Limerick author Sarah Gilmartin crafts colourful page turner
AFTER Me Too, the movement that raised awareness of sexual harassment and the abuse of women in the workplace, Limerick author and journalist Sarah Gilmartin wondered what it would be like to hear from the one voice that is almost never heard of.
“I started writing this around 2020 and I had been reading a lot of things in the media about Me Too. It struck me that you rarely hear from the wife of the person who is accused or the partner, they’re very much in the background,” the Lisnagry native points out.
“That got me thinking, that's actually a really interesting voice, I'd like to hear more from that perspective - from a woman in her own words.”
The critic-turned-author recently published Service, a thought-provoking and character-driven novel shifting between the perspectives of three narrators – the waitress, the chef and the chef’s wife - one of whom has just been accused of rape.
When a sexual assault case against chef Daniel Costello is heard before the court in Dublin, three people tell their sides of the story. But exactly who is telling the truth? Hannah remembers a summer of plush splendour and wild parties when she worked as a waitress in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Dublin, but she also recalls something much darker.
As the restaurant is closed down, Daniel’s wife, Julie, is hiding from the paparazzi while looking back on the impact her husband’s actions have had on their family.
Without taking sides and with nuance, Sarah Gilmartin has crafted a colourful page-turner which gives readers room to decide who’s telling the truth - and who should be grilled.
Speaking of the darker elements in the book, Sarah explains: “How you deal and how you write about sexual abuse or trauma… I wanted to make sure that it was done right and not in a way that was done in a dramatic way.
"It had to feel real to the experience of the character, and I think that’s probably something I try and do in my writing as a whole – to not fill everything in. You try and leave blanks for the reader to make up their own mind as well, and that gets them involved in the story, or I hope it does.”
Years ago, Sarah worked as a waitress in America. She knew how the world of high-end dining could be exciting and fun, but also how the hospitality industry can be “shady,” depending on “who is in charge.”
“I certainly drew on my own experience in terms of when I was over in America in my twenties, I was so impressionable about all this kind of fast-paced and glamorous environment. People coming in, everyone looked amazing. A lot of the time, there were celebrities," she says.
However, the author points out that Service is purely fictional. And if there is one thing she’d never write about, it’s her personal life.
“People have asked me, particularly with my first novel, if it was about me. I think it doesn’t happen so much to men.” With a smile, she continues: “A woman can’t have an imagination, men do not get asked that question. It’s funny. I’m not interested in writing anything about my own life or auto fiction.”
Not only is Sarah a novelist, she’s also a critic who reviews fiction for The Irish Times, and is the co-editor of the Stinging Fly anthology.
What is one thing she has learned from reviewing other people’s books?
“Readers like books or narratives that have tension or a question that hasn't been answered, to drive the plot forward. Some writers do that really skillfully,” she notes.
Over the last 10 years, the novelist has reviewed approximately 500 books. Does she think of herself as a tough critic?
“Probably, but also maybe more of a fair critic. That’s how I would hope to view myself."
Being both an author and a critic, Sarah can’t help but read the reviews of her own books.
“I'd like to say I don’t, but I absolutely do. I'm quite funny if they're good, I’m just happy they’re good, they don’t really stay in my head. But if there’s a bad one, I do focus on the negative for a little bit,” she laughs.
“From having reviewed myself, there’s people who just get obsessed with a bad review and years later they can’t let it go. I think that’s just a really unhealthy way to deal with criticism. You need to draw a line under it and just move on,” she advises.
Originally from Limerick, Sarah lives in Dublin.
Seeing as her family is “rugby cracked,” there is sometimes conflict in her house. “I’m not as Munster mad as they are. But even though I’ve lived in Dublin for 20 years, I would always support Munster over Ulster. And I married an Ulster man, so we’re all very conflicted,” she smiles.
Her mom, Ursula, gave her a ride to town this morning. "I was gonna drive, and she said there's road works everywhere, so she dropped me off. I felt like I was off to a disco to meet friends.”
If there is one thing she would like people to know, it might be that she’s a bridge champion – something she learned from her time in Laurel Hill Secondary School.
“I used to play bridge for Ireland as a junior. We learned it in secondary school, my best friend and I ended up playing for Ireland,” she smiles, proudly.