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Song of Erin #1
Cloth of Heaven
B. J. Hoff brings us an inspiring Irish-American saga of pain and triumph in the 1800s. Terese Sheridan, desperate to escape the poverty and tragedy of Ireland, traps herself and the man she loves in a web of deception that will have consequences for generations to come. Jack Kane, a rogue newspaperman, builds an empire from his youthful dreams and the kind of reckless courage that makes him a legend in nineteenth-century New York City. Hoff's magnificent epic brings to life one of the most colorful, dramatic eras in American history and weaves a story of love and faith that spans an entire ocean.
382 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 1997
About the author
B.J. Hoff
51 books151 followersBJ Hoff’s writing is known for her historical settings, her unforgettable characters, and her lyrical prose. She is the bestselling author of numerous historical fiction series, including the Riverhaven Years, the Mountain Song Legacy, the Song of Erin saga, the American Anthem series, An Emerald Ballad series, and her newest book Harp on the Willow.
Her five-volume Emerald Ballad series was the first major work of fiction to bring the Irish immigration experience to the CBA marketplace, and the work that first brought BJ an international reading audience.
Her readers know they can expect to meet some memorable people in her novels and also know that many of those people will be immigrants; Irish immigrants particularly but not exclusively.
BJ admits to a passion for building worlds. Whether her characters move about in small country towns or metropolitan areas, reside in Amish settlements, secluded mansions, or coal company houses, she creates communities where people can form relationships, raise families, pursue their faith, and experience the mountains and valleys of life.
She’s intent on making her historical novels relevant to the present by developing characters and settings that, while staying true to the history and culture of their times, reflect many of the spiritual trials and social problems faced by contemporary readers. Her novels are meant to be stories that build a bridge from the past to the present.
Her literary awards include the Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Book Award for fiction; a Gold Medallion Award finalist; and a number of Excellence in Media Silver Angel awards. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, and she frequently hears from her international readers in countries such as Ireland, England, Norway, and Germany.
A former church music director and music teacher, BJ writes from her home in a small town in east central Ohio. She and her husband share a love of music, books, and time spent with their family: two daughters and three lively young grandsons.
Her five-volume Emerald Ballad series was the first major work of fiction to bring the Irish immigration experience to the CBA marketplace, and the work that first brought BJ an international reading audience.
Her readers know they can expect to meet some memorable people in her novels and also know that many of those people will be immigrants; Irish immigrants particularly but not exclusively.
BJ admits to a passion for building worlds. Whether her characters move about in small country towns or metropolitan areas, reside in Amish settlements, secluded mansions, or coal company houses, she creates communities where people can form relationships, raise families, pursue their faith, and experience the mountains and valleys of life.
She’s intent on making her historical novels relevant to the present by developing characters and settings that, while staying true to the history and culture of their times, reflect many of the spiritual trials and social problems faced by contemporary readers. Her novels are meant to be stories that build a bridge from the past to the present.
Her literary awards include the Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Book Award for fiction; a Gold Medallion Award finalist; and a number of Excellence in Media Silver Angel awards. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, and she frequently hears from her international readers in countries such as Ireland, England, Norway, and Germany.
A former church music director and music teacher, BJ writes from her home in a small town in east central Ohio. She and her husband share a love of music, books, and time spent with their family: two daughters and three lively young grandsons.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 12, 2017
Jack had wondered then, and still wondered, how long it would take--what it would take--before the Irish were accepted instead of despised, respected instead of condemned.
Sometimes he thought it would take an eternity to right the wrongs that had been done to his people.
An unlikely group of people are essentially tied together from across the ocean in the mid-1800s. Prejudice, poverty, and seemingly impossible dreams are only some of the challenges they face in the first installment of an Irish-American saga, Cloth of Heaven by author B.J. Hoff.
As I read American Anthem by this author years ago, and I found it absolutely magnificent, I've had the Song of Erin books on my shelf for quite a while, purposely putting them off, chiefly for anticipation's sake.
Heart-wrenching, fittingly dramatic, and ultimately beautiful as this first novel is, I thought it moved at a cumbersome pace in places, redundant in a way, taking the long way around to some of its points. I didn't really connect with most of the characters until more than halfway through the book--though, excluding maybe one or two of them (who gave me little reason to like or root for them), it might not have been the characters' fault. It just took a while for the story to click for me, and once it did, it mainly seemed like an extended setup for Book Two.
But, to be fair, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger or anything, and as I recall, the American Anthem novels are much the same way: not cliffhangers, but not books that could stand the best on their own, either.
Now, I don't wish to make it sound as if I didn't enjoy this heart-wrenching, fittingly dramatic, and ultimately beautiful novel, because I did. And I don't plan on putting off Book Two for long.
"As for me, I decided a long time ago I didn't want my life to be some old throwaway rag. No, sir, I want my life fashioned right out of the cloth of heaven."
Sometimes he thought it would take an eternity to right the wrongs that had been done to his people.
