[Review] All the Bad Apples by Moira Fowley-Doyle

All the Bad Apples by Moira Fowley-Doyle

Rating: 4 stars

Format: ARC

Published: August 27th 2019

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Deena's wild and mysterious sister Mandy disappears - presumed dead - her family are heartbroken. But Mandy has always been troubled. It's just another bad thing to happen to Deena's family. Only Deena refuses to believe it's true.
And then the letters start arriving. Letters from Mandy, claiming that their family's blighted history is not just bad luck or bad decisions - but a curse, handed down through the generations. Mandy has gone in search of the curse's roots, and now Deena must find her. What they find will heal their family's rotten past - or rip it apart forever. 

What a powerful book, one that conveys an important message. Deena works to uncover the truth about her family's dark history, specifically the ones who were considered the "bad apples" after her sister Mandy's apparent death. Deena believes Mandy is still alive, and is sending her letters to help Deena along the way.


The way this story unfolded was a real page-turner to read. One by one, Deena learns about the "bad apples" in her family, and how the family curse came to be. It's really quite heartbreaking and sad, and this book speaks to the current issues plaguing Ireland today when it comes to the separation of church and state. All the Bad Apples was heavily researched by Doyle, and she incorporates the injustices committed by the Catholic Church towards women and the LGBTQ community.

There's a continual repetition of the idea that just because someone is labeled a "bad apple" does not make them one; just because someone is different does not mean they should be treated any less. As I read, I really felt for Deena, Mandy, Rachel, and all their ancestors, those who suffered because of archaic, stubbornly-held ideals.

The pregnant girls didn't cry often, however much they felt like it. They learned not to. They learned to hold it in. They knew they'd cry plenty enough when their baby was born. That no matter how uncomfortable and shameful they felt, no matter how painful and lengthy their labor would be, they'd feel a thousand times worse when it was over. - p. 171

This isn't a story about just Deena, but about everyone in the Rhys family. We learn about all their secrets and their hardships, and I like that this book was not centralized on one character in that regard. We had a glimpse into each character's backstory, making them feel all the more human.

I highly recommend this book!