Gone to Amerikay

by Derek McCulloch, Colleen Doran (Illustrator)

Ciara O'Dwyer is a young woman raising a daughter alone in the Five Points slums of 1870; Johnny McCormack is a struggling actor drawn to the nascent folk music movement in Greenwich Village 1960; and Lewis Healy is a successful Irishman who's come to present-day Manhattan on his wife's anniversary-present promise to reveal the connection between him and them. The mystery originates with Ciara's runaway husband, who disappeared after promising to join her in America, and carries into midcentury when Johnny, devastated by an unexpected romance and a lost shot at musical fame, gets a supernatural visitor

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Paranormal, New York

144 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Derek McCulloch is an author of graphic novels, including STAGGER LEE and GONE TO AMERIKAY. He is not now and never has been Uncle Mac of the BBC, so whoever keeps adding THAT Derek McCulloch's books to this page, please stop doing so.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 1 out of 5]

An Irish single mother and her daughter begin a new life in New York City in 1870 while she waits for her husband to arrive from across the pond. A young Irish singer/songwriter tries to make it in showbiz in 1960 New York City. A rich Irishman looks for the truth behind his favourite song, Gone to Amerikay, in 2010. All, er, “storylines”, are tenuously connected but amount to basically a shrug!

There’s nothing to any of the three storylines. Life was grim for Irish immigrants in 1870 and showbiz is sleazy – oh, big whoop! The 2010 thread was entirely superfluous. They’re such unimpressive, boring stories, I don’t get what the point was. And the conceit of connecting them failed completely in adding anything of substance to the overall book. This person is the grandchild of this person who’s sort of related to this person – yeah, so?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: comics – books in general really – do not convey music well at all and should never be used as a plot device. When you centre a comic around music, like this does, you notice its failings all the more. The titular song is apparently a powerful, epic ballad, but that’s just something you’re told by the writer – all I saw was bad poetry, some musical notes and absolutely no sense of the music itself.

Gone to Amerikay is one long yawn - it’s an obscure comic for a reason. I’d suggest watching Gangs of New York instead for a vastly more entertaining, and about as informative, look at Irish immigrant life in 19th century New York.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim, knowing nothing more about it than that Colleen Doran did the art. Since I love her work, that was really all I needed to know.

The story is set in three different eras of New York City, focusing on a different new arrival from Ireland in each. In 1870, Ciara O'Dwyer waits for her husband to arrive on a later boat, doing everything she can to care for her daughter and keep them safe in the slum tenements. In 1960, Johnny McCormack dreams of a career on the Broadway stage, but begins to discover his talents as a folksinger. And, in 2010, Lewis Healy, a successful businessman, is on a quest to delve into the secrets of the music that inspired him growing up. How their stories intertwine--and they do--becomes clear as the story unfolds. The graphic novel cuts back and forth among the various narratives, never cutting away for so long that one begins to lose the thread. It's neatly structured and well told. All in all, this is a more impressive book than I was expecting. Recommended!

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author Derek McCulloch weaves together three timelines of Irish immigrants in New York City. In 1870, Ciara and her young daughter Maire take a ship ahead of her husband, in 1960 Johnny also arrives by boat to try his luck on Broadway and in 2010 a billionaire and his wife piece together the connection between Maire and a song Johnny sang about her. While I enjoyed the window into Ciara’s life as a new immigrant and the drama she became entangled in, Johnny’s introduction into the Greenwich Village musical scene was overdone and schmaltzy. Then the story takes a strange paranormal turn as he learns the fate of Ciara’s husband and meets an elderly Maire and sings her a song that her ghostly father shared with him. The billionaire’s storyline takes a back seat, with just a thin thread that connects him to the other two storylines.

The art is as lovely as I expected and is authentic to each era. But Doran’s art only somewhat saves this graphic novel from being complete sentimental trash.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an unexpectedly engaging graphic novel. It's a cross-generational tale of Irish immigration spanning 140 years, but it's also a love story, a crime story, a ghost story and a murder mystery. And it all weaves together seamlessly.

I knew the artwork would be good -- you can always depend on Colleen Doran to provide beautiful art on any comics she touches -- but she's better than good here. It's probably the best artwork of her career to date.

McCulloch's story is a true original. He balances history and mystery in a way I've rarely seen done.

There's just one area where my own enjoyment fell a bit short: this is a book filled with music and song, and while I could read the wonderful lyrics throughout, I never *felt* -- let alone heard -- the music. I guess that's the danger of reading -- there's no audio -- and maybe if I were more aware of Irish music I could have filled that gap in myself, but it does take away a wee bit of the emotion of an otherwise powerful tale.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it, enjoyed it, and it'll stick with me. Good, well-constructed tale of loosely-related immigrants from Ireland whose lives don't quite intersect but all have ripples out to each other in faint ways.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. It tells the stories of Ciara O'Sayer who came to America from Ireland in 1870,Johnny McCormack who came to America in 1960 to be a musician and Lewis Healy who is visiting America in 2010 to learn the history behind his favorite song. Ciara's story shows the struggle of a single mother new to a country as she deals with a husband that has abandoned her in an unfamiliar country. Johnny's story tells about his coming to terms with his sexuality as well as well as becoming an artist.
This book has appeal to a very large audience. It will draw comic book readers because of its format but it also has appeal to readers that likes books with themes based on immagration and history. As a whole the book has questions in each story that will make you keep reading so you can find the answers which tie all three stories together in the end in surprising and creative ways.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb. McCulloch crafts a three-part tale, as Irish immigrants descend on New York City in 1870, 1960 and 2010. Each narrative is beautifully grounded in its era, with crackling dialogue and period-specific social norms. And Colleen Doran - if there is a more diverse, better artist working in comics today, I can't name him (or her). She packs every page with so much detail that the reader can't help but fall into the era of the time and place. Without any captions to indicate timeframe changes, Doran's artwork enables readers to jump between eras without any hesitation. A superb book about music, immigrant struggles and times that history creates.
+++++++
It's always nice to reread a tale and find it as good as - if not better - than your memories of it.

[Everbright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm already a big Colleen Doran fan, but she has outdone herself with this beautiful book, which is going to have a special place on my shelf forever (I have it on order, I read an online review copy. I am sure the color will be even better in print). A lovely, mature work written by DEREK MCCULLOCH (not Roderick McCullough, whoever that is) and it is a real, grownup graphic novel. If you are going to whine about the gay couple in the book, don't do it in my direction. I see someone has already had a fit in a review about the "nudity" in the book, but you may need a microscope to find it. It is not explicit. The book tells a story in three time periods. A modern Irish businessman goes on a hunt to seek out the inspiration for his life, in the form of a 1960's Irish balladeer from their mutual hometown. A hundred years earlier, a young immigrant mother and child struggle in the slums of New York. The challenging narrative structure is a treat, and I enjoyed reading something a little less linear than normal. I highly recommend this book. Just beautiful.

[Rick Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Told over three time periods, with three seemingly independent stories, Gone to Amerikay follows the lives of Irish immigrants in the States. We follow the lives of Ciara O'Dwyer in 1870, Johnny McCormack in 1960 and Lewis Healy in 2010, with little to no reference between these disparate generations of Irish-Americans. A mystery in the form of a woman named Ciara seemingly connects the three protagonists, and that is a large part of what ties together the events of Gone to Amerikay.

It's an ambitious premise that works mostly because Colleen Doran so skillfully cultivates aesthetics that work for each time period, but I can't say that the individual stories were all that riveting. On their own, each story thread is actually quite dull with nothing to really make the reader connect with the protagonists. The eventual unraveling of the mystery also does little to alleviate the wooden dialogue and ill pacing to the story. What could have been a grandiose portrait of immigrants in the US ends up being a pretty big chore to finish reading.

[Mike McAdam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely surprise this book was! It is like a graphic novel (basically a hard-bound comic book). I don't want to give anything away about the story except to say that there are 3 different timelines with connecting stories. The story is very enjoyable and enhanced by the well-drawn art. I loved this book!
*I was lucky enough to receive this book free through a goodreads giveaway* Read this book! It is worth it!

[Corinna Bechko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up based solely on its cover, but it turned out to be a lush and loving exploration of the Irish immigrant experience through three different time periods in Manhattan. The characters are strong and relatable while the story is touching and a little nostalgic without being sacharine. This is the type of comic/graphic novel I would like to see more of!

[Bill Coffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three intertwined stories of Irish immigrants coming to the States in 1860, 1960 and 2010, and the strange twists of fate that connect them. The 2010 story is really a framing device, and a thinly employed one at that, but the 1860 and 1960 stories have some meat on them. They don’t have enough to go from good to great, however, and having a song play such a prominent role in a visual medium creates a shortcoming no narrative is likely to surmount.

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three interconnected stories of Irish emigration intelligently woven into a single whole. And Doran's art is the perfect way to bring the different strands together. As in Stagger Lee, McCulloch uses music a fulcrum to his narrative.

