A Compelling story of Ireland
924919
McCann's preoccupation with Ireland and the Irish continues in this imaginative tour de force which spans several distances, finally drawing all the compass points together in the novel's closing pages. Essentially the story of journeys of many kinds - geographic and physical (as in the Atlantic crossing of Alcock and Brown), or the America-bound young maid Lily, or the Northern Ireland presence of Senator George Mitchell which eventually led to the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement in 1998, and created one of the most imaginative leaps of faith in recent Irish history. Either way, the book is worth reading for its interlinked stories. Yet it is not a series of linked stories. This is a big novel, and the characters' journeys are the links, and these journeys provide the reader with a sense of wonder at the faltering yet sometimes sure-footedness of people we imagine to be 'historical figures'. They are anything but. These are real people, imaginatively created, who took modern decisions of one kind or another in the interests of their lives and the lives of others.
3711814
A good read based on some recent truths about Ireland.  It is well written with engaging characters and a fine ending.
4274385
I felt immersed in the Irish and Indian cultures as we travelled with the characters. A story that isn't just about plot, but reflects life as it is too.
507579
I have been to Ireland twice and my family is from Kerry so a story about life on the Blasket Islands is a story about my front yard, so to speak, given their position.  It was a bit challenging to read at first till I figured out what "musha" and a few other expressions meant.  It is translated from The Irish and some of the language reads like translation - trying to retain meaning and regional dialectical idiosyncrasies add a great deal of flavor.  The book is full of wonderful stories like what might have been told in the home because there was no television or computer, or phone, or radio: the kind of stories that a culture is built around because they are family stories.  I was transported back to a time and place close to where my ancestors lived and, perhaps, some of the types of stories they listened to while the peat fire burned fragrantly and warmed the cottage on a chilly evening prior to the family retiring for the night.  Muiris O' Sulleabhain is a brilliant story teller.
2677007
Love the way the story is told,  it's like being in the setting.  If you've ever been to Ireland or have Irish roots it's worth the read.
4257971
This gorgeous, compelling, heartfelt story is everything a novel should be.  On Halloween Eve, Oisin, a middle-age recluse living on an island off the coast of Maine, finds a child ghost in his house who, at his touch, is given life.  Aisling had died as a child on the shores of the island, a victim of a shipwreck and a debilitating voyage to escape the potato famine in Ireland.  She awakens in Oisin his own longing for his long-dead twin sister Nieve.  As Aisling grows up at a frantic rate, the two must face their pasts and origins, who they were and are, as well as the special relationship between them.
If the plot sounds maudlin, the novel is anything but.  In Carey's capable hands, readers are guided through the intricacies of these two lives without sentimentality or melodrama.  The lyrical prose is infused with the ache of longing, and the story finds the perfect balance between the past and the present, with a fully realized nineteenth century Ireland contrasting with a contemporary Maine.
I can't recommend this book highly enough.  Of all the books I've read this year, this one has lingered longest in my heart.
293671
I was surprised! Some books about the Irish turn to silly syrup, other are full of gloom and poverty war and death. This book is a wonderful read. A well written life story filled with the trials and joys of this family unusual though it is. It's descriptions are vivid, lifelike.  Greta at first thought to be the victim becomes a force and her husband finds his sense of place in his family. Well worth the look into where they came from and how they survived.
3395708
One wouldn't think that an Iron Age maiden, an archaeological discovery and Northern Ireland's infamous "Troubles" could be combined into a successful, even riveting, work of fiction. But talented author Siobhan Dowd does just that in BOG CHILD, a captivating novel that intertwines two eras of history in the story of one young man's coming of age.

Eighteen-year-old Fergus McCann is having a rough go of it. His older brother Joe, the "soldier" of the family, is incarcerated as a political prisoner because of his involvement with the Provisional Irish Republican Army. His parents are sick with worry, especially when Joe, inspired by the martyrdom of other high-profile prisoners, begins a hunger strike protest in jail. His younger sisters don't understand why everyone is so worried, or why Joe just can't get better and come home. As for Fergus, he has the dual worries of preparing for his driver's exam and his A levels. If he does well enough on his college prep exams, he'll be able to get into a pre-med program in Scotland --- and escape the violent Troubles in Northern Ireland once and for all.

The year is 1981, and IRA activity is at a peak. Fergus and his family live right on the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, so close that he can cross the border into Ireland when he goes for a long run or (as they do at the novel's opening) when he and his uncle go to poach peat to sell for use as heating fuel.

That's when Fergus makes a discovery that will change everything. Peat moss has an uncanny ability to preserve whatever falls into it. So when Fergus finds a young girl's body, he is at first convinced that it's another IRA murder victim dumped in the bog. But when an Irish archaeologist (accompanied by her fetching daughter) confirms that the body instead belongs to a girl from the year AD 80, Fergus's dreams grow haunted by the girl, nicknamed Mel, whose story is so different from --- and yet startlingly similar to --- his own.

Many young American readers will find not only Mel's story but also Fergus's an eye-opening account of history. Dowd does a commendable job of explaining the Troubles to her audience without ever dumbing down the narrative for them. In fact, the writing throughout is lyrical and complex enough to satisfy any reader, whatever their age.

