The Yellow House: A Novel

by Patricia Falvey

Overview

THE YELLOW HOUSE delves into the passion and politics of Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 20th Century. Eileen O'Neill's family is torn apart by religious intolerance and secrets from the past. Determined to reclaim her ancestral home and reunite her family, Eileen begins working at the local mill, saving her money and holding fast to her dream. As war is declared on a local and global scale, Eileen cannot separate the politics from the very personal impact the conflict has had on her own life.

She is soon torn between two men, each drawing her to one extreme. One is a charismatic and passionate political activist determined to win Irish independence from Great Britain at any cost, who appeals to her warrior's soul. The other is the wealthy and handsome black sheep of the pacifist family who owns the mill where she works, and whose persistent attention becomes impossible for her to ignore.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599952024
Publisher:	Center Street
Publication date:	02/07/2011
Pages:	350
Sales rank:	97,945
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Patricia Falvey was born in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. She was raised in Northern Ireland and England before immigrating alone to the United States at the age of twenty. Until recently, she served as a Managing Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC, where she led a national tax consulting practice.
Over the years she participated in numerous writing seminars, and in June of 2007, Patricia finally made the decision to leave her position with PWC at the pinnacle of her career and devote herself full time to her first love - writing. THE YELLOW HOUSE is her first novel.

Editorial Reviews

"Patricia Falvey draws on her North of Ireland roots to put a human face on the turning point in 20th century Irish history. A moving novel and singular achievement."— Mary Pat Kelly, author of Galway Bay, on THE YELLOW HOUSE

"Intelligently plotted, with engaging characters, the novel offers a fresh view of the highly dramatic Revolutionary Period in Ireland. The well-researched history illumines but never smothers the storyline. Small details bring the era to life with stunning clarity. The writing is lucid and accessible, occasionally even lyrical. This is a very rewarding first novel and I look forward to reading more from Patricia Falvey."— Morgan Llywelyn, author of Lion of Ireland, Pride of Lions, Grania, The Last Prince of Ireland, and The Irish Country series on THE YELLOW HOUSE

"THE YELLOW HOUSE is an eloquently written story of the emergence of hope and love in a time of struggle and confusion in Ireland. It avoids the ever-present pitfalls of drowning us in a history lesson while not ignoring the richness of that very history. With her debut novel, Patricia Falvey breathes life back into an Ireland that has nearly vanished from memory. For that, I am grateful."— Robert Hicks, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow of the South and A Separate Country

"...You can often tell where a book's plot and characters are going. But so many times I was astonished to find that what I expected on the next page was a complete surprise. Falvey held my attention with suspenseful events that constantly amazed me...THE YELLOW HOUSE is a powerful book, full of strongly drawn characters that exemplify vitality, humanity, and passion for life. They are so realistic, I felt like I knew them."— Frank West, Irish American News

"This novel delivers the best of both worlds: secrets, intrigue and surprising twists will keep readers flipping the pages, while Falvey's insight and poetic writing tugs at the heartstrings of the most cynical audiences."— Publishers Weekly on THE YELLOW HOUSE

"The Yellow House was extremely interesting from an educational perspective. It brings to life the struggles of individuals and communities seeking freedom.— Cecie O'Bryon England, The Washington Times

"If you like historical fiction, with great flourishes of families destroyed and remade, this is a classic."— The Review Broads on The Yellow House

"...Falvey tells a good story along the way. A host of interesting characters, surprising but plausible plot developments, and deftly incorporated details of the Irish struggle for independence add up to a debut novel sure to please fans of historical romance."— Kathy Piehl, Library Journal on The Yellow House

"...Falvey very successfully weaves together the politics, history, and landscape of Ireland in this period...Falvey brilliantly illustrates the cultural, political, and economic conflicts that result in erecting Ireland's North/South dividing border. The well-researched history of the period emerges through the characters, their conflicts, and their choices. The story is absorbing and satisfying historical fiction."— Sacremento Book Review and San Francisco Book Review, February 2010 on The Yellow House

"The early scenes of Eileen's and James' lawless exploits for the Catholic resistance make for thrilling reading....The book serves as a provacative reminder of the tangled strings of family, war and familial war, and also...as a spendid example of old-fashioned, minimal-bodice-ripping romance."— Joy Tipping, The Dallas Morning News, February 14, 2010 on The Yellow House

"The characters are full, rich and real and the history of Ireland feels authentic. The author refrains from delineating clearly between the good guys and bad guys. She allows the reader to make their own decisions and I liked that. The Yellow House is a winner. I just can't shake the memory of it and that's a good thing.— Andrea Sisco, Minneapolis Insight Examiner, March 2, 2010

"[O]ne of the best historical fiction novels I have read in years. . . . I simply could not pull myself away from this book. It took me back to classics such as Gaskell's North and South and the heroine Eileen had so many of the qualities that I have always loved in dear Tess of Hardy's Tess of the D'Ubervilles. When one book can bring me back to two of my favorite books of all time that are both absolute classics, I am in awe. This book kept me emotionally invested until the very end. . . . Wonderfully written, magically created, it could only come from a true Irish lass and to be her debut novel. . . .amazing. I loved it . . . every page."— Stiletto Storytime, March 14, 2010 on The Yellow House

"It is rare for a first-time novelist to tackle historical events in as refreshing a manner as Patricia Falvey does in The Yellow House....Falvey controls the story....Take your time reading The Yellow House, you'll be sad to see the last page."— Irish America, June/July 2010

"Set in the tumultuous years before and after World War I, The Yellow House is an impressive debut that will appeal to readers of Irish family sagas. Falvey skillfully takes major events and reduces them to a personal level, focusing on the effects of World War I and religious unrest in Ireland on one woman and the people around her."— Historical Novels Review, May 2010

From the Publisher

"Set in the tumultuous years before and after World War I, The Yellow House is an impressive debut that will appeal to readers of Irish family sagas. Falvey skillfully takes major events and reduces them to a personal level, focusing on the effects of World War I and religious unrest in Ireland on one woman and the people around her."

Historical Novels Review

"It is rare for a first-time novelist to tackle historical events in as refreshing a manner as Patricia Falvey does in The Yellow House....Falvey controls the story....Take your time reading The Yellow House, you'll be sad to see the last page."

Irish America

"[O]ne of the best historical fiction novels I have read in years. . . . I simply could not pull myself away from this book. It took me back to classics such as Gaskell's North and South and the heroine Eileen had so many of the qualities that I have always loved in dear Tess of Hardy's Tess of the D'Ubervilles. When one book can bring me back to two of my favorite books of all time that are both absolute classics, I am in awe. This book kept me emotionally invested until the very end. . . . Wonderfully written, magically created, it could only come from a true Irish lass and to be her debut novel. . . .amazing. I loved it . . . every page."

Stiletto Storytime

"The characters are full, rich and real and the history of Ireland feels authentic. The author refrains from delineating clearly between the good guys and bad guys. She allows the reader to make their own decisions and I liked that. The Yellow House is a winner. I just can't shake the memory of it and that's a good thing.

Andrea Sisco

"The early scenes of Eileen's and James' lawless exploits for the Catholic resistance make for thrilling reading....The book serves as a provacative reminder of the tangled strings of family, war and familial war, and also...as a spendid example of old-fashioned, minimal-bodice-ripping romance."

Joy Tipping

"...Falvey very successfully weaves together the politics, history, and landscape of Ireland in this period...Falvey brilliantly illustrates the cultural, political, and economic conflicts that result in erecting Ireland's North/South dividing border. The well-researched history of the period emerges through the characters, their conflicts, and their choices. The story is absorbing and satisfying historical fiction."

Sacremento Book Review and San Francisco Book Review

"...Falvey tells a good story along the way. A host of interesting characters, surprising but plausible plot developments, and deftly incorporated details of the Irish struggle for independence add up to a debut novel sure to please fans of historical romance."

Kathy Piehl

"If you like historical fiction, with great flourishes of families destroyed and remade, this is a classic."

The Review Broads on The Yellow House

"The Yellow House was extremely interesting from an educational perspective. It brings to life the struggles of individuals and communities seeking freedom.

Cecie O'Bryon England - The Washington Times

"...You can often tell where a book's plot and characters are going. But so many times I was astonished to find that what I expected on the next page was a complete surprise. Falvey held my attention with suspenseful events that constantly amazed me...THE YELLOW HOUSE is a powerful book, full of strongly drawn characters that exemplify vitality, humanity, and passion for life. They are so realistic, I felt like I knew them."

Frank West - Irish American News

"THE YELLOW HOUSE is an eloquently written story of the emergence of hope and love in a time of struggle and confusion in Ireland. It avoids the ever-present pitfalls of drowning us in a history lesson while not ignoring the richness of that very history. With her debut novel, Patricia Falvey breathes life back into an Ireland that has nearly vanished from memory. For that, I am grateful."

Robert Hicks

"Intelligently plotted, with engaging characters, the novel offers a fresh view of the highly dramatic Revolutionary Period in Ireland. The well-researched history illumines but never smothers the storyline. Small details bring the era to life with stunning clarity. The writing is lucid and accessible, occasionally even lyrical. This is a very rewarding first novel and I look forward to reading more from Patricia Falvey."

Morgan Llywelyn

"Patricia Falvey draws on her North of Ireland roots to put a human face on the turning point in 20th century Irish history. A moving novel and singular achievement."

Mary Pat Kelly

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