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Where the Heart Should Be
It is 1846 and Ireland is starving.The potatoes are black, people are dying and in the midst of it all Nell must do everything she can to keep her family together, and everyone she loves alive. Even if it means giving up her every want, dream and desire.From multi-award-winning author Sarah Crossan comes a stirring, heart-wrenching novel that explores the value we place on humanity and asks can you survive on love alone?
400 pages, Hardcover
First published March 14, 2024
142 people are currently reading
10670 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Crossan
24 books2,013 followersSarah Crossan is Irish. She graduated with a degree in Philosophy and Literature before training as an English and Drama teacher at Cambridge University and worked to promote creative writing in schools before leaving teaching to write full time.
She completed her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003 and in 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.
She currently lives in NYC.
She completed her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003 and in 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.
She currently lives in NYC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
March 10, 2024
man this actually make me sob like fuck the english
January 27, 2025
Whew this was difficult book to read and unlike anything I've ever picked up. CW: death, discrimination, famine, violence.
What Worked: This is my first novel by Sarah Crossan but it won't be my last. As a history major, I'm familiar with the particulars of the Irish Potato Famine, but reading about it from a fictional perspective elicited more emotion (both sadness and anger). Crossan did a wonderful job capturing the discrimination and classism experienced by the Irish, especially Irish tenants, at the hands of the English. Nell, as a character, serves as such a great example of the ruthless behavior they experienced at the hands of the landlords. There is little to no care related to their struggle and their inability to take care of their families. It's clear through historical records that the English could have done more to support the Irish and chose not to and then created even more conflict between Irish landlords and Irish tenants. While I wasn't strongly invested in the romance between Nell and Johnny, it did add to the narrative and really brought for the questions of "is love enough?" I think it was interested that although Johnny was English he attempted to understand the plight of the Irish and even then he couldn't fully grasp what they were experiencing. I was definitely more invested in the familial dynamics and the weight of responsibility that was placed on Nell's shoulders. It was truly heartbreaking how badly Nell fought to save her family. The relationship she shared with her father and his fight to save his family was truly devastating and spoke to how any push back against the English government was rewarded with punishment. Honestly, this book was so well-written and really honed in on personalizing the various things we know to be historical fact.
What Didn't Work: While I enjoyed most of the novel, the ending felt a little rushed and incomplete. I can't say too much because of spoilers, but I do feel as though there could have been a little more development to better complete the rest of the story.
Overall, this is one of the better YA historical fiction novels that I've read in recent years and I'm happy that Crossan decided to capture some of the specifics of the famine.
What Worked: This is my first novel by Sarah Crossan but it won't be my last. As a history major, I'm familiar with the particulars of the Irish Potato Famine, but reading about it from a fictional perspective elicited more emotion (both sadness and anger). Crossan did a wonderful job capturing the discrimination and classism experienced by the Irish, especially Irish tenants, at the hands of the English. Nell, as a character, serves as such a great example of the ruthless behavior they experienced at the hands of the landlords. There is little to no care related to their struggle and their inability to take care of their families. It's clear through historical records that the English could have done more to support the Irish and chose not to and then created even more conflict between Irish landlords and Irish tenants. While I wasn't strongly invested in the romance between Nell and Johnny, it did add to the narrative and really brought for the questions of "is love enough?" I think it was interested that although Johnny was English he attempted to understand the plight of the Irish and even then he couldn't fully grasp what they were experiencing. I was definitely more invested in the familial dynamics and the weight of responsibility that was placed on Nell's shoulders. It was truly heartbreaking how badly Nell fought to save her family. The relationship she shared with her father and his fight to save his family was truly devastating and spoke to how any push back against the English government was rewarded with punishment. Honestly, this book was so well-written and really honed in on personalizing the various things we know to be historical fact.
What Didn't Work: While I enjoyed most of the novel, the ending felt a little rushed and incomplete. I can't say too much because of spoilers, but I do feel as though there could have been a little more development to better complete the rest of the story.
Overall, this is one of the better YA historical fiction novels that I've read in recent years and I'm happy that Crossan decided to capture some of the specifics of the famine.
January 26, 2024
Read the entire book in one go. Sarah Crossan at her absolute best.
March 19, 2024
*Big thanks to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy of this to review!*
Please note: My rating is 3.5 but I’ve rounded it up to 4 for the sake of Goodreads (who are still yet to update and give us half stars!!!!!!)
I had no idea what to expect from this one as books written in verse can be hit or miss, but I definitely think this one worked for me. I almost read it in a single sitting, it was really captivating in its storytelling and I was desperate to see how it would pan out in the end.
