The Queen of Dirt Island

Pearl is now learning how to walk. Saoirse wonders what Honey’s life was like in London before she moved to Ireland. Honey tells Saoirse that she lived a life of drama, which she never wants to be involved in again. Saoirse looks at Honey and wishes that she was more like her.

Pearl takes her first steps, and Saoirse wonders if she should have stayed in school to take her exams. However, she remembers how the nuns at school used to torment the students, including Breedie, and feels content with her current life.

Sometimes, Josh and Honey go on trips alone. They invite Saoirse, but she declines, reasoning that she doesn’t want to impose on them. One night, Josh hits a man in a pub in Nenagh who is mistreating Honey. Saoirse feels pleased by their subsequent tension and fighting and doesn’t understand why. Honey and Saoirse talk to each other about books frequently. Josh tells the two of them that he didn’t like The Catcher in the Rye, and while he and Honey argue about it, Saoirse feels excluded because of her relative lack of education compared to them.

Saoirse’s mother starts to go on dates. When she leaves for a date,

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now