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Das Cottage von Glenlea
In den Wirren des irischen Unabhängigkeitskriegs verliert Eileen O'Neill ihr Zuhause. Nun bleibt ihr nur noch die eigene Stärke, um zu überleben. Ihre Gefühle schwanken zwischen dem charismatischen Freiheitskämpfer James und dem kultivierten Fabrikanten Owen, der Alltag ist bestimmt von bitterer Not und politischen Unruhen. Dann stößt Eileen auf das Geheimnis ihrer Mutter.
447 pages, Paperback
First published January 28, 2010
453 people are currently reading
13240 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Falvey
5 books433 followersPatricia Falvey is an Irish-born writer living in Dallas, Texas. She is the author of 5 novels, all with a connection to Ireland: The Yellow House; The Linen Queen; The Girls of Ennismore; The Titanic Sisters; and, most recently, The Famine Orphans which will be released on May 27, 2025.
Patricia immigrated alone to the U.S. at the age of 20 and forged a long and successful career in the financial services industry, rising to a Managing Director for a major consulting firm where she oversaw a national tax practice. However, she never lost sight of her dream of becoming a published author and in 2008 walked away from her old career to give her dream a chance. In 2010 her courage was rewarded with the publication of The Yellow House. She views this phase of her life as her “Second Act” and strongly encourages anyone with a dream to pursue it no matter what their age. It’s never too late!
When not traveling around the scenic backroads of her beloved Ireland doing research and visiting friends and family, Patricia likes hanging out with good friends in Texas and enjoying the “craic” - which loosely translated from the Gaelic means lively conversation, storytelling, laughter and good times.
For more on Patricia and her books, visit her website at : www.patriciafalveybooks.com
Patricia immigrated alone to the U.S. at the age of 20 and forged a long and successful career in the financial services industry, rising to a Managing Director for a major consulting firm where she oversaw a national tax practice. However, she never lost sight of her dream of becoming a published author and in 2008 walked away from her old career to give her dream a chance. In 2010 her courage was rewarded with the publication of The Yellow House. She views this phase of her life as her “Second Act” and strongly encourages anyone with a dream to pursue it no matter what their age. It’s never too late!
When not traveling around the scenic backroads of her beloved Ireland doing research and visiting friends and family, Patricia likes hanging out with good friends in Texas and enjoying the “craic” - which loosely translated from the Gaelic means lively conversation, storytelling, laughter and good times.
For more on Patricia and her books, visit her website at : www.patriciafalveybooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 748 reviews
June 17, 2020
A richly imagined story that transports the reader back in time to a troubled Ireland at the beginning of the 1900s. An engaging narrative of class differences and interesting and factual historical content make this one a terrific historical fiction novel. I really enjoyed this book and got lost in the characters and plot and found myself loving every moment spent with this one.
The Yellow House' delves into the passion and politics of Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 20th Century. Eileen O'Neill's family is torn apart by religious intolerance and secrets from the past. Determined to reclaim her ancestral home and reunite her family, Eileen begins working at the local mill.
The author knows her Irish history and her grandmother was her inspiration for this story and the character of Eileen O'Neill.
I am wary of Irish Historical fiction novels as they can come across as twee and a little overly romantic, but The Yellow House seems to have the perfect blend of fact and fiction and romance and really was a surprisingly good read.
I didn’t like the main character or the choices she made in life but she was certainly entertaining and feisty and brought an element of intrigue to the story. I loved the historical element of the book and the author condenses the history of the time and certainly educates and informs the reader without over complicating the story. The book does have some profanity but the phrases and words are without doubt in keeping with the language of the time and is perfectly placed in the story. There were a couple of elements of the story that I would have questioned and found a little too unbelievable but nothing that affected my overall enjoyment of the book.
This was my first novel by Patricia Falvey and I purchased this one on audio and Kindle and the Audio version was excellent, the narrator captured the characters brilliantly and her accent and tone fitted perfectly with the story.
I would recommend this one for readers who enjoy stories set in Ireland or just good historical fiction book. It would also work well as a book club discussion book.
