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Gypsy Girl by Rosie Mckinley
A life lived on the road and a heart that will always belong thereImagine being born into a world where communities are constantly on the move, but freedom is not a birthright.Rosie grew up travelling all over England and Ireland in her family's caravan. She had an idyllic childhood roaming fields and meadows with her younger brothers and sisters - free from the trappings of modern life, but restricted by the expectations of her culture.When Rosie was 14, the family's happiness was shattered when her grandfather - who was loved and respected by the whole community - was killed in a tragic accident.Suddenly everything in Rosie's life unravelled and she was forced to abandon the traditional way of life she loved. Her family fell apart and Rosie tried her best to take care of her younger siblings and hold the family together.As life at home became unbearable Rosie met Stevie, a traveller boy who promised her a different kind of life. But, Stevie was battling his own demons and Rosie's journey to freedom had only just begun...
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First published April 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 2, 2012
There's so little written by Traveller people, and for that alone, this is worth reading, but it's full of anecdotes and revelations about Traveller culture, and McKinley tells her story honestly.
February 27, 2012
What a moving tale of a difficult childhood. It goes to show that no matter what religion or culture you are born into the struggles and difficulties can be similar. Rosie was born into a gypsy life, and this was a struggle from day one. This tale gives a unique insight into a culture you may not always hear/read about. However Rosie's life is tough and she goes through a lot more than most people do.
Beautifully written, easy to get into and hard to put down, this tale shows you an overview of Rosie's life. She gives an insight into the ideas and cultures of a gypsy but also that of a catholic where families expand at almost an alarming rate and the notion of standing by your man no matter what. She does not have it easy but from this novel you can see she try's her best to make it ok, and even more so to make sure everyone else around her is ok. You can tell she has a fight in her to keep her going through all the suffering and pain she puts up with.
Unexpected as its more a tale of a troubled childhood and growing up with a sprinkling of the travellers culture thrown in. Their is nothing from the description and the cover to suggest this book would be as sad and as moving as it was. At the same time it was fascination, and really worth a read. Great book and I would recommend it.
Beautifully written, easy to get into and hard to put down, this tale shows you an overview of Rosie's life. She gives an insight into the ideas and cultures of a gypsy but also that of a catholic where families expand at almost an alarming rate and the notion of standing by your man no matter what. She does not have it easy but from this novel you can see she try's her best to make it ok, and even more so to make sure everyone else around her is ok. You can tell she has a fight in her to keep her going through all the suffering and pain she puts up with.
Unexpected as its more a tale of a troubled childhood and growing up with a sprinkling of the travellers culture thrown in. Their is nothing from the description and the cover to suggest this book would be as sad and as moving as it was. At the same time it was fascination, and really worth a read. Great book and I would recommend it.
February 13, 2018
A very interesting story about the life of a child growing up in a traveling community.
I was captivated with this story from the first page and ended up reading this book well into the night.
Very well written and really hard to put down. Recommended.
I was captivated with this story from the first page and ended up reading this book well into the night.
Very well written and really hard to put down. Recommended.
July 15, 2017
Such an interesting peek into the world of the travellers and such an amazing story of courage, resilience and strength.
October 22, 2013
Gypsy Girl is a non-fiction book written by Rosie McKinley about her life and experiences. She starts off with her childhood and then moves through the different stages of her life, telling us many stories and events. Rosie discusses the culture, lifestyle and traditions of the travellers community and how certain things in it changed as the years went by. She also emphasises on the problems and sufferings of the gypsies, like the lack of education and discrimination.
It truly is a fascinating and touching story of the life of a young traveller woman who despite all the hardships she faced, she was still able to find the strength and courage to carry on and turn her life around. I also learned many things about the gypsy culture which I found interesting. It is the kind of book that makes you think about even long after reading it. Definitely worth reading, I recommend it.
It truly is a fascinating and touching story of the life of a young traveller woman who despite all the hardships she faced, she was still able to find the strength and courage to carry on and turn her life around. I also learned many things about the gypsy culture which I found interesting. It is the kind of book that makes you think about even long after reading it. Definitely worth reading, I recommend it.
April 16, 2013
A very good book with a honest story and very much worth reading!
In some parts bits are repeated which can be anoying but worth sticking with it to the end.
Tho personally not a traveller some of this woman's life I can relate to which I think is what kept me gripped.
Also worth noting is how she talks about her experiences with those who have suffered from addiction but also recognising that and some of the ways of coping are for anyone struggling this could be a helpful insight.
