The Yellow House

This is an amazing book.

Synopsis:

Set in Northern Ireland in the early 1900s, the story of The Yellow House centers around Eileen O'Neill as she grows up during a turbulent time in Ireland's history. Spanning 20 years, the story picks up during her childhood, as the family falls into poverty and tragedy sets the tone for Eileen's struggles. Working in a mill, in dangerous conditions, she saves her money and dreams of reuniting her family in the home of her childhood, hoping to bring back happier times.

Along the way, she finds herself torn between two men, and torn by her own will and the will of others. Her family history and the current political landscape shape Eileen's journey, and secrets and betrayals leave their mark.

Analysis:

There are books that help you to pass the time, that entertain you, and that allow you to escape your ordinary life. Then, there are books that touch your soul. These books seep into your heart and your mind, so that, upon dragging yourself from its depths, you are surprised to find yourself in your own familiar surroundings. The Yellow House is such a book.

Falvey's gift to the reader is her rich, descriptive language. The setting of this book, Ulster, a province located in northern Ireland, is lavishly painted throughout the book. The characters come to life, vibrant and flawed, clinging to dreams and hopes. Falvey uses historic events to provide a dynamic and turbulent backdrop for the characters' stories and personalities to unfold. We see the affect of love and loss, of war and fighting, of betrayal and hatred, each in varying forms and degress, on the human spirit. Eileen, in particular, is molded and shaped through the storm of war and prejudice that engulfs her life. From starry-eyed child to wary, and weary, adult, Eileen's journey is a hard one.

Falvey takes us on that journey, perhaps to show us that Eileen's tenacity and fire is vital to her survival, and to encourage us to remember that in our own journeys. We love with Eileen, we cry with her as she suffers loss and humiliation. We feel indignation on her behalf over the injustices she bears, and cringe at her fiery temper. We worry as we foresee possible repercussions of her actions and decisions, and we hope that all will right itself in the end. And in the end, we the reader leave this book remembering what it means to hope and to sacrifice. Falvey teaches us that living for a dream can sustain us through the toughest of days, and that a dream gives us a reason to keep fighting.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL!!!

I was carried away in this book, which of course is a good thing. The Yellow House moves swiftly and smoothly. Patricia Falvey is a Master Storyteller. I am already looking forward to her next book. I highly recommend this book!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Lyrcial Historical IRISH Novel of family, love and war

I LOVE this book! Set in Northern Ireland in the early 20th century, The Yellow House is the story of Eileen O'Neill, a young woman who, in the face of violence, loss and hardship, persists in her dream of one day reuniting her broken family. Torn between her loyalty to the cause of Irish freedom, and her love for a Quaker pacifist, Eileen must find the courage to make the choice that will shape her future.

For years, Eileen labors in horrid conditions in a mill while saving her money to purchase the home her family lost. She holds on to her father's tales of their ancestor's victories against the British. He's convinced her of her warrior legacy which plays right into the appeal of the fight for Irish independence from Great Britain. The movement of Home Rule would give Ireland its own parliament within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Irish Protestants, particularly those in Ulster where Eileen lives, oppose Home Rule. When the Roman Catholics of the south proclaim an independent Irish Republic, Eileen joins the Irish Volunteers as a to rebel fight for Irish freedom.

Her warrior legacy and her intuitive wisdom conflict, in her love affair with Owen Sheridan, a Quaker, as she seeks her dream to recapture the Yellow House and reunite her family. Great BOOK CLUB Reading!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Liked the book, Loved the history, Eileen--so,so

I really liked the book. I much better understood the troubles in Ireland and very much enjoyed that part of it, as I am traveling there this summer. I liked all of the characters as a whole, especially Owen Sheridan! Eileen was a bit too high strung for me. She was definately a woman before her time, but too strong for her own good at times. A strong woman is one that can take care of herself against man and world, but not so proud she can't accept love and help! Owen was the father of her second child, she deserved his help, should have demanded he support the child! She certainly expected her husband to support her and her first daughter. That didn't make sense to me?? Didn't like that side of her! Wish we could have been told in the epilogue whether or not her and Owen married and lived happily ever after...I felt we deserved that information after all of the trials and tribulations we plowed through with this woman. Great writing style an easy read! Look foward to books from this author in the future!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Serendipity

Once you hear the story about how this novel began its journey, you are intrigued. You want to know more and can not put the book down.[ I was so taken in by the book that I read it in one sitting] The political and emotional torment of the central character evokes a passion for living.

