The words of the Irish diaspora...
A remarkable debut novel---
Lace Curtain Irish
by
P.L. O'Sullivan
Set against the backdrop of Chicago's Union Stockyards at the close of the Nineteenth Century, Lace Curtain Irish is a tale of love, betrayal, loss and redemption.
Arrive in Chicago in 1887 with Julia Hanlon, all of sixteen years old, and see the world of opportunity through her eyes.
But grabbing that opportunity comes with risks to a girl who doesn't
know why her mother abandoned her in Ireland as a child of three. Too
dangerous to chance repeating some past mistake and get sent back, but
Julia knows what the future holds if she and her siblings don't
assimilate into America.
Disobeying her father would be cause for deportation, so Julia will need
an ally and she turns to her brother Daniel. Yet he betrayed her once
before, and his guilt is driving a wedge between them.
Until Daniel can find the words of a confession to atone for what he
perceives as sins, Julia will see that her carefully considered plans
for everyone's future are not under her control. Until Daniel can
confront his mother, there can be no peace in the Hanlon family.
A sweeping family saga, LACE CURTAIN IRISH follows the path of the first
generation of native born children of immigrants who navigate between
the Old World and the New. From the sparkling make-believe of the
World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 to the reality of the stinking
Union Stockyards, the novel reveals Julia's sacrifices for the sake of
her family, and her resilience in the face of declining personal
fortune.
From Midwest Book Review:
Lace Curtain Irish
P. L. O'Sullivan
Newcastlewest Books
9780983819516, $14.95, www.newcastlewestbooks.com
A family is supposed to stay together, but Julia never knew why she wasn't brought to America
with the rest of her family. "Lace Curtain Irish" is a novel following the Hanlon family, in
particular Julia who feels an outcast, reuniting with them thirteen years after the majority of them
traveled to America. In search of contentment in her new life, she seeks the help of her family,
hoping to find truth and something more to live for. "Lace Curtain Irish" is a thoughtful and
much recommended pick, not to be overlooked.
Newcastlewest Books is a partnership of three authors who wish to
introduce works of quality fiction that bring to life the experiences of
ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
Specializing in historical fiction, Newcastlewest Books publishes novels
that will keep you turning the page.
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