The History Girls

摘要

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Ireland's fight for independence from Britain in the early 20th century, this sprawling saga gives readers a personal view of the "Troubles," as seen through the eyes of a daughter of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy in its last days. In spite of her heritage, Kitty Deverill knows herself to be Irish to the bone, and English not at all. The fiery Kitty fights for the land she loves, even as she realizes that there may be no place for her in an independent Ireland. Her story of wealth and privilege contrasts with that of her childhood friend Bridie, an Irish Catholic village girl whose family has worked for the Deverills for centuries. As the Troubles and their aftermath shatter lifetime relationships between the classes, Kitty and Bridie flee in opposite directions-Kitty to glittering parties in London, Bridie to a life of service in America. But neither forgets their sisterhood, or the home that shaped them both. VERDICT Montefiore's (The Beekeeper's Daughter) compelling family saga, the first in a trilogy, is highly recommended, particularly for lovers of Irish fiction and/or stories of World War I and the 1920s, as well as those who enjoy novels about the enduring power of women's friendships -Marlene Harris, Reading Reality, LLC, Duluth, GA.