There is something of Trollope's Barsetshire here, in the sense of an entire place rendered in fine detail ... Williams's phrasing is immaculate and even the smallest characters are drawn with attention and detail. But Dr Troy is the heart of this slow, rich novel. The scene in which he dances with the baby in a quiet kitchen is one of the most affecting I've read

The Times

A compellingly emotional experience that catches the breath and doesn't let up until it reaches its final, dramatic conclusion

Guardian

Time of the Child dazzles as both Christmas tale and erudite novel ... A stylistic cousin to the vernacular achievements of Kevin Barry and Roddy Doyle, but also distinctive ... Williams packs his paragraphs with lush imagery and piercing psychological insight. Let's raise a glass of mulled wine to an Emerald Isle master at the peak of his powers

Washington Post

When I cried, it was because, with his careful and compassionate depictions of people, place and time, Williams reminds us of the humanity in all, of the vitality of a community that comes together, and of the power in revealing our vulnerabilities to others

New York Times Book Review

An exquisite portrayal of the characters, weather, geography and everyday life in rural west Ireland in 1962 ... Akin to Dickens in his brilliantly detailed observations ... Kind, wry, funny and poignant, this needs a great film director

Woman & Home, Books of the Year

My new favourite ... A study in human community that made me laugh out loud and remember how to love even the people who cause others so much suffering, and especially those who come together to ease it

Margaret Renkl, New York Times