An unlikely group of people are essentially tied together from across the ocean in the mid-1800s. Prejudice, poverty, and seemingly impossible dreams are only some of the challenges they face in the first installment of an Irish-American saga, Cloth of Heaven by author B.J. Hoff.
As I read American Anthem by this author years ago, and I found it absolutely magnificent, I've had the Song of Erin books on my shelf for quite a while, purposely putting them off, chiefly for anticipation's sake.
Heart-wrenching, fittingly dramatic, and ultimately beautiful as this first novel is, I thought it moved at a cumbersome pace in places, redundant in a way, taking the long way around to some of its points. I didn't really connect with most of the characters until more than halfway through the book--though, excluding maybe one or two of them (who gave me little reason to like or root for them), it might not have been the characters' fault. It just took a while for the story to click for me, and once it did, it mainly seemed like an extended setup for Book Two.
But, to be fair, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger or anything, and as I recall, the American Anthem novels are much the same way: not cliffhangers, but not books that could stand the best on their own, either.
Now, I don't wish to make it sound as if I didn't enjoy this heart-wrenching, fittingly dramatic, and ultimately beautiful novel, because I did. And I don't plan on putting off Book Two for long.
"As for me, I decided a long time ago I didn't want my life to be some old throwaway rag. No, sir, I want my life fashioned right out of the cloth of heaven."
May 20, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. It had all of the right elements that tend to keep me turning pages and it was clean. I love a good book that you can curl up with and know that at no point will you be offended at the contents. I'm looking forward to finishing this series, the characters are wonderful and I found myself invested in their stories.
January 12, 2022
Sometimes life is unfair. And life is unfair to this book, because it will always compare to the Emerald Ballad series, the first B.J. Hoff series I read. Sorry, Cloth of Heaven, you were still a good book.
Setting: Ireland and New York City, 1839. Inishmore and Claddagh (Galway) are the main Irish locations, and the settings of New York occupy both well-to-do areas as well as the slums like Five Points. Not surprisingly, the geographical descriptions are splendid. Hurricanes, oppressive heat, racial divides, filthy streets, and general hardships of immigrants are all vividly described, and directly affect the plot. Political and social perspectives are hinted at, but not emphasized. The utopian socialism was mentioned, but I had had never head of it before, and I was enlightened in the book. Historically accurate, though. What I found less than historically accurate (believable, anyway) was Rufus' background of slavery in Mississippi. Now, this is really nit-picky, but from the few details that are provided, it sounds like your run-of-the-mill escape from slavery--the kind of escape that occurred often in the mid-1800s (perfectly acceptable in the year 1839). But this escape would have occurred in the early 1800s--not much later than 1805, according to the characters' timeline--when Mississippi wasn't even a state. The War of 1812 hadn't even happened yet, and probably more Indians resided in the territory than white settlers. Not saying there were no slaves--I'm not that much of an expert--but an escaping slave would have plenty of options for freedom other than going to New York.
Nit-picking aside, the setting was written excellently, and B.J. Hoff knows about Irish problems.
Characters: I saw a lot of similarities between these characters and those in the Emerald Ballad series. Only problem with that is that I couldn't stop the comparison game, and those other characters win out 100%. But the positive side is that it means these characters are extremely well-developed, have great distinct personalities, and experience heart-crushing circumstances. Cavan is my favorite character, but Jack has such a large personality that one can't dislike him (but he does have his flaws, and I'd like Christ to fix them). Brady, meanwhile, goes pretty close to my "dislike" list. There's time for redemption, though (again, can we have Christ in his heart?)
Terese is likewise a beautifully written character with a great character arc, but she has so many flaws I struggled to fall in love with her. Same with Samantha Harte; I liked Cavan's infatuation with her more than her loveliness herself, because of her heavy reliance on her weakness.
Plot: Mostly unfinished, but that's obviously why there's a sequel. This plot seems to focus mainly on Terese, as she is the only one with a definite closure to her story (with a large open-ended future). Both Brady and Jack still need lots of development, but their personalities and struggles have clearly been established. Romance is a huge part of the novel, but it doesn't end in a romantic-like conclusion. It's the kind of book that offers plenty of "will these two characters marry?" But it's no normal romance; like real life, there are lots of other aspects to the story.
Faith Content: Solidly a Christian novel--with a beautiful meaning to its title--but so many characters aren't Christians! Each character's spiritual journey has begun, though, and I love seeing God's truths play out and reveal themselves even in non-Christians' lives.