The Yellow House' delves into the passion and politics of Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 20th Century. Eileen O'Neill's family is torn apart by religious intolerance and secrets from the past. Determined to reclaim her ancestral home and reunite her family, Eileen begins working at the local mill.
The author knows her Irish history and her grandmother was her inspiration for this story and the character of Eileen O'Neill.
I am wary of Irish Historical fiction novels as they can come across as twee and a little overly romantic, but The Yellow House seems to have the perfect blend of fact and fiction and romance and really was a surprisingly good read.
I didn’t like the main character or the choices she made in life but she was certainly entertaining and feisty and brought an element of intrigue to the story. I loved the historical element of the book and the author condenses the history of the time and certainly educates and informs the reader without over complicating the story. The book does have some profanity but the phrases and words are without doubt in keeping with the language of the time and is perfectly placed in the story. There were a couple of elements of the story that I would have questioned and found a little too unbelievable but nothing that affected my overall enjoyment of the book.
This was my first novel by Patricia Falvey and I purchased this one on audio and Kindle and the Audio version was excellent, the narrator captured the characters brilliantly and her accent and tone fitted perfectly with the story.
I would recommend this one for readers who enjoy stories set in Ireland or just good historical fiction book. It would also work well as a book club discussion book.
May 29, 2017
A historical fiction book about Northern Ireland in the early 1900's during all the religious tensions around the Irish Revolution. Eileen, our heroin, loses her family in the beginning of the novel and works hard to reestablish herself and find security. I loved Eileen and how stubborn and passionate she is through out the book. I honestly thought this would be a simple love story but it really goes deeper than that to Eileen's own questions of identity and loyalty. Not that much time is really even spent on the relationship between her and James or her and Owen. There's a lot more about the cultural shifts and Eileen struggling to understand how to reconcile what happened to her family with her own identity and how she feels about those that fall outside of it. The beginning of the story was a little slow but it does pick up and if you stick with it it's worth it.
July 25, 2019
"The Yellow House" is a well written novel set in Northern Ireland during the early 20th Century. It's the coming of age story of Eileen O'Neill who has lost much of her family following some tragic events. The young woman hopes to rebuild her family home someday, a yellow house with a long family history that sits at the edge of the mountain, Slieve Gullion. She dreamed of "happier times when we were all together and the music played".
Eileen is a strong redhead with a hot temper and a sharp tongue. She works at a linen mill, and plays the fiddle in a band. It is a time of political dissent between the Catholics and the Protestants during the Irish War of Independence. Men are also dying in battle during World War I, or returning with horrific injuries. Eileen has two love interests--James Conlon who is a leader in the Irish Volunteers fighting for Home Rule, and Owen Sheriden who was shaken by the violence of the Battle of the Somme and has emotionally returned to his peaceful Quaker roots.
This was a book that was hard to put down. It has flawed, passionate characters coping with poverty, war, and religious strife. The book also touches on themes of mental illness, inadequate medical care for the poor, and harsh working conditions in the linen mills. Eileen holds on to her dreams for her family while weathering personal betrayals and a stressful time in Irish history.
"I have drawn close to me those things that matter--love, family, and home....Wisdom is my new companion, a wisdom forged from the fires of battles fought and lost, and life lived."
Eileen is a strong redhead with a hot temper and a sharp tongue. She works at a linen mill, and plays the fiddle in a band. It is a time of political dissent between the Catholics and the Protestants during the Irish War of Independence. Men are also dying in battle during World War I, or returning with horrific injuries. Eileen has two love interests--James Conlon who is a leader in the Irish Volunteers fighting for Home Rule, and Owen Sheriden who was shaken by the violence of the Battle of the Somme and has emotionally returned to his peaceful Quaker roots.
This was a book that was hard to put down. It has flawed, passionate characters coping with poverty, war, and religious strife. The book also touches on themes of mental illness, inadequate medical care for the poor, and harsh working conditions in the linen mills. Eileen holds on to her dreams for her family while weathering personal betrayals and a stressful time in Irish history.
