‘After the Rising’ by Orna Ross

After the Rising

Returning to her native Ireland for her mother’s funeral, Jo Devereux is thrown back into the long-standing conflict between Rory O’Donovan’s family and her own. Reaching into the past, Jo begins to examine what it was that drew her to Rory all those years ago, but more importantly, what tore them apart. Letters and diaries from her own mother and grandmother, uncover unsettling truths about the two families and their roles in the conflict known as ‘The War of The Brothers’…

This is one of those books that got me at the first page. Unlike some novels set in different periods, the transitions back and forth from one to another are beautifully done and there are no inconsistencies in the narrative. The two sections work together to create a complete history of its characters’ stories, presenting a very believable tale of war and domestic life that is not only historically relevant, but often highly emotive and thought-provoking. The usual backstabbing between Catholics and Protestants takes a back seat and instead, Orna Ross tells a story that focuses on the people, the families and the conflicts that wrenched a nation apart.

Orna Ross is a fantastically talented writer and one I’ll be coming back to very soon.

My review of book two, ‘Before the Fall’ by Orna Ross.