This novel also gave me a new perspective on the struggle in Ireland between the parties, the religious groups and two countries.


I have recommended this book to many of my "reading" friends. And I look forward expectantly to Patricia Falvey's next novel.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

"Your heart holds on to dreams long after your head tells you they're foolish."

Occasionally an epic story comes along that makes the reader cry at the end of the novel. I am that reader, and The Yellow House is that novel. Spanning the early twentieth century, set in Northern Ireland during the time of the Irish revolution, we follow Eileen O'Neill, warrior, daughter, and sister as she slowly loses everything she loves but learns to rise again. Growing up at the base of her beloved mountain, Slieve Gullion, Eileen knows the terrors she dreams at night do not bode well for her family. When her younger sister dies of Scarlet Fever, her mother loses her mind in grief. When her Catholic father is killed defending their Yellow House from Protestant uprisers, Eileen must survive or perish in sadness. She stands upright as an O'Neill warrior and takes life by the horns.

Growing up in Ireland in the tumultuous 1900s, Eileen O'Neill joins the Cause for the rights of Catholics and all Irish citizens. In 1913 she takes a job working for the Quaker family, the Sheridans, at their mill in Queensbrook; she also takes up the fiddle, following in her father's footsteps, and it is through these two positions that she meets Owen Sheridan, handsome, privileged, charming, rakish, and safe. When Owen goes to fight in World War 1 Eileen is left confused about her burgeoning feelings, not having ever loved, she doesn't know about Owen. And then she meets James; dark, dangerous, impassioned for the Cause, fighting for his beliefs, for freedom from persecution, for a better Ireland, and she falls for him.

Torn between her inner warrior and her outer womanhood, enveloped in a lost family and heritage, dreaming of the Yellow House and her beloved Slieve Guillion, Eileen is a girl who grows to a woman before our eyes, who marches from the ashes of her childhood and raises her arms in defiance. Trapped between two men, Eileen finds herself.

The Yellow House is a captivating debut, bountiful and beautifully written. The beginning trudges along, but Eileen will capture you quickly after. Her story will make you smile, make your heart pump, make your breath quicken, make you cry. You will hope for the best, and fear for the worst. You will laugh at Eileen and her anger and feistiness, she has a sailor's mouth and the temper to go with it. You will feel her heartbreak and her desire, you will know her anguish and rapturous delight, you will relate to her because she is the warrior in all of us. You will love Eileen, and you will love The Yellow House.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good read

I read this after I visited Northern Ireland. It helped me understand more about the troubles (as they call it there) and how life must of been on both sides. I'm looking foeward to reading The Linen Queen next

Great escape!

I love fiction that enables me to learn more about a time in history that I know little about. I will definitely be reading Falvey's other book.

A Beautiful Story

This book is heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time. I've had it for over a year and am kicking myself for waiting so long to read it. A wonderful story that I will be reading again.

The Yellow House - Great Historical Fiction

Really enjoyed this historical fiction, that takes place in Northern Ireland in the early 19th century. Rich with characters, suspense, religion, rolling hillsides, traditions and love. A little slow to start but found it truly engaging once past the intro.

A Lovely, Lovely Story

I enjoyed this book very much. It gave me insight into some of Ireland's history I never knew. Eileen, one of the main characters,
was exasperating at times but had a great sense of loyalty that makes you root for her thruought the book. A story told as this was, makes us realize that sometimes we take what we have for granted. I will look forward to reading another novel by this author.

Highly Recommend for Historical fiction buffs!!

This is why I love historical fiction, two stories bleeding together to make a real conection to the characters, place and during a tragic true time. This is a family torn by WWI and religous discrimination in Ireland and their story that felt sharp and went straight to my heart. I love strong characters that emerge with a chip on their shoulder like I found Eileen to be, a passionate, sharp tounged, born and breed Irish Catholic in a setting of uprising. She has lost everything she holds dearest to her and is in a battle of her life to put all the pieces back together again. Her dream to put her family back together in the yellow house seems to be illusive and impossible but she is an O'Neill warrior in a fight for her freedom.
Great read, I could not put down! I will be reading more form this author!

The Yellow House is a breath of fresh air

I could not put this book down. This book contains everything a reader wants in historical fiction. I was shocked to find out that it was the author's first book. Brava, well done Patricia Falvey. This is also my first book review online, and I feel strong enough about this book to have commented. Do yourself a favor and enter into the life of a very brave woman.

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