Moira's Crossing

Moira's Crossing left me in awe of Shea's lyrical prose and ability to draw out complicated emotions without overstating them. This book explores the complicated nature of sisterhood in a quiet, careful way. It does not hit the reader over the head with its statement. It is a sophisticated read, a powerful depiction of family troubles, and ultimately it is a book about redemption and resolution. Readers expecting an easy, obvious read will not necessarily find it here; readers looking for something more subtle (but more powerful)will love Moira's Crossing.

Smart & subtle writing, generous and warm without being sentimental. Basically the tale of two sisters and their voyage from Ireland to America. Wonderfully divergent personalities. Moira is tough, enigmatic, brave; Julia is a pious hypochondriac. They live together, in a succession of different houses, year after year, decade after decade, both of them in love, more or less, with the same man...

Moira's Crossing is a perfectly written novel of the immigrant experience and the nature of family. The author so immediately involves you in the lives of the characters that you won't be able to put the book down.

With haunting and luminous prose, as well as carefully chosen situtations and cultural details, Shea captures the essence of "Irish silence" that haunts two sisters over their lifetimes. She has a magnificant ear for prose rhythm, dialogue and accent, and relationships. The plot is utterly fascinating.

It's not often that you read a work of fiction that delivers such a satisfyingly rich and complex story without making a lot of loud noise doing so. This book reaches those heights. It is a fine literary work. The plot is genuine, not contrived; no unnecessary calamities to con the reader. The characters are real multi-dimensional human beings, not caricatures. Bravo, Ms. Shea! I can't wait for your next book.