Fergus is a thoughtful, intelligent boy who takes issues of right and wrong seriously. His primary moral crisis --- which culminates in two surprising twists (one humorous, one tragic) --- is not an easy one; nor is the difficult decision that faces the McCann family near the end of the novel and threatens to tear them apart. BOG CHILD handles the big questions --- about personal responsibility, sacrifice, political action, love and borders --- with appropriate gravity, respect and thoughtfulness. And, as Fergus balances counting up the days of Joe's life-threatening hunger strike with his own eagerness to embrace his future, it also manages to sustain suspense from the very first page to the last.

BOG CHILD, which has been short-listed for the Guardian Prize, is the work of an author at the peak of her powers. I read, and loved, Dowd's LONDON EYE MYSTERY last year; with her current book, Dowd shows the true extent of her talent. I was saddened to hear that this promising author died last summer after a long battle with breast cancer. Literature for young people has lost such a gifted writer; those who have been fortunate enough to discover her work can be grateful that, in BOG CHILD and one additional novel to be published next year, her voice lives on.

  --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl
3224320
In 1976, Mahony receives a picture with an inscription on the back explaining his mother came from a small town in Ireland.  He, himself, had grown up in orphanages, never knowing if he was abandoned intentionally or by accident.  With his new information, he sets out to learn more about his past and hopefully find answers to his lifelong questions.  What he finds instead is a town steeped in mystery, ghosts and the timelessness that only Ireland can provide. This is a wonderful book, written with an eye towards the magical and mysterious;  both at work as Mahony grapples with his own questions while awakening the town's not-so-fond memories of his mother 26 years earlier.  The author has an amazing talent that cannot be overstated.  I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
1787752
Ben MacCarthy desperately wants to find his actress wife Venetia and has no interest in politics, but the Ireland of 1956 is a dangerous place to be. Ben, who unwittingly falls in with an IRA sympathizer, is tricked into running guns and his very life is often in danger. But through it all he perseveres in his quest to be reunited with his wife. Along the way his mentor, James Clare, a beloved Irish storyteller, coaches him in how to tell his own story and lead the good life, and after much turmoil and heartache he does find Venetia eventually. This book, the last of a trilogy, is filled with unforgettable characters, as well as delightful myths and stories, all told in Frank Delaney's memorable style. A real treat.
1660583
A story of Ireland in the 16th century told with amazing sensitivity. This is a good author, weaving a story using well-researched elements of Gaelic law and culture
651389
Set in 1840's Ireland during the Potato Famine and modern-day Queens, The Crooked Branch is a very interesting novel about family, genetics, motherhood, fear and courage.

Often with double-narrative stories, I find that I favor one over the other and am irritated when one story stops mid-frame so the other can progress.  I didn't find that to be the case with this novel--both stories, and both narrators were equally compelling, and I thought it was extremely well-crafted so that the two stories unfolded and progressed with a similar cadence and their intersections were masterfully handled.

While I did like the 1840's Irish narrator, Ginny Doyle, as a character more than I liked modern Majella, I don't have to necessarily like a character to like her story.  Odd as it seems, I could relate more to Ginny and the choices she had to make in order to save her family from starvation than I could to Majella and her struggle to adjust to being a full-time mother with a newborn.  Ginny's issues seemed much more real to me than Majella's--maybe that's because Majella is a modern mother and a whiner with not a lot to whine about, whereas Ginny was truly facing life and death decisions.  That said, Majella did grow and develop as a character whom I came to care about...although it still creeps me out that she tuned in her friend's nursery on a baby monitor and spied on her.  I never did get over that breach of what is acceptable.

I read this book shortly after our family's spring break trip to NYC where I finally got to visit the Tenement Museum on the lower east side.  We took the Irish Outsiders tour, and it was fascinating to read about a family who might have experienced much of what we learned about on the tour.  Visiting the Museum just before reading the book enriched the experience that much more for me.
286716
I really enjoyed this book, and recommend it without hesitation, despite its heft.  How much of that is because I love tales of old Ireland, and Irish mythology (which plays a bit of a role in the very beginning) I don't know.  But Rutherford took me through 1100 years of Irish history (okay, Dublin's history) using tales of people (real or imagined) in ways that made them all seem real and live and interesting.

This book, like his others I believe, follows a few families through generations to tell you the history of the Dublin region.  Though I know this is a work of fiction, I also know that it is based on a lot of historical research, and where he could be truly accurate, Rutherford was.  The action rarely strays far from Dublin, but you hear news, as those who lived in that region would have, of other parts of Ireland, and of England, over the years.  We watch as the people of the area around Dublin (and almost certainly the rest of Ireland) go from "pagan" to Christian, under the gentle guidance of Patrick, to devoutly Catholic (the section in which we meet the book of Kells is delightful - and reminds us that while England and Europe were struggling through their "Dark Ages", Ireland was keeping art, literature and faith alive and well), to having Protestant practices forced upon them when Henry's men start burning relics in bonfires in town, and punish with death those who will not yield their loyalty to the pope in favor of Henry as leader of their church.

