“I really enjoyed Helen's description of motherhood in Ireland. How until today the Irish constitution differs between man and women and patriarchy reveals itself in the system's core. Helen explained how the relationship between Irish mothers and their children creates a lot of struggles on how to surpass the system's gender roles. I very much enjoyed the option to ask questions. Helen's answer to my question, whether she introduced a strict writing routine into her everyday life, was very insightful for people who write themselves. In the end I was very impressed with Helen's work and ability to present it and glad I joined the reading.”
“Helen Cullen is an author I hadn't heard much about before her reading. Overall, I can say that I left her reading very inspired. I was most interested in her personal anecdotes of how she shapes her journey as an Irish author. It is always interesting to get to know the people behind the works. I could really relate to the themes Helen Cullen deals with in her two novels and bought her latest novel straight after the reading. Problems or issues that many people, especially women, face are combined with issues that Irish people know and deal with every day. For me it made many things tangible, to hear from people who grow up with these realities of life or are closer to these realities of life is a personal way of learning. A way that is also very instructive for me and I wouldn't want to miss. I would like to thank Helen Cullen for the personal insights into her stories and look forward to reading more from her. “
“I really enjoyed Helen Cullen's reading. She has a very pleasant voice that you want to listen to for a long time. The excerpts from her books were very interesting and well chosen. I really liked the background information she gave. This made it easier to understand the content. But what I liked most was the way she answered questions from the audience. I really liked the story of how her books came about and how long such a process takes. (…)”
"Helen Cullen's reading was a literary revelation. The captivating excerpts from her novels spurred my immediate interest and prompted their purchase. Her insightful exploration of motherhood and feminism in Irish society provided a fresh perspective. What intrigued me most was Helen's unique approach to storytelling - piecing narrativs together from fragments. Her dive into Ireland's language and tradition added depth to the overall experience. The origin of her first book, stemming from personal struggles and spontaneous writing, inspired me to adopt a daily writing practice. In essence, Helen's reading was not only enjoyable but a throught-provoking journey into her distinctive storytelling and cultural insights."
"Helen's reading from her novels was just great! She did not only read excerpts from her novels but shared many anecdotes, pieces of advice regarding creative writing and insights about Irish literature and culture. I really enjoyed listening to her and particularly liked the lively discussion during the Q&A."