In some parts bits are repeated which can be anoying but worth sticking with it to the end.
Tho personally not a traveller some of this woman's life I can relate to which I think is what kept me gripped.
Also worth noting is how she talks about her experiences with those who have suffered from addiction but also recognising that and some of the ways of coping are for anyone struggling this could be a helpful insight.
October 8, 2011
Easy Read.
November 15, 2015
An autobiographical novel of a traveller woman. A touching and emotional tale about the ups and downs of life.
February 20, 2019
No one should ever have to endure the abuse that this woman had to suffer through and it sickens me that so many people just looked the other way while she walked around with black eyes and broken ribs. (And, all of those STDs that her husband kept bringing home … he needed to be castrated!)
I am overjoyed that she finally found happiness and will be left alone to raise her family in peace.
May her home be filled with love and joy for the rest of her life.
"Home is the people that you love.” (Favourite quote from book.)
I am overjoyed that she finally found happiness and will be left alone to raise her family in peace.
May her home be filled with love and joy for the rest of her life.
"Home is the people that you love.” (Favourite quote from book.)
March 6, 2019
It is a refreshing experience to get to know what is 'travellers' life is all about. What the stigmas and the challenges this community face especially for the woman perspective. Mind you that that this story revolves around people who are moving around with trailers not with wagons just like in the cover. This is not set in early 1900s.
August 2, 2018
Wow!
Absolutely fantastic read. Read in a day! . What an inspiring young woman who showed true courage and determination through a tough life! I wish all ‘country folk’ would put aside their discriminative views! We are all the same, we just live slightly differently.
Absolutely fantastic read. Read in a day! . What an inspiring young woman who showed true courage and determination through a tough life! I wish all ‘country folk’ would put aside their discriminative views! We are all the same, we just live slightly differently.
Read
February 8, 2020One of the most beautiful and sad books that I have read. Totally honest and at times gut wrenching, what a childhood she had not to mention her mother and husbands impact on her life. What a remarkable life she had growing up.
July 22, 2025
Love!y story of a complicated culture
I have studied the magnificent loss of beautiful culture that we can all learn from. I would highly recommend it if you have any interest in this wonderful culture. I'd give this book five stars!!!!
I have studied the magnificent loss of beautiful culture that we can all learn from. I would highly recommend it if you have any interest in this wonderful culture. I'd give this book five stars!!!!
August 20, 2022
I fell in love with this book, I couldn’t get enough! Such an emotional and touching story, really opens your eyes to the travellers way of life, good and bad. Really interesting!
October 11, 2024
Really insightful look in to the customs and hardships of the travelling community and what an amazing women.
February 26, 2017
I think this was a fascinating read about the Travelers, a group that is secretive and often misunderstood. I found it interesting to read about how the Travelers are struggling to maintain their traditions while at the same time having to adapt to a world in which they are becoming increasingly restricted as to where they can travel to. I liked how the author was able to overcome family difficulties and her own lack of education to become someone who is able to stand up for the rights of her people. I recommend this to anyone who's ever seen the Travelers and wanted to know the people behind the headlines and TV shows.
February 23, 2015
“Home isn't just a trailer or four walls and a roof, home is the people that you love.”
This is a biographical tale of Rosie McKinley and her life growing up as a traveller. She was born into a traditional traveller family with its set structure and hierarchy with her grandfather the glue that bound her family together. The whole family travel all around the country as well as abroad depending where the work is and girls are expected to grow up get married, have children and basically be subservient to men. Rosie has certainly had a hard childhood from pretty much from the day she was born, literally on a pavement. Due to the fact that they are constantly on the move and bigotry from both inside and outside the traveller community education is at best sparse to non-existent There are also problems with health care for much the same reasons but family life at least is structured and everyone knows what is expected of them. When her Grandfather dies, this structure slowly begins to unravel with devastating effects. Later Rosie compounds her problems with a poor choice in marriage.
Rosie certainly has not had an easy early life but it is evident that she is a battler and even when things were going poorly for herself she always tries to make it better for those around her in particular her children and younger siblings.
This is no great literary work but then Rosie was illiterate most of her life so that is understandable. As such this is an easy and fairly quick read. She can be very repetitive at times. However, on the plus side she gives an interesting insight into a culture alien to most 'settled' people. A culture that is slowly vanishing due to the pressures of modern life and various laws enacted to try and make travellers conform with the expected norm, all of the lawmakers are 'settled' people after all, so it is worth sticking with.
I would not normally read this sort of book but if you are interested in learning a little about traveller culture beyond the 'My Fat Gypsy Wedding' TV shows then it's worth giving this a go.
This is a biographical tale of Rosie McKinley and her life growing up as a traveller. She was born into a traditional traveller family with its set structure and hierarchy with her grandfather the glue that bound her family together. The whole family travel all around the country as well as abroad depending where the work is and girls are expected to grow up get married, have children and basically be subservient to men. Rosie has certainly had a hard childhood from pretty much from the day she was born, literally on a pavement. Due to the fact that they are constantly on the move and bigotry from both inside and outside the traveller community education is at best sparse to non-existent There are also problems with health care for much the same reasons but family life at least is structured and everyone knows what is expected of them. When her Grandfather dies, this structure slowly begins to unravel with devastating effects. Later Rosie compounds her problems with a poor choice in marriage.
Rosie certainly has not had an easy early life but it is evident that she is a battler and even when things were going poorly for herself she always tries to make it better for those around her in particular her children and younger siblings.
This is no great literary work but then Rosie was illiterate most of her life so that is understandable. As such this is an easy and fairly quick read. She can be very repetitive at times. However, on the plus side she gives an interesting insight into a culture alien to most 'settled' people. A culture that is slowly vanishing due to the pressures of modern life and various laws enacted to try and make travellers conform with the expected norm, all of the lawmakers are 'settled' people after all, so it is worth sticking with.
I would not normally read this sort of book but if you are interested in learning a little about traveller culture beyond the 'My Fat Gypsy Wedding' TV shows then it's worth giving this a go.
May 19, 2013
I'm so pleased to have been able to discover this thanks to a ring. A few years ago I taught an EFL class with the theme of the Rom. It was so good and important, I thought, to discuss the myths and realities around this culture which goes back centuries. How can we hope to end discrimination if there is no understanding?
My big problem was finding suitable books to use with the class -either they were far too difficult and/or not suitable to be read by teenagers, or the language was too difficult or colloquial for non-native English students.
At the time, thanks to the book-talk forum on bookcrossing, I was able to work with The Diddakoi, and I was familiar with The Gypsies by Jan Yoors (although there the writing was a bit difficult for the group). I was also able to get some films and information from the Council of Europe committee working in this area. This being said, all of the contemporary first hand narratives I was able to find were interesting to me as an adult, but it was pretty clear that they would not sustain the interest of teens.
This book might very well work with a teen audience, and thanks to Rosie's own development, would provide an excellent transition into reflection about how to combat discrimination while preserving an age-old culture.
My big problem was finding suitable books to use with the class -either they were far too difficult and/or not suitable to be read by teenagers, or the language was too difficult or colloquial for non-native English students.
At the time, thanks to the book-talk forum on bookcrossing, I was able to work with The Diddakoi, and I was familiar with The Gypsies by Jan Yoors (although there the writing was a bit difficult for the group). I was also able to get some films and information from the Council of Europe committee working in this area. This being said, all of the contemporary first hand narratives I was able to find were interesting to me as an adult, but it was pretty clear that they would not sustain the interest of teens.
This book might very well work with a teen audience, and thanks to Rosie's own development, would provide an excellent transition into reflection about how to combat discrimination while preserving an age-old culture.
July 2, 2014
a life lived on the road and a heart that will always belong there imagine being born into the worl where communities are constantly on the move but freedom is not a birthright rosie grew up travelling all over england and ireland in her family s caravan she had an idyllic childhood roaming fields and mewdows with her yougest brothers and sisters free from the trappings of modern life but restricted by the expectation of her culture when rosie was 14 the family happiness was shattered when her grandfather who was loved and respected by the whole community - who was killed in a tragic accident suddenly everything in rosies life unravelled and she was forced to abandon the traditional way of life she loved and this is her story this girl when though some of the worst things you could ever go though like being beat up by her drunken boyfirend and him sleeping around with other woman she put with alot in her life it was a very good read
November 5, 2023
Wow, just wow. I never really understood the traveller culture, their rules and lifestyle and traditions. Their commitment to family is truly inspiring. This woman has been through so much. Love, loss, bullying, abuse, wanting an education, to work and the want for a better life for her children. In this book she gives us a look into how the traveller community lived their lives during the 70s to now. Many of us 'settled' folk would have thrown in the towel at the first hurdle. I found the book to be powerful, emotional, I found myself urging and wanting her to leave her husband and yet, she stayed and put up with his behaviour for over 20 yrs. 'A wife for life' such a powerful sentence that carries such little weight these days.