I particularly enjoyed learning about the differences between what and Irishman mean by an oath of fealty and what Englishman meant in the 10th and 11th centuries.  In some ways, it makes me wonder whether a whole lot of history would have been different had folks not let that go without saying.  Frankly, I like the Irish meaning better, but then this book was written from the Irish viewpoint.  Perhaps I'll try his book Sarum to get what may well have the English viewpoint (if that one doesn't London surely will.
4165803
"Bog Child," as other readers have mentioned is about 18 year old Fergus McCann living near the Republic of Ireland and North Ireland border in 1981 during The Troubles, an extended period of political violence between (among others) the Provisional IRA and the RUC, British Military in Ulster.  While with his uncle one day, he discovers the body of a child in peat bog; as officials look into the body he becomes involved with the investigation through his imagined history of the child and the two Dubliners there to examine the body.  "Bog Child" progresses to tell how Fergus is involved in running packages for the PIRA and how he deals with his brother's hunger strike in The Maze, a British prison.

The good:  I loved reading this book.  I greatly enjoyed "A Swift Pure Cry" and was saddened to hear that Siobhan Dowd had died.  This book was a perfect blend of history, politics, romance and imagination.  Fergus was a believable and likable character and the descriptions of the country side really added to the story.  For Irish history buffs, this book combines just enough of the old stuff and the current problems without becoming a tedious history lesson.

The bad:  This wasn't a problem for me, but others might not understand the political setting of the story.  For example, one not familiar with The Troubles, the PIRA or Bobby Sands/Gerry Adams/Sinn Fein would be confused for quite a portion of the book.  Brush on Ireland's recent history before reading, I'd advise.

Overall, highly recommended.  "Bog Child" blended several genres into a powerful and intriguing story.  While the story of the actual bog child was interesting, I was struck by the moral dilemma Fergus' family faced at the end regarding the brother in The Maze.  (I especially liked the parallels between Fergus and Mel, despite 2000 years).  Thought provoking, interesting read.
1736535
A girl, a horse and the magical Irish countryside; what more do you need for a great story? CHESCA AND THE SPIRIT OF GRACE grabs our affection immediately and whisks us off to Howth harbour on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. Chesca O'Brien has learned to understand what her animal friends say - so much so, that she doesn't want human pals.

Malley the lead stallion is fond of Chesca but her dairy-farming father won't let the girl ride such a strong spirited horse. Chesca's favourite spot is "surrounded by old stone walls and steeped in history. An old ruin of a cottage... the fields and meadows all fell away to the cliffs and down to the beach, cove, village and harbour."  The excellent scene-setting puts us in the mood for excitement. Chesca enjoys trick-riding on her mare Star but Malley is a superb storyteller. He tells the girl that he is descended from a horse owned by the pirate queen Grace O'Malley.

Life has hard realities. The O'Briens run pony-trekking and between costs, insurance and loans, the banker puts them on notice. This is clearly a matter for the adults; what could a girl of nearly twelve, who's away with the fairies half the time, possibly do to save her home?  Then the unthinkable happens and Chesca's mother is taken ill, so that cultured, unfeeling Aunt Dena arrives, promptly kicking the dog which came to greet her and doubting that her sister ever had a manicure.  How much worse can it get?

The contrasts are nicely placed - a sudden acrid smell of nail-polish remover in the farm kitchen, a farmer wearing a suit to visit the hospital. Chesca is made to feel guilty for getting her own way; seeing her venerable home from her aunt's point of view, she realises that yes it is old, draughty and hard to keep.  But what does Dena mean about calling in pest control? Chesca and her pet mouse haven't a clue. "I bet she was dropped on her head as a baby," mutters the rebellious girl.

I laughed aloud and loved this story. Young adults, especially girls, will relate to Chesca and her need to save her home and family. She discovers that human friends are great to have in a pinch, and that people do strange things in difficult times. Courage counts for as much as inventiveness in Lara O'Brien's CHESCA AND THE SPIRIT OF GRACE.  The author grew up at Howth Riding Stables and now lives in Martha's Vineyard. I also highly recommend her work for adults who want a break from the dreary economic news.
2816916
I was drawn immediately into this compelling story. The characters experience quite a few lurches through better and worse times over the course of about 6 years that the story covers.  I wondered how the narrator might have made better choices in several situations, which brought mistery to both her and her mother. Although flawed, the narrator does grow significantly during the course of events. My one crticism is that I wish the other characters hadn't been so one dimensional.

The backdrop of 15th century Persia was very interesting, since I knew nothing about it before.  An ecellent work of historical fiction, this book shows it has been extensively researched.
332237
A disturbing account of the troubled Ireland of the 1920's through to more recent times; the story begins at the end of the 'civil war'  when factions fought over the Treaty with England brokered by Michael Collins. The Priesthood in Ireland essentially ruled the land and in places priests were both corrupt and cruel. Such is this tale of a beautiful young woman's abuse and betrayal, and eventual committal to a psychiatric hospital for nearly all her adult life. It is a well written, tragic story; gripping but not for the faint hearted.
Ireland in those days was a hard place to live, especially for non-Catholics in rural Co. Sligo.
The ending is intriguing.