The writing was quite simple, yet I think it was effective for its purpose. I found the formatting coupled with this made for a very digestible and easy to follow story. Sometimes, with fewer words I find big chunks of context can be skipped or a story can lack sufficient storytelling but it feels well balanced. The book itself focussed on an era or Irish history I wasn’t overly familiar with, so I enjoyed learning something new from that perspective as well. It’s a historical fiction piece, but the writing made it feel very modern and engaging, so I think this will be very palatable for a wide audience.
My only qualm with this one and the reason it wasn’t a full four star for me, was the fact that some aspects could come across as a little shallow without full context. This especially felt apparent with our forbidden romance storyline we’re presented with. I think the emotional impact of this didn’t land as heavily as it could have, if there was more of an effort to build up more tension and longing between the characters prior to them becoming established. I think Nell and Johnny were really intriguing characters individually, and I would’ve loved more of their internal monologue and conflicts to be present when they were together. The scenes did feel very fleeting and the whole book, while fast paced, could arguably be considered a little rushed.
This one was definitely an emotional and eye opening read. The tenderness and weight of the feelings and circumstance could’ve packed more of a punch had there been some time for the reader to absorb more of what was happening at a gradual pace, we move on quite abruptly between scenes. Regardless, it was still an absolutely devastating story and it made for a beautiful read.
Please note: My rating is 3.5 but I’ve rounded it up to 4 for the sake of Goodreads (who are still yet to update and give us half stars!!!!!!)
I had no idea what to expect from this one as books written in verse can be hit or miss, but I definitely think this one worked for me. I almost read it in a single sitting, it was really captivating in its storytelling and I was desperate to see how it would pan out in the end.
The writing was quite simple, yet I think it was effective for its purpose. I found the formatting coupled with this made for a very digestible and easy to follow story. Sometimes, with fewer words I find big chunks of context can be skipped or a story can lack sufficient storytelling but it feels well balanced. The book itself focussed on an era or Irish history I wasn’t overly familiar with, so I enjoyed learning something new from that perspective as well. It’s a historical fiction piece, but the writing made it feel very modern and engaging, so I think this will be very palatable for a wide audience.
My only qualm with this one and the reason it wasn’t a full four star for me, was the fact that some aspects could come across as a little shallow without full context. This especially felt apparent with our forbidden romance storyline we’re presented with. I think the emotional impact of this didn’t land as heavily as it could have, if there was more of an effort to build up more tension and longing between the characters prior to them becoming established. I think Nell and Johnny were really intriguing characters individually, and I would’ve loved more of their internal monologue and conflicts to be present when they were together. The scenes did feel very fleeting and the whole book, while fast paced, could arguably be considered a little rushed.
This one was definitely an emotional and eye opening read. The tenderness and weight of the feelings and circumstance could’ve packed more of a punch had there been some time for the reader to absorb more of what was happening at a gradual pace, we move on quite abruptly between scenes. Regardless, it was still an absolutely devastating story and it made for a beautiful read.
October 24, 2024
5 STAR ALERT 🌟
So much emotion packed into such few words.
A brutal but sad story about survival, grief, violence, family, and love.
So much emotion packed into such few words.
A brutal but sad story about survival, grief, violence, family, and love.
May 12, 2025
Historiallinen säeromaani, joka sijoittuu 1840-luvun Irlantiin, tuhoisan perunaruton aiheuttaman nälänhädän aikaan. Samalla, kun köyhä maalaisväestö näkee nälkää, rikas ylimystö elää yltäkylläisyydessä. 16-vuotias Nell työskentelee keittiöpiikana kartanossa ja sattuu lähentymään kartanon tulevan lordin kanssa.
"It is hard to tell a love story
and also the story of a people
being torn apart.
But this is what was happening in 1846:
I was falling in love
when everything
around me was
falling down."
Tämä on suosikkini lukemistani Sarah Crossanin säeromaaneista. Crossanin tyyli on vähän liian yksinkertainen minun makuuni (kaipaisin säeromaaneilta enemmän lyyrisyyttä), mutta hän on kieltämättä ihan taitava kertomaan tunteisiin vetoavia tarinoita. Crossanin juttuhan on se, että hän yrittää keksiä aina mahdollisimman surullisia ja traagisia itkutarinoita.
