Leaving Ireland

I hadn't sat a read a novel in quite a while. This was so beautifully written about a horrific time in history. Loved all the characters I met in the books and the adventures of Gracelin were right up my "alley" and love of historical fiction. I want more.

Gracelin O'Malley, the spirited young woman readers first met in the novel bearing her name, continues to amaze in this second of a three-part saga. If readers are looking for a role model, one who shows you how to triumph against all odds, one who shows you how to live your life with love and tenderness, look no further than this heroine with a remarkable and unflagging spirit. Not only are we as readers first-hand witnesses as she seeks a better life for herself and fellow Irishmen, but we are also treated to a great novel about the power of a mother's love. Gracelin, when last we met her, was forced to leave Ireland after her beloved husband Morgan was reported dead, she killed an English officer, and her son was too sickly to travel with her. With her daughter Mary Kate, she endured countless atrocities on board a ship bound for New York. Never caving in to the depression and hopeless feelings of many, Gracelin arrives and finds life in America not exactly what she had envisioned. If ever someone made lemons out of lemonade, then surely that someone was Gracelin as she seeks to make a better life for herself, her daughter, and her beloved brother. Her adventures make for excellent reading---whether she is helping a former slave reunite with her children, protecting an orphan she comes to love as her own, or succumbing to the reality of losing her son, Ann Moore has given us as fine an adventure, romance, and overall ripping good read as any imaginable. This is the story of Gracelin, but also the story of a young America opening its arms but not always its heart to the immigrants who came. You'll understand why they kissed the ground on arrival, and fought discrimination with every fiber of their being to make this country their home and a haven for their children. If you love romance and adventure, come follow the story of Gracelin, from her pits of despair to her glorious dance in the sunshine at novel's end.

I have read Gracelin O'Malley and just fell in love with Moore's book ~~ and this book is just as good if not better than her first novel. This time, Gracelin manages to escape Ireland during the famine and the fever was raging through the countryside when Julia Martin takes Gracelin to Liverpool to take her to the ship that will take her to America to join Sean, her brother. This is just the beginning of the stories of Barbara, Morgan's sister who turned nun, of Julia who is taking care of Gracelin's son, of Liam Kelley who lost his mother and sister on the ship crossing, of Sean, Gracelin's brother ~~ and so forth. Gracelin, now known as Grace, is more mature in this novel and more responsible but not any less gracious or loving. She's truly an inspiration for all strong women who have to survive hardships!After finishing this book ~~ I cannot wait for the third one to come out! This author will probably be my bookclub's favorite author so far ~~ which is thrilling because Moore writes beautifully and wonderfully about Ireland and the Irish.This is highly recommended reading ~~ if you like historical fiction, you will love this. If you like reading about the Irish, this book is for you. It's beautifully written ~~ poetical in some places and the story is enthralling where it takes you on journeys you've never dreamed of. This book is also full of hope and dreams ~~ more than Gracelin O'Malley was. It's also a keeper.4-14-04

I am waiting anxiously for the SEQUEL to Leaving Ireland! There has to be one! Is it coming? Fantastic two books, Gracelin O'Malley & Leaving Ireland! A must read....

If you loved Gracelin O'Malley, then Leaving Ireland is a must-read! Fleeing an Ireland full of pain and suffering, tragedy and broken dreams, Grace journeys across the Atlantic to build a new life in America. The plot is action-packed from the start and, in my opinion, much more uplifting overall than the first book. Familiar faces return and new friends and nemesis are made along the way as Grace continues her struggle for survival and her fight for a better life in a new world. Through it all, Grace perseveres with courage, dignity, unwavering faith, an indomitable spirit, and a heart of gold (thank you Ann Moore for creating such an inspirational character!). Although Leaving Ireland is a wonderful novel in itself, I recommend reading Gracelin O'Malley first. You'll find your enjoyment of the story even greater having met the characters before. Grace seems to be on the road to happiness and I eagerly await the third installment of her story!