Stormclouds: New Friends. Old Differences.

by Brian Gallagher

Twins Dylan and Emma Goldman move from Washington to Belfast when their journalist father is sent to cover the turbulent early days of the civil rights movement. The complicated friendships prove life-threatening when the simmering tensions in Northern Ireland erupt into violence in the summer of 1969.

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2013

About the author

Brian Gallagher is a full-time writer whose plays and short stories have been produced in Ireland, Britain and Canada. He has worked extensively in radio and television, writing many dramas and documentaries. He collaborated with composer Shaun Purcell on the musical, Larkin, for which he wrote the book and lyrics, and on Winds of Change for RTE’s Lyric FM.

His first book of historical fiction for young readers was Across the Divide, set in the 1913 Dublin Lockout, followed by Taking Sides, set against the background of the Civil War, and Secrets and Shadows, an exciting spy novel that begins with the North Strand bombings during World War II.

Brian lives with his family in Dublin.

Reviews

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Stormclouds is YA book set in Northern Ireland in the late 1960’s and I think it should be compulsory reading for every Irish young person. It is all too easy to forget the dangerous and troubled times of our not-so-distant past and forgetting is a luxury that shouldn’t be permitted.

First Line of Stormclouds:

"Maeve wanted to scream".

My Thoughts on Stormclouds:

This book has a lovely innocence about it against a backdrop of violence and hatred. The innocence comes from the teenagers and their want for everyone to just get along. There are 4 main characters, you have a guy from a Nationalist background, a girl from a Loyalist background and then a brother and sister from the US who have just moved to Belfast. When they put their differences aside, they mix freely and easily and just have fun.

The characters seem to be younger than the age given in the book but maybe that is more to do with the book being set in the 1960’s rather than current times. All are likeable and feel realistic. They are strikingly different in their backgrounds but together they are just normal pre-teens and teenagers.

However the tension bubbling in Belfast is about to explode and it is impossible for anyone to escape unscathed. Stormclouds is a great title as it a dark, gloomy part of our history and reading this book gives you a little insight into just how scary it must have been to live through. I grew up listening to the death toll on the news but I felt far removed from it all and reading this book has made me thank my lucky stars that I was in that position.

The book takes a shocking but not unrealistic twist and that is the part that made my rating a little lower than it otherwise might have been. I just didn’t feel it. It was sad but it should have been heartbreaking and somehow I just wasn’t that emotionally invested. The book is quite short so it’s a very quick read but I would have loved a few more chapters to develop the characters more.

Aside from that, the pace was great. It captures a volatile Belfast so well and I couldn’t put the book down as my nerves were shattered from the tension that was slowly but solidly building up all the way though; you just knew it was going to end explosively. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and it brings the past to life in a very readable, engaging way.

Who should read Stormclouds?

As I said at the beginning I think all Irish YA’s should read this one. Also if you have an interest in Irish history or just want to try some Irish YA, then try this one.

Thanks to O'Brien Press for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[John Naylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this was a good if never great fictionalisation of 1969 in Northern Ireland.

Told from three perspectives it never really clicks as a narrative. The separate stories intertwine and lead to a conclusion that was sad but also just felt too sudden. The epilogue could probably have been left out too as it added very little to the story.

Books like this are important and getting them to a younger audience does matter but this just didn't feel like something that would work to deliver that message. A worthy attempt rather than a successful one.

[Esmeralda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just a simple, sweet, and devastating story. The tragedy really caught me off guard as it is a children's book, but the seriousness of the situation demands tragedy. The characters were all clean cut and finely tuned. They mimicked real children to a tee, and their friendships were heart warming. A wonderful little read that has a profound impact when compared to it's size. I recommend it for anyone, whatever age they may be.

Absolutely worth it!