Mina

This book and it's sequal "Bread and Roses" are two of the most touching novels I have read in a long time. They are excellent on many levels: the story in itself is compelling and one you won't want to stop reading, the philosophical insight into the human heart by Ms. Ceely is thoughtful and reminiscent of Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte. In fact, the relationship between the two main characters is similar to those found in the classic novels of those authors. Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction and a love story in the purest sense will thoroughly enjoy these books.

This book left me wanting to know what happens next to Mina and to learn more of the Irish Potato Famine(I must admitt I tend to avoid adversity in my reading for entertainment). Feeling left behind when you realize a book is ending must mean something.

I just finished this book this afternoon and felt compelled to write a review here. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in narratives relating to the Irish famine -- the details of Mina's experiences in Ireland and on the boat were fully fleshed out and made picturing the events easily vivid. I think my favorite aspect of the book, though, is the character of Mr. Serle and Mina's relationship with him, which I thought was just perfectly as it should be. Love comes in all forms. The book ends with a clear note of hope, and I would love to read a sequel some day.

This carefully researched novel slowly engrosses the reader with resplendent details of life after hunger and great loss. As the story progresses, the characters cultivate relationships that could take place in any historical period or setting. In their alliances, the characters offer one another comfort in a harsh and often cruel environment. The language in this novel is original and lovely. The descriptions of the food preparation and the daily lives of the servants are very rich. Mina is a wonderful story that Ceely takes the time to tell in exquisite detail. She does not sell it short with a quick or predictable ending. The novel stayed with me long after I completed it.

By 1848 her sister and her parents died due to the potato famine, but fifteen year old Mina still lives with her dream of making it to the United States though her one effort ended with the ship catching fire and sinking. To survive Mina changes her sex becoming Paddy so she can earn a living as a stable hand on a country estate. Over time, "Paddy" is promoted to work as an assistant to the Italian chef Mr. Serle, sharing a room with him. Mina reveals her true gender to her boss, but he keeps her revelation secret from their employer.Serle informs Mina that he is a Jew who fled the poverty of the Rome ghetto. He too dreams of America where he hopes to one day open a restaurant and make his fortune. Both begin to wonder if they pool their resources, could they achieve what they failed to accomplish separately. That means trusting the other something neither is used to doing.MINA is a deep historical tale that shines a powerful microscope on mid nineteenth century Ireland and England. The story line is incredibly descriptive as Jonatha Ceely fill MINA with historical data like the workings of a Victorian kitchen, but that also keeps the pace of the plot at a leisurely stroll. Still genre fans will take delight with this insightful picturesque look back at a bygone era through the eyes of two survivors that is ideal fill in reading over a few days.Harriet Klausner