So...something about the plot

In a sense this is a novel about writing.  Writing that is motivated by a void or an absence.  After she is given a diary for her 11th birthday the main protagonist, Kaye, begins to keep a journal. Kaye's father has gone back 'home' to Northern Ireland determined to stand shoulder to shoulder with the nationalist community following the death of Bobby Sands. But his leaving is not straightforward and is viewed with suspicion by some people.

Kaye has always loved her father's stories - providing an eager receptacle for his political ideology and passion for Ireland. Following his departure, she makes him into an almost fantasy figure - worshipping him much in same sentimental and romantic fashion that he has worshipped his beloved Ireland.  This fantasy  father weilds a profound influence over Kaye and increasingly, she withdraws into her own private world, hiding up in the airing cupboard.  The airing cupboard provides a haven for reading, writing and dreaming, a space where Kaye feels she can become herself.  It is also a space filled with clues to the family's history and secrets.