"I have drawn close to me those things that matter--love, family, and home....Wisdom is my new companion, a wisdom forged from the fires of battles fought and lost, and life lived."
November 15, 2020
Eileen O’Neill, the book’s central character, is loosely based on the author’s grandmother.
If the 20th century conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics in Northern Ireland interests you, read this book. Clear historical facts are woven into a moving, captivating story. It puts you there, living in Ulster, during the first quarter of the century. What was it really like to be a Catholic living in the predominantly Protestant Ulster? The early 20th century Irish struggle for independence is the backdrop of the story. The unfulfilled promises made to the Irish during the First World War, the Easter Rising in 1916, the 1920 Government of Ireland Act, the rise of the Sinn Féin party, growth of the IRA, it's all here. Immersed in the lives of the characters, the reader comes to truly understand the depth of the conflict, the utter impossibility of even reaching out to one on the other side of the divide. Any attempt to cross the boundary separating one side from the other is life threatening. The chasm dividing the two communities is immense. This is what hits you with force as you read the book.
The story is believable. There is no element of the story that the author has not thought through carefully. When something happens, what which has happened makes perfect sense because it follows naturally, as a direct consequence of earlier events. I admire the author’s ability to so carefully plan each step. Moreover, this planning is not visible, unless you stop and think about it. This invisibility is as important as the planning itself!
I like the prose. The audiobook’s narrator reads the lines slowly. The impact of each line becomes, in this way, stronger. The pauses speak. They show you what to pay attention to. The slow pace gives the reader time to recognize the appropriateness and the elegance of that which is said. If you were to read quickly through the lines, skim them, I think you would miss a lot.
The characters are fully developed. Bit by bit you learn more and more about them. Secrets hidden are slowly revealed. Each character fills a role in the story; none are superfluous; there is not one that should have been skipped. And I like Eileen; I like her spunk. I do think it is possible to be attracted to two different men at the same time, and I also agree that eventually a choice must be made. Simple Billy Craig is another great character too.
For a while I was considering giving the book five stars. Five stars because I appreciate the clarity of the historical information presented and because I felt myself to be swallowed up in the characters’ lives. I was there, I was with them, their problems were mine! The end is however a little too neat and tidy—I do not think it was necessary for the central character to .
Sarah-Jane Drummey gets five stars for her audiobook narration. Her intonations are perfect. Her slow speed and perfect pacing give the listener time to appreciate the lines. If a narrator can improve a book, she has done it here.
One more thing, the book never drags, not once from start to finish.
If the 20th century conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics in Northern Ireland interests you, read this book. Clear historical facts are woven into a moving, captivating story. It puts you there, living in Ulster, during the first quarter of the century. What was it really like to be a Catholic living in the predominantly Protestant Ulster? The early 20th century Irish struggle for independence is the backdrop of the story. The unfulfilled promises made to the Irish during the First World War, the Easter Rising in 1916, the 1920 Government of Ireland Act, the rise of the Sinn Féin party, growth of the IRA, it's all here. Immersed in the lives of the characters, the reader comes to truly understand the depth of the conflict, the utter impossibility of even reaching out to one on the other side of the divide. Any attempt to cross the boundary separating one side from the other is life threatening. The chasm dividing the two communities is immense. This is what hits you with force as you read the book.
The story is believable. There is no element of the story that the author has not thought through carefully. When something happens, what which has happened makes perfect sense because it follows naturally, as a direct consequence of earlier events. I admire the author’s ability to so carefully plan each step. Moreover, this planning is not visible, unless you stop and think about it. This invisibility is as important as the planning itself!
I like the prose. The audiobook’s narrator reads the lines slowly. The impact of each line becomes, in this way, stronger. The pauses speak. They show you what to pay attention to. The slow pace gives the reader time to recognize the appropriateness and the elegance of that which is said. If you were to read quickly through the lines, skim them, I think you would miss a lot.
