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Kevin and Sadie #3
Into Exile
Protestant Sadie and Catholic Kevin have married and "escaped" to London - but will they ever really be free of Belfast and its troubles? In this third book about Sadie and Kevin, Joan Lingard has added an understanding of the strains of marriage to the sombre representation of life in Belfast.
173 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1973
24 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Joan Lingard
92 books63 followersJoan Lingard was born in Edinburgh, in the Old Town, but grew up in Belfast where she lived until she was 18. She attended Strandtown Primary and then got a scholarship into Bloomfied Collegiate. She has three daughters and five grandchildren, and now lives in Edinburgh with her Canadian husband.
Lingard has written novels for both adults and children. She is probably most famous for the teenage-aimed Kevin and Sadie series, which have sold over one million copies and have been reprinted many times since.
Her first novel Liam's Daughter was an adult-orientated novel published in 1963. Her first children's novel was The Twelfth Day of July (the first of the five Kevin and Sadie books) in 1970.
Lingard received the prestigious West German award the "Buxtehuder Bulle" in 1986 for Across the Barricades. Tug of War has also received great success: shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal 1989, The Federation of Children's Book Group Award 1989, runner up in the Lancashire Children's Book Club of the year 1990 and shortlisted for the Sheffield Book Award. In 1998, her book Tom and the Tree House won the Scottish Arts Council Children's Book Award. Her most recent novel, What to Do About Holly was released in August 2009.
Lingard was awarded an MBE in 1998 for services to children's literature.
Lingard has written novels for both adults and children. She is probably most famous for the teenage-aimed Kevin and Sadie series, which have sold over one million copies and have been reprinted many times since.
Her first novel Liam's Daughter was an adult-orientated novel published in 1963. Her first children's novel was The Twelfth Day of July (the first of the five Kevin and Sadie books) in 1970.
Lingard received the prestigious West German award the "Buxtehuder Bulle" in 1986 for Across the Barricades. Tug of War has also received great success: shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal 1989, The Federation of Children's Book Group Award 1989, runner up in the Lancashire Children's Book Club of the year 1990 and shortlisted for the Sheffield Book Award. In 1998, her book Tom and the Tree House won the Scottish Arts Council Children's Book Award. Her most recent novel, What to Do About Holly was released in August 2009.
Lingard was awarded an MBE in 1998 for services to children's literature.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 30, 2018
I don't have much to say, except to say that I adore these books. I love reading about Kevin and Sadie growing up and maturing but still being themselves. They're just wonderful.
February 7, 2017
Sadie and Kevin have moved to London to escape the Troubles. They find themselves treated as outsiders initially and struggle to survive on very little money. Their relationship is further tested when tragedy strikes in Belfast and Kevin is torn between supporting his family back at home while trying to build a new life with Sadie on the mainland.
September 29, 2023
The third book in the Kevin and Sadie series of two Belfast born teenagers trying to make their relationship work across the religious divide. In this book, Kevin and Sadie are now married and living in poverty in London. Then follows tales of job losses, difficulties making friends and arguments as Sadie feels left behind as Kevin branches out in his new job. Then tragedy strikes and everything changes. I know this book was written in the early 70s and it's very much of it's time but I did feel a bit 'urgghh' how much misogyny there was and lots of references to 'womans work' such as cooking and shopping. I guess that's just how the early 70s were but I'm sure glad times have changed! Anyway a good story and an enjoyable read. I must have read this when I was around 12 or 13, 40+ years ago but i dont remember it at all.
December 17, 2024
What a snapshot in time. This novella was a re-read for me. I first "Into Exile" during my senior year of high school.
Set in the 1970s, it tells the story of two teenagers, Kevin and Sadie from Belfast, whose relationship is defined by the conflict between their Catholic and Protestant backgrounds. Condemned by their differences, they choose to escape by running away, marrying, and starting a life together in London.
With little money, no friends or family for support, and news of bombs and shootings constantly reaching them from their troubled hometown, the odds are stacked against them.
It’s a poignant story of young love, struggle, and hope. Maybe I'll pick Joan Lingard's other books in the series?
Format: paperback.
Set in the 1970s, it tells the story of two teenagers, Kevin and Sadie from Belfast, whose relationship is defined by the conflict between their Catholic and Protestant backgrounds. Condemned by their differences, they choose to escape by running away, marrying, and starting a life together in London.
With little money, no friends or family for support, and news of bombs and shootings constantly reaching them from their troubled hometown, the odds are stacked against them.
It’s a poignant story of young love, struggle, and hope. Maybe I'll pick Joan Lingard's other books in the series?
Format: paperback.
August 9, 2021
I didn’t actually know there was another Kevin and Sadie book, however I was excited to see what happens to them next when I saw ‘Into Exile.’ The story is continues well, with them living in London together and realising The Troubles are never going to properly leave them is interesting to read about. It was a very good third book for the series; not one that feels pointless like I’ve read before - it definitely added to the story. I’m looking forward to reading ‘A Proper Place’ (book no. 4) soon, and seeing what Kevin and Sadie get up to next.