Historiallisia säeromaaneja voisi minusta olla enemmänkin. Irlannin historia ei ole minulle kovinkaan tuttu, ja tämän lukemisen jälkeen jäin etsimään vielä lisää tietoa 1800-luvun nälänhädästä. Ilmeisesti tuon perunaruton seurauksena kuoli miljoonia ihmisiä. Oli kiinnostava ja toimiva ratkaisu sijoittaa tarina tuohon aikaan. Tässä tulevat hyvin esiin erilaiset vastakkainasettelut ja niiden aiheuttamat jännitteet: köyhät ja rikkaat, irlantilaiset ja englantilaiset, piika ja tuleva lordi.
"It is hard to tell a love story
and also the story of a people
being torn apart.
But this is what was happening in 1846:
I was falling in love
when everything
around me was
falling down."
Tämä on suosikkini lukemistani Sarah Crossanin säeromaaneista. Crossanin tyyli on vähän liian yksinkertainen minun makuuni (kaipaisin säeromaaneilta enemmän lyyrisyyttä), mutta hän on kieltämättä ihan taitava kertomaan tunteisiin vetoavia tarinoita. Crossanin juttuhan on se, että hän yrittää keksiä aina mahdollisimman surullisia ja traagisia itkutarinoita.
Historiallisia säeromaaneja voisi minusta olla enemmänkin. Irlannin historia ei ole minulle kovinkaan tuttu, ja tämän lukemisen jälkeen jäin etsimään vielä lisää tietoa 1800-luvun nälänhädästä. Ilmeisesti tuon perunaruton seurauksena kuoli miljoonia ihmisiä. Oli kiinnostava ja toimiva ratkaisu sijoittaa tarina tuohon aikaan. Tässä tulevat hyvin esiin erilaiset vastakkainasettelut ja niiden aiheuttamat jännitteet: köyhät ja rikkaat, irlantilaiset ja englantilaiset, piika ja tuleva lordi.
December 16, 2023
YA blank verse not for me as a rule. I was moved to tears reading it…powerful writing with so much emotion in so few words. Brilliant retelling of the Irish famine. I learnt a lot and will definitely be reading more Sarah Crossland superb author xxx
July 25, 2024
Phenomenal read. I highly recommend this heartbreaking story of Irelands most devastating time. A love story, famine, loss of family-truly heart wrenching.
My sister got this book for me while she was in Ireland, and I am truly awestruck at the writing, the story, the character depth. If you are looking for a book, please pick this one up!
My sister got this book for me while she was in Ireland, and I am truly awestruck at the writing, the story, the character depth. If you are looking for a book, please pick this one up!
July 27, 2025
It’s 1846 in the fictional Irish town of Ballinkeel, and Nell Quinn’s story unfolds during the devastating potato famine. She’s a young girl living in a tiny one-room cottage with her parents and little brother, Owen. To help her family survive, she takes a job as a scullery maid at a wealthy landlord’s estate, where she meets Johnny, the kind-hearted heir.
The audiobook is fantastic. Crossan’s writing is vivid and raw, pulling you into the despair of the famine years, when a million people died and another million left Ireland.
Her world feels so real, steeped in Irish traditions like leaving offerings for faeries and the ever-present Catholic Church. But there’s also this deep anger when she sees dogs eating scraps while her neighbors starve. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating all at once.
The romance between Nell and Johnny is tender and real, but it's overshadowed by the famine and the resulting deaths and devastation, as well as the class divide between them. Nell’s love for her family, especially Owen, is beautiful, and her frustration with the landlords’ unfair treatment hits hard.
This book is perfect for anyone who appreciates historical fiction with emotional depth. If you’re drawn to beautiful, poetic writing or want to explore a key moment in Irish history, this one will move you deeply.
The audiobook is fantastic. Crossan’s writing is vivid and raw, pulling you into the despair of the famine years, when a million people died and another million left Ireland.
Her world feels so real, steeped in Irish traditions like leaving offerings for faeries and the ever-present Catholic Church. But there’s also this deep anger when she sees dogs eating scraps while her neighbors starve. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating all at once.
The romance between Nell and Johnny is tender and real, but it's overshadowed by the famine and the resulting deaths and devastation, as well as the class divide between them. Nell’s love for her family, especially Owen, is beautiful, and her frustration with the landlords’ unfair treatment hits hard.
This book is perfect for anyone who appreciates historical fiction with emotional depth. If you’re drawn to beautiful, poetic writing or want to explore a key moment in Irish history, this one will move you deeply.