Setting: Ireland and New York City, 1839. Inishmore and Claddagh (Galway) are the main Irish locations, and the settings of New York occupy both well-to-do areas as well as the slums like Five Points. Not surprisingly, the geographical descriptions are splendid. Hurricanes, oppressive heat, racial divides, filthy streets, and general hardships of immigrants are all vividly described, and directly affect the plot. Political and social perspectives are hinted at, but not emphasized. The utopian socialism was mentioned, but I had had never head of it before, and I was enlightened in the book. Historically accurate, though. What I found less than historically accurate (believable, anyway) was Rufus' background of slavery in Mississippi. Now, this is really nit-picky, but from the few details that are provided, it sounds like your run-of-the-mill escape from slavery--the kind of escape that occurred often in the mid-1800s (perfectly acceptable in the year 1839). But this escape would have occurred in the early 1800s--not much later than 1805, according to the characters' timeline--when Mississippi wasn't even a state. The War of 1812 hadn't even happened yet, and probably more Indians resided in the territory than white settlers. Not saying there were no slaves--I'm not that much of an expert--but an escaping slave would have plenty of options for freedom other than going to New York.
Nit-picking aside, the setting was written excellently, and B.J. Hoff knows about Irish problems.
Characters: I saw a lot of similarities between these characters and those in the Emerald Ballad series. Only problem with that is that I couldn't stop the comparison game, and those other characters win out 100%. But the positive side is that it means these characters are extremely well-developed, have great distinct personalities, and experience heart-crushing circumstances. Cavan is my favorite character, but Jack has such a large personality that one can't dislike him (but he does have his flaws, and I'd like Christ to fix them). Brady, meanwhile, goes pretty close to my "dislike" list. There's time for redemption, though (again, can we have Christ in his heart?)
Terese is likewise a beautifully written character with a great character arc, but she has so many flaws I struggled to fall in love with her. Same with Samantha Harte; I liked Cavan's infatuation with her more than her loveliness herself, because of her heavy reliance on her weakness.
Plot: Mostly unfinished, but that's obviously why there's a sequel. This plot seems to focus mainly on Terese, as she is the only one with a definite closure to her story (with a large open-ended future). Both Brady and Jack still need lots of development, but their personalities and struggles have clearly been established. Romance is a huge part of the novel, but it doesn't end in a romantic-like conclusion. It's the kind of book that offers plenty of "will these two characters marry?" But it's no normal romance; like real life, there are lots of other aspects to the story.
Faith Content: Solidly a Christian novel--with a beautiful meaning to its title--but so many characters aren't Christians! Each character's spiritual journey has begun, though, and I love seeing God's truths play out and reveal themselves even in non-Christians' lives.
October 23, 2014
A good story of some the tragedy in Ireland -- storms, poverty, abuse and neglect. And also the Irish community in New York City, still living in extreme poverty, poor housing and people trying to keep them in servant roles, not letting them be successful. Also a story of individuals who are working to bring change to the living conditions. And of course a love story.
October 2, 2015
The settings switches between Ireland & NY City, two brothers, one of each side of the Atlantic, are publishing a newspaper in NY City. One goes to Ireland for a story, which turns into a series of stories.
This book includes the salvation message, as presented to "Black Jack", the older brother & publisher of the newspaper.
This book includes the salvation message, as presented to "Black Jack", the older brother & publisher of the newspaper.
June 26, 2009
this was an enjoyable read. it was not poorly written, and held my interest. it wasn't as full of historical information as i would prefer, and i wasn't just absolutely wrapped up in the characters lives, but for an easy, entertaining read, it was good.
July 12, 2013
Interesting, I did not know about the attitudes back in the US in those days, looking forward to the next one
September 30, 2016
A good historical novel takes you back to a different place and time...and that's what this one did.
August 29, 2023
This story takes place during the Potatoe Famine in Ireland.
Jack Kane, an Irishman, owner of the newspaper Vanguard, lives in New York.
Jack has a brother Brady, who works for his brother as a reporter and artist.
Jack has send Brady to Ireland to report on the life and people in Ireland.
The Brady arrives in Ireland there is a hurricane that displaces a lot of
people.
Jack Kane hires Cavan, a Irish lad, as his driver. Cavan is trying to save enough
to bring his sister, Terese to New York.
Where will this end. Will trust, love and friendship win our.
Jack Kane, an Irishman, owner of the newspaper Vanguard, lives in New York.
Jack has a brother Brady, who works for his brother as a reporter and artist.
Jack has send Brady to Ireland to report on the life and people in Ireland.
The Brady arrives in Ireland there is a hurricane that displaces a lot of
people.
Jack Kane hires Cavan, a Irish lad, as his driver. Cavan is trying to save enough
to bring his sister, Terese to New York.
Where will this end. Will trust, love and friendship win our.
April 12, 2018
Very good read.
March 23, 2019
A nice chronological that compares different periods and lifestyles which are very relatable to the current livelihoods today. B.J.Hoff did a great job
June 1, 2020
A pleasant read. A mixture of historical fiction, romance and a bit of religion. The religious stuff isn’t too over powering that it spoils the story.
May 27, 2022
Excellent read.
May 18, 2023
I had a difficult time getting through this book. The people in Ireland were confusing and it just went so slowly.
April 4, 2025
I did not realize it was part of a series. That explains the open ending! Pretty good book but has far too much narrative.
March 21, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed this.....can’t wait to continue reading this saga!! I already have three people wating to read this....
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews