Readers of Patrick Taylor's Irish Country novels know that the Irish-Canadian physician has a gift for storytelling. Now, after five novels detailing Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly's general practice in the small Irish village of Ballybucklebo, from his quirky patients to his training of young Dr. Barry Laverty, Taylor turns his attention to Dr. O'Reilly's past. A Dublin Student Doctor focuses on young Fingal's decision to enter the field of medicine, his struggles during his student years to balance his time in training with his other passions (most prominently, rugby and a student nurse named Kitty O'Hallorhan) and the interactions with friends, family and patients that influenced his maturation as a physician.
As with the other books in the series, A Dublin Student Doctor adds to the overall O'Reilly saga, but also stands alone as an engaging and often humorous narrative. Given its setting in Dublin during the 1930s, the story is particularly mindful of the fragility of the times--the recent Great Depression, the fight for Irish independence and the hint of war to come. Taylor introduces the book with a thoughtful author's note describing his decision to delve into Dr. O'Reilly's formative years and (as always) ends with a collection of recipes and a glossary that nicely add to the reader's experience. Altogether, it's another well-executed tale in Taylor's delightful series. --Roni K. Devlin, owner of Literary Life Bookstore & More