The characters are fully developed. Bit by bit you learn more and more about them. Secrets hidden are slowly revealed. Each character fills a role in the story; none are superfluous; there is not one that should have been skipped. And I like Eileen; I like her spunk. I do think it is possible to be attracted to two different men at the same time, and I also agree that eventually a choice must be made. Simple Billy Craig is another great character too.
For a while I was considering giving the book five stars. Five stars because I appreciate the clarity of the historical information presented and because I felt myself to be swallowed up in the characters’ lives. I was there, I was with them, their problems were mine! The end is however a little too neat and tidy—I do not think it was necessary for the central character to .
Sarah-Jane Drummey gets five stars for her audiobook narration. Her intonations are perfect. Her slow speed and perfect pacing give the listener time to appreciate the lines. If a narrator can improve a book, she has done it here.
One more thing, the book never drags, not once from start to finish.
February 25, 2010
Occasionally an epic story comes along that makes the reader cry at the end of the novel. I am that reader, and The Yellow House is that novel. Spanning the early twentieth century, set in Northern Ireland during the time of the Irish revolution, we follow Eileen O’Neill, warrior, daughter, and sister as she slowly loses everything she loves but learns to rise again. Growing up at the base of her beloved mountain, Slieve Gullion, Eileen knows the terrors she dreams at night do not bode well for her family. When her younger sister dies of Scarlet Fever, her mother loses her mind in grief. When her Catholic father is killed defending their Yellow House from Protestant uprisers, Eileen must survive or perish in sadness. She stands upright as an O’Neill warrior and takes life by the horns.
Growing up in Ireland in the tumultuous 1900s, Eileen O’Neill joins the Cause for the rights of Catholics and all Irish citizens. In 1913 she takes a job working for the Quaker family, the Sheridan's, at their mill in Queensbrook; she also takes up the fiddle, following in her father’s footsteps, and it is through these two positions that she meets Owen Sheridan, handsome, privileged, charming, rakish, and safe. When Owen goes to fight in World War 1 Eileen is left confused about her burgeoning feelings, not having ever loved, she doesn’t know about Owen. And then she meets James; dark, dangerous, impassioned for the Cause, fighting for his beliefs, for freedom from persecution, for a better Ireland, and she falls for him.
Torn between her inner warrior and her outer womanhood, enveloped in a lost family and heritage, dreaming of the Yellow House and her beloved Slieve Gullion, Eileen is a girl who grows to a woman before our eyes, who marches from the ashes of her childhood and raises her arms in defiance. Trapped between two men, Eileen finds herself.
The Yellow House is a captivating debut, bountiful and beautifully written. The beginning trudges along, but Eileen will capture you quickly after. Her story will make you smile, make your heart pump, make your breath quicken, make you cry. You will hope for the best, and fear for the worst. You will laugh at Eileen and her anger and feistiness, she has a sailor’s mouth and the temper to go with it. You will feel her heartbreak and her desire, you will know her anguish and rapturous delight, you will relate to her because she is the warrior in all of us. You will love Eileen, and you will love The Yellow House.
Growing up in Ireland in the tumultuous 1900s, Eileen O’Neill joins the Cause for the rights of Catholics and all Irish citizens. In 1913 she takes a job working for the Quaker family, the Sheridan's, at their mill in Queensbrook; she also takes up the fiddle, following in her father’s footsteps, and it is through these two positions that she meets Owen Sheridan, handsome, privileged, charming, rakish, and safe. When Owen goes to fight in World War 1 Eileen is left confused about her burgeoning feelings, not having ever loved, she doesn’t know about Owen. And then she meets James; dark, dangerous, impassioned for the Cause, fighting for his beliefs, for freedom from persecution, for a better Ireland, and she falls for him.
Torn between her inner warrior and her outer womanhood, enveloped in a lost family and heritage, dreaming of the Yellow House and her beloved Slieve Gullion, Eileen is a girl who grows to a woman before our eyes, who marches from the ashes of her childhood and raises her arms in defiance. Trapped between two men, Eileen finds herself.
The Yellow House is a captivating debut, bountiful and beautifully written. The beginning trudges along, but Eileen will capture you quickly after. Her story will make you smile, make your heart pump, make your breath quicken, make you cry. You will hope for the best, and fear for the worst. You will laugh at Eileen and her anger and feistiness, she has a sailor’s mouth and the temper to go with it. You will feel her heartbreak and her desire, you will know her anguish and rapturous delight, you will relate to her because she is the warrior in all of us. You will love Eileen, and you will love The Yellow House.
January 5, 2012
I didnt like any of the characters in this book. Eileen was annoying, Owen was a weasel, and James was a jerk. The writing wasnt that great either. I hated the way both of the men just kept running after Eileen when in real life she was such a jerk to everyone that she would've had no friends. She never said a kind word in the entire book. Also, there was too much nonsense about family pride and being a 'warrior O'Neill.' I will grant that I didnt know Ireland had gone through such turmoil and it opened my eyes to that. But if that's what you're interested in, read about it in a different book.
March 9, 2023
great historical novel - with tons of drama and hardship and romance and more hardship and loss .very emotional read but also very engaging - irish history -
June 6, 2010
I started this book because I loved the genre ... Irish novel. It is timed in the first World War, and the beginnings of the on-going civil war in Ireland between the Catholica and the Protestants. But, let me say, it was even less than OK (which is the 2* definition). This was no Maeve Binchey, I will tell you that ! I quit reading before I had finished the book.
And sadly, because it began well with a feisty red-headed heroine, but the roof just kept falling on her head; the language became more and more objectionable, and I could foresee the "romance" was going to be more than my moral compass allows.
So, while I am on my soap-box here, I want to include this review in my list to help me remember that all that is written is not gold, that time given to anything is only worth the careful consideration of that expense.
And that the back of the cereal box, compared with some books, is better reading.
And sadly, because it began well with a feisty red-headed heroine, but the roof just kept falling on her head; the language became more and more objectionable, and I could foresee the "romance" was going to be more than my moral compass allows.
So, while I am on my soap-box here, I want to include this review in my list to help me remember that all that is written is not gold, that time given to anything is only worth the careful consideration of that expense.
And that the back of the cereal box, compared with some books, is better reading.
September 25, 2012
Great read, beautifully written (loved the Irish brogue!) This story is of a young Northern Irish woman who, inheriting a legacy of warriors, must come to terms with the burdens that legacy carries and find the strength within her that it brings. Spanning twenty years of her life, the book recounts Eileen O'Neill's struggles with the difficulties that come with war (both WWI; the Irish War of Independence) and poverty, including the loss of her family to murder, mental illness and hatred. In the midst of this storm, she is torn between passion for a man who shares her rage and the comfort she finds with a man who has learned the price of giving into that rage. In the end, she must learn to find her strength not in her family's legacy or in her country's struggle but in the dreams and hopes of her own heart.
This is Patricia Falvey's first novel (2010), I look forward to reading her next novel The Linen Queen (2012).
This is Patricia Falvey's first novel (2010), I look forward to reading her next novel The Linen Queen (2012).
November 12, 2020
For the 4th title of my Reading Ireland Month challenge, I chose a book that has been on my Kindle for a couple of years. It is a debut novel steeped in Irish history and peopled with unforgettable characters.
"Indeed, it would become known far and wide as the Yellow House. When the sun shone it dazzled like a golden beacon, and even on the grayest of days it glowed through the mist like magic."
The book begins with the O'Neill family who live in an old yellow house in the shadow of Slieve Gullion in County Armagh. A Catholic family, one of the few Catholic families who own land. Due to increasing financial pressures, the land is being sold off - piece by piece. The father, the mother Mary, the oldest son Frankie, the oldest daughter, Eileen, and wee Lizzy and Paddy.
"My Da was born a dreamer, not a farmer."
Da O'Neill has passed his love of music to his daughter, Eileen. She is an accomplished fiddle player when just a child. Some of her happiest early memories are of when her father's minstrel friends would come to the yellow house and play for hours on a Saturday night.
"She doesn't know what she's saying, love. She's astray in the head with grief."