November 26, 2024
Flew through it - Sarah is the QUEEN of verse novels
January 13, 2025
4.5*
Bottom Line: Beautifully written with all the feels, this is why I never turn down a Sarah Crossan book!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Oof, this one will hurt your soul. But in a really pretty way. So there's that. Look, you can tell from the synopsis that this isn't going to be a cheery funfest, right? It's a famine, folks. Anyway, Nell is trying to keep her family fed, all while coming of age and watching her friends leave the nest (or the Earth, because famine). It is so heartbreaking, so infuriating that people were actually treated this way, and then you realize that people are still being treated this way and you get even madder. I digress, but the story was so beautifully written, you cannot help but feel every emotion for Nell and her family and friends. There are hopeful moments, bitterly sad moments, and infuriatingly unfair moments. And of course, it becomes even more emotive when you remember that this is all based on actual events.
Bottom Line: Beautifully written with all the feels, this is why I never turn down a Sarah Crossan book!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
May 1, 2024
Змішані почуття… з одного боку дуже болюче змальований весь жах трагедії ірландського народу 1846-47, голодомор, як і в Україні трішки менше ніж століття після цього. Голод, який зморив купу мільйонів ірландців, поки англійці жирували, інакше не скажеш… Дуже мене це зачепило. Читаючи про смерті дітей і дорослих, мимоволі згадався Жовтий князь. Тільки тут не все так детально, бо книга написана, по-перше, для дітей, по-друге у формі білого вірша. Та серце все одно обливалося кровʼю…
З іншого боку, це історія кохання. Звичайно ж, із ворогом. І ось саме цей момент лишає дуже змішані відчуття. Бо в мене самої зросла надзвичайна ненависть до англійців, а Нелл… Їй 15. Вона наївна. Але Джон, Джонні змальований добрим, чуйним. Так, він ворог, проте намагається допомогти. Навряд чи так могло бути в реальності…
І ще кінець. Змазаний. Неясний. А як же сестри? І що батьки? Багато запитань. Але написано сильно, використовуючи мінімум слів. Майстерно.
З іншого боку, це історія кохання. Звичайно ж, із ворогом. І ось саме цей момент лишає дуже змішані відчуття. Бо в мене самої зросла надзвичайна ненависть до англійців, а Нелл… Їй 15. Вона наївна. Але Джон, Джонні змальований добрим, чуйним. Так, він ворог, проте намагається допомогти. Навряд чи так могло бути в реальності…
І ще кінець. Змазаний. Неясний. А як же сестри? І що батьки? Багато запитань. Але написано сильно, використовуючи мінімум слів. Майстерно.
October 11, 2024
Every book needs a character like Johnny Browning
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 (𝐍𝐞𝐥𝐥)
She was so strong despite everything.
𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐧𝐲) 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
I. Loved. Johnny. Full stop. He was kind and caring to everyone and liked Nell's poetry and helped a beggar.
𝐎𝐰𝐞𝐧
I liked Owen. He deserved so much better.
I liked Nell's parents too but her dad did go a bit off the rails near the bed. Everyone else was either eh or I didn't like them.
Close to the end, it all felt very rushed.
𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓲 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝔂𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽 ▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။၊|• 0:10
seven - Taylor Swift
epiphany - Taylor Swift
willow - Taylor Swift
cardigan - Taylor Swift
3 stars ⭐✨
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 (𝐍𝐞𝐥𝐥)
She was so strong despite everything.
𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐧𝐲) 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
I. Loved. Johnny. Full stop. He was kind and caring to everyone and liked Nell's poetry and helped a beggar.
𝐎𝐰𝐞𝐧
I liked Owen. He deserved so much better.
I liked Nell's parents too but her dad did go a bit off the rails near the bed. Everyone else was either eh or I didn't like them.
Close to the end, it all felt very rushed.
𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓲 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝔂𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽 ▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။၊|• 0:10
seven - Taylor Swift
epiphany - Taylor Swift
willow - Taylor Swift
cardigan - Taylor Swift
3 stars ⭐✨
May 30, 2024
A really sad story of survival, hunger, grief, violence, family and love.
Based on true events. However, I felt that the ending was a bit rushed.
I love the cover so much!
Once again, I am telling you the author is the best when it comes to novels in verse.
Based on true events. However, I felt that the ending was a bit rushed.
I love the cover so much!
Once again, I am telling you the author is the best when it comes to novels in verse.
August 4, 2024
I wouldn’t have picked this book if I had known this was written in verse (not a fan), but I decided to give it a go and ended up really enjoying this story about a girl’s life during the Irish famine. Heartbreaking stuff but well written.
April 21, 2025
4 SOLID STARS - I really enjoy books written in verse, and this book did not disappoint. Sarah Crossan has a way of pulling you into a story with sparse yet powerful language, and this one left a real impact. I’m curious to learn more about The Great Hunger — an event I didn’t know much about other than the basics. Even though the story was heartbreaking at times, the author handled the subject matter with care and honesty, showing just how devastating and unfair life was for Irish tenants during this time period. It’s one of those books that lingers in your thoughts. Now I’m off to watch “Far and Away” to keep the Irish history train rolling!
February 21, 2025
4.5⭐️ Beautiful historical fiction written in prose about young, forbidden love during the famine in Ireland in the 1840s. This was far more powerful than I was expecting. People barely able to get by with little help from those in power is an important hardship we still feel. Beautiful, tragic, heartbreaking. Recommend
May 30, 2025
This book is a fast read. It’s about a bit of history I didn’t know a lot about and WOW it tears at the heart strings. It’s written in a mix of first person and lyrical prose which I enjoyed. It’s full of endearing quotes and tender moments. It’s about the people you hold close, the things you do to keep them safe, and the heartbreaking losses when you have no options.
August 26, 2024
Another incredibly powerful book by Sarah Crossan.
August 8, 2025
I just wish it was longer, I literally finished this in like an hour and a half
February 3, 2025
4.5/5
Crying now.
Crying now.
February 19, 2025
3.5 Stars
Short, well written and tragically sad.
Short, well written and tragically sad.
July 11, 2025
I really need to quit reading heartbreaking books. Who do I think I am my son?!
May 30, 2025
Over de Ierse hongersnood van 1845-1852, waar ik eerlijk gezegd nog niet bekend mee was.
Goed boek, maar ik vond de poëzie zwak uitgevoerd. Wel heel goed dat dit er voor YA is!
Goed boek, maar ik vond de poëzie zwak uitgevoerd. Wel heel goed dat dit er voor YA is!
March 17, 2024
An emotional and eye-opening read.
March 6, 2025
Rushed ending but MAN. What a journey. So much tragedy in such a fast-paced story, tore my heart right up. I enjoyed the verse writing style SO MUCH. Now I shall marinate in my tears.
November 20, 2023
Where The Heart Should Be is a story of romance and tragedy. Set during 1846 when the Irish potato famine was ravaging the population. Crossan deftly depicts the tragic reality of life for so many in her signature delicate verse.
The bleakness is contrasted with a coming of age romance to lighten the tone and also highlight the inequalities and injustices between rich and poor. This beautiful juxtaposition moved me to tears more than once.
It’s amazing what Crossan is able to create by using just a fraction of the words of a standard novel. The carefully crafted verses are packed with nuance to build a vivid and immersive story.
It’s another stunning piece of work from Sarah Crossan. I was incapable of putting it down and finished it over the course of a day.
This book is released on 14th March 2024 and I recommend getting your pre-order in. Thank you to Bloomsbury for my gifted ARC.
The bleakness is contrasted with a coming of age romance to lighten the tone and also highlight the inequalities and injustices between rich and poor. This beautiful juxtaposition moved me to tears more than once.
It’s amazing what Crossan is able to create by using just a fraction of the words of a standard novel. The carefully crafted verses are packed with nuance to build a vivid and immersive story.
It’s another stunning piece of work from Sarah Crossan. I was incapable of putting it down and finished it over the course of a day.
This book is released on 14th March 2024 and I recommend getting your pre-order in. Thank you to Bloomsbury for my gifted ARC.
February 22, 2024
Another fantastic personal account from Crossan, here enlightening readers on the Irish famine.
I think I've read almost every one of the author's titles. She's not only incredibly readable, with her unnusual style of narration that reads like a series of poems, but she manages to bring us such varied and captivating protagonists and situations.
Here it's a teenage girl unwittingly finding herself and her family in the midst of the real Irish potato famine of the mid 1800s, where readers will soon learn that millions died. Almost unbelievable now, but made very real through the words and deeds of Nell.
Elder sister in a poor household of tenant farmers, Nell is atypical of her time as a girl who enjoys reading poetry and learning, but is now forced by circumstances to work as kitchen maid at the nearby landlord's stately home, to bring home pennies for her family whose potato crops are blighted and inedible.
We see both the appalling conditions and choices the peasant classes had to live within and make, the greed and arrogance of the upper classes (here the English - a good history lesson for KS3 readers as well). And how desperation and grief led to clashes.
In the midst of the tragic setting, Nell meets the landlord's nephew, now his heir, John Browning, a wannabee artist but forced by his own family situation into learning his uncle's estate business. Their like minds lead them to seek each other out, though really a brewing Romeo and Juliet situation is seen on the horizon by the reader...
Engrossing as always, evocative of the period and brings home the real plight of an entire country. I enjoyed the love story, Nell and Johnny aren't silly teenagers of today, we can see how fast young people had to grow up back them and this is reflected more in their language, goals and measured (mostly) behaviour around each other.
A history lesson in itself, this is a fantastic short novel from Crossan and a real insight into a dark period in history.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
I think I've read almost every one of the author's titles. She's not only incredibly readable, with her unnusual style of narration that reads like a series of poems, but she manages to bring us such varied and captivating protagonists and situations.
Here it's a teenage girl unwittingly finding herself and her family in the midst of the real Irish potato famine of the mid 1800s, where readers will soon learn that millions died. Almost unbelievable now, but made very real through the words and deeds of Nell.
Elder sister in a poor household of tenant farmers, Nell is atypical of her time as a girl who enjoys reading poetry and learning, but is now forced by circumstances to work as kitchen maid at the nearby landlord's stately home, to bring home pennies for her family whose potato crops are blighted and inedible.
We see both the appalling conditions and choices the peasant classes had to live within and make, the greed and arrogance of the upper classes (here the English - a good history lesson for KS3 readers as well). And how desperation and grief led to clashes.
In the midst of the tragic setting, Nell meets the landlord's nephew, now his heir, John Browning, a wannabee artist but forced by his own family situation into learning his uncle's estate business. Their like minds lead them to seek each other out, though really a brewing Romeo and Juliet situation is seen on the horizon by the reader...
Engrossing as always, evocative of the period and brings home the real plight of an entire country. I enjoyed the love story, Nell and Johnny aren't silly teenagers of today, we can see how fast young people had to grow up back them and this is reflected more in their language, goals and measured (mostly) behaviour around each other.
A history lesson in itself, this is a fantastic short novel from Crossan and a real insight into a dark period in history.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
February 29, 2024
I was super lucky to receive this book as an early release. Thank you so much Bloomsbury books <3
I cannot fault this book. A romance and tragedy in its purest form. Throughout my heart broke for the characters and the situations that they lived in.
This book is set in Ireland 1846 where millions of people were suffering and dying from the hunger or diseases that were around due to the failed potato crops and distribution of food across Ireland.
The English were hated by a lot of the Irish. This book shows us the blossoming romance between an Irish servant girl and English boy whose father is a master of most the land in the area and disliked by the townsmen. Throughout we see the struggle of the girl and the boy with their forbidden relationship, however like it says in the book love always wins. I need to add that their love was so pure and innocent, I couldn’t have asked for a better portrayal.
The family relationships in this were incredibly strong, I inevitably shed a few tears for a particular incident that occurred within the family. It made me think of all those people irl who died during this time in Ireland, it’s heart shattering to think people lived through this.
I absolutely adored the format of this book. At the start I noticed the importance of poems to the main characters, and then realised that is why the pages/sections are formatted like a poem. It’s such a unique style of writing that I have never come across before, I love poems so this was right up my street! Some of the lines Crossman has written I will never forget.
I will forever recommend this book. It seems like a long read but due to the format of writing it’s actually quite a quick read!
I cannot fault this book. A romance and tragedy in its purest form. Throughout my heart broke for the characters and the situations that they lived in.
This book is set in Ireland 1846 where millions of people were suffering and dying from the hunger or diseases that were around due to the failed potato crops and distribution of food across Ireland.
The English were hated by a lot of the Irish. This book shows us the blossoming romance between an Irish servant girl and English boy whose father is a master of most the land in the area and disliked by the townsmen. Throughout we see the struggle of the girl and the boy with their forbidden relationship, however like it says in the book love always wins. I need to add that their love was so pure and innocent, I couldn’t have asked for a better portrayal.
The family relationships in this were incredibly strong, I inevitably shed a few tears for a particular incident that occurred within the family. It made me think of all those people irl who died during this time in Ireland, it’s heart shattering to think people lived through this.
I absolutely adored the format of this book. At the start I noticed the importance of poems to the main characters, and then realised that is why the pages/sections are formatted like a poem. It’s such a unique style of writing that I have never come across before, I love poems so this was right up my street! Some of the lines Crossman has written I will never forget.
I will forever recommend this book. It seems like a long read but due to the format of writing it’s actually quite a quick read!
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