Books of the year: Poetry and polished prose probing power and privilege

Laura Cassidy’s books of the year include intricate yet accessible poems, a Cork City-based crime thriller, the Giller Prize winner 2025, and a top grade campus novel

Molly Twomey’s work is intricate yet accessible, narratively gripping, and rich with hits. File picture: Michael O’Hanrahan/The Gallery Press

Chic To Be Sad by Molly Twomey (The Gallery Press, €12.95)

As someone who reads quite a bit in my line of work, I like to build a little pile of appealing books that I’m especially confident I will enjoy, stowed away throughout the year and opened purely for pleasure during the holiday season.