Tragedy besets the O'Neill family when the baby daughter becomes sickly and is sent off to the 'fever hospital'. The mother, pregnant, never gets over her loss and does not have anything to do with baby Paddy when he is born on Christmas Day 1908. She shuts herself in her room and leaves daughter Eileen to raise the boy. Shortly thereafter, the mother and oldest son Frankie go to live with Eileen's paternal grandfather in the big manor house. At the age of just thirteen Eileen leaves school to keep house for her father and young brother. Da, Eileen, and young Paddy are left alone in the yellow house - and they scrape by - until one night men come and shoot Da and burn them out of the yellow house.
Eileen and Paddy are taken in by the Mullens, a village family, and Eileen goes to work in the linen mill in 1913. With dreadful working conditions and dismal remuneration, Eileen works for years saving her money in the hopes that somehow she will be able to fix up the yellow house and return there with what remains of her family.
"I sometimes wonder if it's better for the bad things to happen all at once rather than little by little, like blood seeping out of a wound. When they happen all at once, if the shock of it doesn't kill you, you might at least stand a chance of rearing up and fighting back."
Eileen grows into a beauty. Like her mother before her she is very tall. She grows to six feet and has thick red hair down to her waist which she wears in a plait. She catches the eye of the mill owner's son, Owen Sheridan.
"War is an abyss which sucks in souls both brave and desperate and spits them out again dead or disillusioned."
With Owen off fighting in WWI, in 1919 Eileen marries the brother of one of her friends at the mill. Taller than she, and handsome, James Conlon will change Eileen's life forever. James is a rebel and a staunch supporter of Michael Collins. Along with her husband, Eileen joins the Irish Volunteers. Eileen accompanies him on raids and turns into quite a warrior in her own right... until she falls pregnant. James betrays Eileen in many ways, and leaves her on her own with their young daughter Aoife. To put food on the table Eileen returns to music and fiddles at the Ceili House pub.
"Secrets are the cancer of families. Like tumors, they grow ever larger, and if they are not removed, they suffocate the mind and spirit and spawn madness."
Told from Eileen O'Neill's point of view, the story encompasses much heartache, sadness, loss, political turmoil, and harsh living and working conditions. Eileen herself is a courageous and prideful woman, a loving daughter, a passionate lover, a hard worker, and a dreamer.
"Your heart holds on to dreams long after your head tells you they're foolish."
Altogether a wonderful account of Irish history making the years of Irish conflict a little easier for me to understand. Quite an achievement, as I've never understood why a people would fight over differing religions. Neighbor against neighbor, sometimes family member against family member... "The yellow house" covers the years 1905-1922 encompassing the creation of the IRA and the signing of the partition treaty that separated Northern and Southern Ireland.
Highly recommended to everyone who has a keen interest in Irish history and who prefers - like I do - to learn their history through well researched and well rendered fiction. Although I anticipated the ending, the book was well constructed enough that I cannot rate it less than ☆☆☆☆☆
Oh, and I have a new favorite expression: "Is it astray in the head you are?"
"Indeed, it would become known far and wide as the Yellow House. When the sun shone it dazzled like a golden beacon, and even on the grayest of days it glowed through the mist like magic."
The book begins with the O'Neill family who live in an old yellow house in the shadow of Slieve Gullion in County Armagh. A Catholic family, one of the few Catholic families who own land. Due to increasing financial pressures, the land is being sold off - piece by piece. The father, the mother Mary, the oldest son Frankie, the oldest daughter, Eileen, and wee Lizzy and Paddy.
"My Da was born a dreamer, not a farmer."
Da O'Neill has passed his love of music to his daughter, Eileen. She is an accomplished fiddle player when just a child. Some of her happiest early memories are of when her father's minstrel friends would come to the yellow house and play for hours on a Saturday night.
"She doesn't know what she's saying, love. She's astray in the head with grief."
