Infertility is no laughing matter. Men and women unable to have
children are often put through the emotional and physical wringer
in trying to build a family. So to say that Sinead Moriarty's first
novel THE BABY TRAIL --- about one woman's difficulty getting
pregnant --- is humorous, while true, does not do justice to the
depth of the story and the sensitivity Moriarty feels for the
serious subject matter.

THE BABY TRAIL is funny, often laugh-out-loud funny. But that is
because its main character, Emma Hamilton, is funny, not because
Moriarty tries to suggest that infertility is.

At thirty-three, happily married and content in her career, Emma
has decided it is high time to start a family. Her husband, James,
agrees. She thinks it will be simple; stop using birth control,
have sex, and after a couple of months she will find herself
pregnant. But after a few months go by, Emma starts to get worried.
She changes her diet, exercises more, and tracks her ovulation.
Still no pregnancy. After a year, Emma and James visit fertility
specialists, and from that point on Emma spends a year undergoing
painful and depressing procedures, taking hormones and becoming
positively obsessed with conception.

Her family and friends begin to worry about her, and her
relationship with James becomes strained; Emma knows she is losing
emotional control but feels she needs to keep trying to have a
baby. Finally, after a couple of years and one too many invasive
doctor visits, she needs to decide what her priorities are and how
much she is willing to endure to have a child.

What is funny about this story? Despite the serious and
heartbreaking topic, Moriarty's prose is often hilarious and always
witty. Dubliner Emma is smarty and sassy with a sharp tongue, and
her brogue and Irish slang are charming (yet readable). Often it is
Emma's --- that is Moriarty's --- honesty about sex, relationships
and ego that make the book funny, but mostly it is Emma's wry and
bold narration that will get a laugh from readers.

Still, this is a serious book. Moriarty does not trivialize the
issue of infertility and never gives Emma an easy way out; she and
James must make tough decisions. We follow Emma through two years
of humiliation, sadness, anger and frustration as well as
hopefulness. THE BABY TRAIL is realistic and poignant in this
way.

Along with Emma and James, readers meet a host of characters that
are all important in Emma's life. Her two close friends represent
two alternate lifestyles --- the single, workaholic and the
stressed stay-at-home mom. Her parents and siblings, while unable
to empathize, are supportive of Emma and every bit as quirky as she
is. James's friend Donal, a professional rugby player, is raising
his orphaned niece on his own. And James's brother and
sister-in-law are having twins, and rubbing salt in Emma's
emotional wounds.

It would be a shame to pass over this novel because it seems at
first glance like so much light "Chick Lit" reading. For fans of
the genre there is the spunky heroine (and Irish to boot), the
handsome love interest, the fiery friends, and lots to smile at.
However, this novel transcends many similar stories by dealing with
a difficult issue with grace and intelligence. So readers looking
for something a bit meatier will not be disappointed. While the
abrupt ending may leave readers a bit put off, Moriarty seems to be
trying to leave the end of Emma's struggles to the imagination.
Still, the end, while a respectable effort, is the main weakness of
the novel.

Moriarty's debut is promising. It is well-written with a good blend
of humor and drama.