Legacy of Hunger
by Christy Nicholas
I came into the Druid’s
Brooch series later on and I’ve enjoyed ALL the books I’ve read, they’ve stood well
on their own. So, in reading this book, I was going back to the beginning.
Valentia McDowell is a
young woman in America, circa 1846. Her father has a prosperous farm in Ohio,
but Valentia has always been fascinated by stories of her grandmother’s
homeland and a mystical brooch her grandmother had. She longs desperately to travel to Ireland.
The story begins in
Pittsburgh, with a fire. Valentia proves herself resourceful in caring for her
mother and leading their servants to safety, while her father and brother are
away seeing to some other business. The author portrays the fear of a fire in an
early city where a mass of people are hemmed in with wooden construction very
well.
Valentia is a well-to-do
young woman of the time, very aware of her station but also kindhearted. I
would say downright arrogant at times, but “pride goeth before a fall” and she is
definitely humbled, time and again. However, she pitches in to help care for
patients who were caught up in the fire and suffer from burns and smoke
inhalation.
Finally, Valentia’s
mother convinces her father to capitulate and Valentia sets off for Ireland
with her brother and servant, Maggie. She can’t wait to begin her grand adventure,
but reality of the harshest kind soon sets in. It is a long sea voyage and illness
overtakes them. The brother and sister do not make the crossing unscathed.
The book is filled with
charming details that set the scene beautifully, “There were tinges of marsh
grass and mud, and the faint tang of cow manure on the breeze. The scent was
clean, bright, and she relished it.” And sometimes not so lovely details, as when Valentia
visits a work house in Ireland, as the potato blight is ongoing.
Valentia makes some good
friends in Ireland, who help her on her way, and also meets some people who
seem to want to help her, but for their own purposes. Her friends also help
open Valentia’s eyes to the hardships the people of Ireland are enduring and
entreat her to help as best she can. Though she has lived a fairly sheltered
life, Valentia is swift to take up the cause wherever and however she can, as
she pursues her own goals. Finding her family in Ireland is not a simple
process, and Valentia has many adventures on her journey.
I really enjoyed this
book, it was moving and compelling. An excellent historical summer read with
just a touch of fantasy. It is full of wonderful imagery, adventure, a bit of
romance, and a few tears too. I highly recommend it, and you’ll just be starting
the journey as there are many more books in the series.
No comments:
Post a Comment