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't feel like I could really connect to the characters. In fact I didn't really like any of them. I love the portrayal as life as an Irish immigrant.

[Patti · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's a hardcover comic book.

[Alberto Carlos · Rating 1 out of 5]

Menudo latazo de cómic. Lo peor es que es una historia que normalmente funciona, pero el modo de llevarla es tedioso

[Covingtoncat73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was my Christmas present to myself last year. I loved it. I mean, I do like my comics/graphic novels, I have some Irish heritage, and I'm into genealogy and history. Cool story and gorgeous art.

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful graphics and a wonderful tale that spans generations of Irish immigrants in the New World.
I shall definitely be reading this again.

[Larraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

've only read one other graphic novel, but I really liked it. This is my second. I don't think it will be my last. This is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel with a fascinating story. It takes place in three times: 1870 NY, 1960 NY and 2010 Present Day NY. Louis Healy, Dublin millionaire, is on a business trip with his wife who give him an extraordinary anniversary present. She shows him his connection to Ciara O'Dwyer, who emigrated to NY with her daughter, Maire. Her husband was supposed to follow after making sure his uncle was ok, but he never showed up. In 1970 we meet Johnny McCormack who is trying to make it big as an Irish folk singer. He does, thanks to a visit from a ghost. I really loved this book. It's short, but beautiful and a wonderful story. I recommend it highly.

[Mark Billington · Rating 3 out of 5]

historical fiction based on the story of Ciara O’Dwyer an young Irish woman who emigrates to America with her young daughter in 1870 and waits her husband
Then in 1960 a young Irishman Johnny McCormack leaves for America to make a career as a folk singer.
In 2010 Lewis Healy an Irish billionaire flies from Dublin to New York to trace the story of the singer who inspired him.
The drawing an colouring by Colleen Doran is really evocative of 1870 and 1960, excellent.
Of course there are villains and unexpected twists.
An enjoyable read.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was originally hanging around 3 or 3.5 stars. I went with the 4th star because there were enough turns in the plot it was hard to see how we'd get to where I assumed we'd end up. One in particular took me by surprise, but no spoilers. My biggest regret witht his is that of the music. I was trying to squeeze the lyrics into some stereotypical Irish tunes to lesser and greater degrees of success. It's hard to 'hear' music in a graphic novel.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three stories told over 3 disparate times, with New York as the anchor about which they all turn; an immigrant tale beautifully illustrated by Colleen Doran, with a healthy dose of 'the luck of the Irish'...

[Robert Hudder · Rating 3 out of 5]

A neat story about intertwining paths of generations of Irish immigrants. I just finished reading some Irish folk legends and this has a little of that flavour. There is sex, murder, and mayhem. Several love stories are mixed in. A worthy read if you have a penchant for gothic stories.

[Devon Munn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fairly interesting book about Irish people coming to America and it was nice to see how all 3 stories intersected at the end

Also a more spoilery gripe
Ah great the evil cheating bisexual trope, ugh

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and intriguing, time-bending story, though this is not a book I'd choose for my Narratives of Immigration class.

[Colin Oaten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent graphic novel telling the tale of 3 Irish settlers in America across 3 different time periods covering 140 years and how their stories intertwine.

[Joseph Ernest · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book wasnt very good.

[Tavia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autographed

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story of the strong Irish connection to New York City is also an ode to Irish folk song.

[Tony Laplume · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is all well and good, but I think it undercuts itself by sticking a little too closely to an expansive subject with too few pages to cover it.

McCulloch explores three separate storylines in three different periods. In the first it's 1870 and Irish immigrants are represented by a wife and daughter to a man who never ends up joining them. In 1960 it's another Irish immigrant who dreams of making it on Broadway, or failing that with his music. In 2010 it's a wealthy Irish pilgrim. It's this one that ties them all together. Until you learn that the other two are more connected than you might have thought.

The problem is that McCulloch provides that link so late into the story that it's as hard to swallow for the reader as it is for the 2010 pilgrim. What starts as a parable of immigration tries to become something else entirely.

In a way, it works. It works with the kind of charm that each of the main characters is intended to have. And yet the immigrants stumble from one scenario to another, charmed in their way, and not very representative of immigrants as a whole, which one would imagine would be the point of putting the spotlight so squarely on their immigrant status.

But then, the real redeeming aspect of the whole affair is that McCulloch pins most of the effect on a pair of songs, and so if you're inclined you can easily see the songs as the real point of impact, and on that score, the whole thing's more successful than it might seem initially.

...Although certainly I would caution him to put a little more care into a greater balance next time.