February 17, 2021
I just love this series so much. Reading them in my 30s and watching young people love one another and make difficult decisions during times of war. The madness that this was not so long ago - a friend in omagh had the army living in her garden for years in the 90s!
Can’t imagine NI went through during the troubles and glad to have an insight through Kevin and Sadie
Can’t imagine NI went through during the troubles and glad to have an insight through Kevin and Sadie
September 18, 2018
Dcairns
Read all the Kevin and Sadie books as a child brought back great memories.a must read throughly enjoyed them all
Read all the Kevin and Sadie books as a child brought back great memories.a must read throughly enjoyed them all
September 15, 2020
Hmm. We are not all that important Except to ourselves
July 9, 2022
honestly they should’ve just split up at this point
December 29, 2022
Love it 💕💕 I just got so angry at the characters tho like Sadie has a real sharp tongue 😂 great character development!
November 8, 2025
Best of the series so far. Convincingly set in its time and realistic in its description of the challenges faced by a young mixed Belfast couple in London in the early seventies.
January 5, 2023
This is my favourite one yet, I was gripped getting to know all the new characters the couple meet in London!
February 5, 2025
This is the book where they really start to feel like adults, moving to London and working. And they are married! But marriage doesn’t stop the fragility of their new union being the central stressor of this instalment.
The pressure of poverty and being in exile tests them, creating heartbreaking moments when they think they’ll brave it out and go home, but realising they just can’t. All that even before the tragic news that pulls Kevin home. It might seem melodramatic but I’ve read that 10% of Northern Ireland lost a close relative and 11% a close friend in the Troubles.
The pressure of poverty and being in exile tests them, creating heartbreaking moments when they think they’ll brave it out and go home, but realising they just can’t. All that even before the tragic news that pulls Kevin home. It might seem melodramatic but I’ve read that 10% of Northern Ireland lost a close relative and 11% a close friend in the Troubles.
January 12, 2024
The last three books in the Kevin and Sadie story, this moves on from Belfast and follows the couple as they try to make a life for themselves away from their home town and from the 'stigma' of being a mixed religion couple. As the story progresses it is clear that this remains an issue between them despite their assertations to the contrary although this difference seems to pull them together more than drive them apart.
February 14, 2009
It was OK.
April 29, 2009
Man, I just ate up this series when I was 15! Funny how I didn't really love it, yet I had to keep reading. 15 was the age of reading a lot of stuff I didn't love.
July 29, 2012
This was one of the books that got me s start on reading. Loved it , loved the drama and the perspective of what the Belfast conflict. Put everything in perspective.
August 19, 2013
it was a good book but could of been better
April 22, 2017
I am a big fan of the whole "Kevin and Sadie" story as my family went through this ordeal in both Ireland and Scotland.
My great-grandmother, Catherine Kerahagh Lennon, was a young catholic girl in 1939. She met my great-grandfather, John Keenan, in 1935 to their parents Denise as John was a Protestant. Their parents strongly disagreed with their relationship but it soon died down when my grandfather went to fight in the war. They eventually immigrated to Ayrshire, Scotland and started their family of 8 children (7 girls and 1 boy) raising them as Protestant.
My other great-grandparents were similar to Catherine and John. My great-grandfather, John Clark, was a strong Protestant man who lived with his widowed mother in Glasgow. My great-grandmother, Mary O'Pray was Catholic. My Papa worked in a public house owned by my grandmother's father and that is where they met. Mary's parents were totally against it but soon accepted it when the couple had their first born son, who was realised Protestant.
In the end my family are seen as 'Strong and Protestant' but my grandparents endured hard times to see this through.
My great-grandmother, Catherine Kerahagh Lennon, was a young catholic girl in 1939. She met my great-grandfather, John Keenan, in 1935 to their parents Denise as John was a Protestant. Their parents strongly disagreed with their relationship but it soon died down when my grandfather went to fight in the war. They eventually immigrated to Ayrshire, Scotland and started their family of 8 children (7 girls and 1 boy) raising them as Protestant.
My other great-grandparents were similar to Catherine and John. My great-grandfather, John Clark, was a strong Protestant man who lived with his widowed mother in Glasgow. My great-grandmother, Mary O'Pray was Catholic. My Papa worked in a public house owned by my grandmother's father and that is where they met. Mary's parents were totally against it but soon accepted it when the couple had their first born son, who was realised Protestant.
In the end my family are seen as 'Strong and Protestant' but my grandparents endured hard times to see this through.
July 2, 2018
I do love books when they are set in Northern Ireland. Not many are.
I didn't like this one as much because it was set in London and I liked the books because they where set in Belfast.l but never the less, I enjoyed it.
I didn't like this one as much because it was set in London and I liked the books because they where set in Belfast.l but never the less, I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews