The Daughters of Ireland
(orig. The Daughters of Castle Deverill)
By Santa Montefiore
Published: August 15, 2017
Ireland. 1925.
The war is over. But life will never be the same...
In the green hills of West Cork, Ireland, Castle Deverill has burned to the ground. But young Celia Deverill is determined to see her ruined ancestral home restored to its former glory — to the years when Celia ran through its vast halls with her cousin Kitty and their childhood friend Bridie Doyle.
Kitty herself is raising a young family, but she longs for Jack O’Leary — the long-ago sweetheart she cannot have. And soon Kitty must make a heartbreaking decision, one that could destroy everything she holds dear.
Bridie, once a cook's daugher in Castle Deverill, is now a well-heeled New York City socialite. Yet her celebrity can't erase a past act that haunts her still. Nor can it keep her from seeking revenge upon the woman who wronged her all those years ago.
As these three daughters of Ireland seek to make their way in a world once again beset by dark forces, Santa Montefiore shows us once more why she is one of the best-loved storytellers at work today.
My review:
In the first book in the Deverill Chronicles, the story focuses on Kitty Deverill but here we get to see what is going on with Celia, Bridie and several other characters. The legacy of the castle ties them all together. It is more than just a place. It represents family and heritage and home. When Kitty's father Bertie had to put the castle up for sale, the family had no idea that Celia would be the one to buy it. She pours money and effort into rebuilding it and making it better than it was before. For Kitty, it is bittersweet. While Castle Deverill stays in the family, it is still hard to see it in someone else's hands and it isn't the same. The castle is also home to the ghosts of the Lords Deverill because of the curse Maggie O'Leary placed on Barton Deverill centuries ago. This time we get to find out what happened in the past as well.
In addition to the Deverill family in Ireland we also see what happens in the lives of the London Deverills and a long lost Deverill in America. As the years pass, there is tragedy and family secrets are unearthed. Meanwhile Bridie Doyle is nursing an undeserved grudge against Kitty Deverill. Even though she has riches (far more than Kitty who is living at the mercy of her cousin) Bridie is bitter and wants more. She blames Kitty for her unhappiness instead of rightly looking in the mirror (though Kitty's father holds some blame as well). Bridie is not my least favorite character in the book but she certainly comes close. I'm really hoping she will finally grow up in the next book. Celia on the other hand starts out as flighty and by the end has matured quite a bit. I really liked her character progression. Kitty grew up some more as well. It is hard for her to decide if she should let go of Jack and put her family first though I don't think Jack is good enough for her. He is a bit of a mess but both Kitty and Bridie still love him.
The Daughters of Ireland is the story of the Deverill family in the 1920s but it is also about the idea of home and what that means to the various characters. The setting of Ireland as well as the castle is important although at times the story goes to New York and even South Africa. The family curse ties into it as well. So does the concept of revenge and forgiveness. The novel covers several years and a lot happens but the story moves at a good pace and there is some character development though there is a large cast to keep track of.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It has historical details, interesting settings, characters that I cared about and some soapy drama and scandal as well. Now I am waiting for my copy of book three to arrive from Book Depository because I don't want to wait till next year to find out what happens. I'd suggest this series to readers who are interested in historical fiction set in Ireland or family sagas.
Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss
The Daughters of Ireland is the story of the Deverill family in the 1920s but it is also about the idea of home and what that means to the various characters. The setting of Ireland as well as the castle is important although at times the story goes to New York and even South Africa. The family curse ties into it as well. So does the concept of revenge and forgiveness. The novel covers several years and a lot happens but the story moves at a good pace and there is some character development though there is a large cast to keep track of.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It has historical details, interesting settings, characters that I cared about and some soapy drama and scandal as well. Now I am waiting for my copy of book three to arrive from Book Depository because I don't want to wait till next year to find out what happens. I'd suggest this series to readers who are interested in historical fiction set in Ireland or family sagas.
Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss
I think this must be a really good read as so many elements combine so well. Like the cover too.
ReplyDeleteYay! I am so glad you enjoyed this book. I am about 50 pages in and really enjoying it so far. The first book in the series, as you know, was one of my favorite books of the year, so I am glad that this one doesn't disappoint. I thought about getting the next book in the series from Book Depository as well. haha. It's so tempting! Have a great weekend!
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