Thank you for such a wonderful book and look in to your life.
Thank you for such a wonderful book and look in to your life.
October 13, 2012
Rosie McKinley grew up in a traditional traveller family. Her grandfather was like the glue that held them all together, and when he passed life changed forever for Rosie, and her family. Desperate to escape her sad surroundings Rosie accepts a marriage proposal that only takes her from the frying pan into the fire. In this memoir she shares her struggles with readers, and her triumphs. If your looking for more of an indepth look into the traveller lifestyle I wouldn't reccomend this book, but if you're looking to hear the story of a real traveller girl who somehow finds happiness despite the odds then this is not one to pass up.
March 18, 2014
Really enjoyed reading this book which I read in less than 24 hours. Shocking, unbelievable and harrowing story how she was unable to read or write, to go on a write a book telling the story of traveller life. The wife for life mentality even if your husband beats you black n blue, leaves you days and weeks on end, looking after an alcoholic mother and husband, while trying to rear her own kids and her brothers and sisters. It doesn't make easy reading and your heart breaks for her and the traditions she's not allowed to question only to live by. Huge credit for being somehow able to come out on top. Bravo Rosie.
July 11, 2013
I admire Rosie for turning her life around, educating herself, helping others and having the courage to write this book. She really is a remarkable woman. She will never forget her roots and is not ashamed of being a traveller but she has finally found happiness and fully deserves it. This book is a good insight into understanding the traveller community and their rather odd and insular ways, their suspicions and prejudices of the outside world and the world they are born into. What shocked me most was the abuse and cruelty from the people they love and respect the most
September 12, 2015
The life of a gypsy girl is so much harder than I had thought.
What a hard life Rosie has had.
The way she manages to turn it around and find a good life for herself is quite miraculous.
This is the first book I have found about the Traveler culture, and I really enjoyed the insight into the life and customs of a culture that has always seemed so exotic and romantic to me.
The truth, though, is definitely not as rosy as it would seem.
A book that is definitely worth reading, Rosie's life certainly makes for a page turner.
What a hard life Rosie has had.
The way she manages to turn it around and find a good life for herself is quite miraculous.
This is the first book I have found about the Traveler culture, and I really enjoyed the insight into the life and customs of a culture that has always seemed so exotic and romantic to me.
The truth, though, is definitely not as rosy as it would seem.
A book that is definitely worth reading, Rosie's life certainly makes for a page turner.
December 27, 2012
Úžasná knížka která nám dovolí nahlédnout do kočovného způsobu života.. Seznámíme se s problémy, se kterými si musí protagonisté poradit i předsudky, kterým musí čelit. Velice zajímavá je část, kdy se dozvídáme o způsobu myšlení, výchovy dětí i o tradicích této skupiny lidí. V jedné chvíli se smějete nad jejich "hloupostí či nevědomostí" a v druhé chvíli téměř pláčete nad osudem..Je to knížka, která vás donutí na chvíli se zastavit a zamyslet se.
January 5, 2016
really enjoyed this. Very interesting and informative and living in Turkey and having Turkish in-laws, what really struck me was the similarities between the traveller ways and the ways of Turkish people.Possible just old fashioned values?? Not sure. Another thing that I did keep thinking though, she said so many times, she'd moved to a new house, decorated and furnished it all.........I always wondered where the money came from.
August 27, 2012
It's hard to believe that any young woman could put up with so much violence and ill treatment from her husband and still take him back time after time. She is lucky to have survived the beatings. She managed to pull herself up by her bootlaces and eventually make a good life for herself and her family. Read this book in just over a day. Couldn't put it down
October 19, 2013
I couldn't put this one down. Harrowing, in parts, this true story shows some of the hardships that Travellers face. I hope it isn't considered a spoiler to say I am glad that there was happiness at the end of this particular rainbow. I actually read the Kindle edition, but that doesn't seem to be here, so have left it at the default of hardcover.
July 18, 2015
All I know about travellers comes from reputation and big fat gypsy wedding (hubby went through a stage of watching this!) so it was interesting to read a book that was from their point of view. Some of it is familiar and some not so much. It's not a way of life I could imagine living, and although it works for some of them Rosie obviously had a pretty rough time.
February 18, 2013
This book was interesting. Its only the second book ive read on the gypsy culture so i did enjoy it although some parts of the book made me fume a bit. There seems to be a lot of louts in the book with nothing to do but get into fight, steal, party and general live off the British benefit system.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews