MarianKeyesisOverParty will be the best cancellation party out there 😉

These moments of levity, however, did not prevent Marian from engaging with serious topics: she spoke plainly and honestly about her mental health throughout the tumultuous year that has been 2020, she tackled the minefield that is growing older as a woman in a society that values appearance, and she astutely addressed the snobbery that abounds in the differentiation between ‘literary’ and ‘popular’ fiction. 

Marian also talked about her current project, no doubt setting long-time fans’ heart’s racing: she is working on a sequel for her bestseller, Rachel’s Holiday.

Much like herself, the event was an utter joy – we hope you enjoyed it. If you missed out, the event is now available for playback here.