Tragedy besets the O'Neill family when the baby daughter becomes sickly and is sent off to the 'fever hospital'. The mother, pregnant, never gets over her loss and does not have anything to do with baby Paddy when he is born on Christmas Day 1908. She shuts herself in her room and leaves daughter Eileen to raise the boy. Shortly thereafter, the mother and oldest son Frankie go to live with Eileen's paternal grandfather in the big manor house. At the age of just thirteen Eileen leaves school to keep house for her father and young brother. Da, Eileen, and young Paddy are left alone in the yellow house - and they scrape by - until one night men come and shoot Da and burn them out of the yellow house.
Eileen and Paddy are taken in by the Mullens, a village family, and Eileen goes to work in the linen mill in 1913. With dreadful working conditions and dismal remuneration, Eileen works for years saving her money in the hopes that somehow she will be able to fix up the yellow house and return there with what remains of her family.
"I sometimes wonder if it's better for the bad things to happen all at once rather than little by little, like blood seeping out of a wound. When they happen all at once, if the shock of it doesn't kill you, you might at least stand a chance of rearing up and fighting back."
Eileen grows into a beauty. Like her mother before her she is very tall. She grows to six feet and has thick red hair down to her waist which she wears in a plait. She catches the eye of the mill owner's son, Owen Sheridan.
"War is an abyss which sucks in souls both brave and desperate and spits them out again dead or disillusioned."
With Owen off fighting in WWI, in 1919 Eileen marries the brother of one of her friends at the mill. Taller than she, and handsome, James Conlon will change Eileen's life forever. James is a rebel and a staunch supporter of Michael Collins. Along with her husband, Eileen joins the Irish Volunteers. Eileen accompanies him on raids and turns into quite a warrior in her own right... until she falls pregnant. James betrays Eileen in many ways, and leaves her on her own with their young daughter Aoife. To put food on the table Eileen returns to music and fiddles at the Ceili House pub.
"Secrets are the cancer of families. Like tumors, they grow ever larger, and if they are not removed, they suffocate the mind and spirit and spawn madness."
Told from Eileen O'Neill's point of view, the story encompasses much heartache, sadness, loss, political turmoil, and harsh living and working conditions. Eileen herself is a courageous and prideful woman, a loving daughter, a passionate lover, a hard worker, and a dreamer.
"Your heart holds on to dreams long after your head tells you they're foolish."
Altogether a wonderful account of Irish history making the years of Irish conflict a little easier for me to understand. Quite an achievement, as I've never understood why a people would fight over differing religions. Neighbor against neighbor, sometimes family member against family member... "The yellow house" covers the years 1905-1922 encompassing the creation of the IRA and the signing of the partition treaty that separated Northern and Southern Ireland.
Highly recommended to everyone who has a keen interest in Irish history and who prefers - like I do - to learn their history through well researched and well rendered fiction. Although I anticipated the ending, the book was well constructed enough that I cannot rate it less than ☆☆☆☆☆
Oh, and I have a new favorite expression: "Is it astray in the head you are?"
January 20, 2023
The author did a great job of pulling me into the struggles of the times. I completely felt for poor Eileen. Her rebellious nature kept getting her into trouble, yet these actions ended in some of her biggest blessings. I hated James and rooted for Owen, felt as if I should pray for her ma, and was saddened by Frankie. Patricia Falvey had a habit of repeating some of her descriptions which I found a little annoying. I decided to believe it to be part of Eileen's character and then all was fine.
September 21, 2012
Alright. I admit it. I ended up really enjoying this.
The beginning had such a slow build, that I had a hard time getting into it. I wasn't attached to the characters, and I had small hope of it getting better. I will eat those words, because it really turned into a great story, and I have grown so attached to the characters that I will actually miss them now that the book is over.
I liken this book to The Tea Rose, and not just because they are both romantic historical fiction. We have an exceptional lead protagonist, who is strong despite, and because of, her own weaknesses. Elaine finds herself forced to make some of the hardest decisions, personal, religious and political. On the other side of the scale, we have James. Never have I wished so hard for some kind of despicable harm to come to a character before!
The language is an aspect which I should probably mention. I have rarely read a book able to so easily carry such foul language. In fact, I found that I wasn't insulted at all by the gratuitous use of the F* word. Why? Not only did it fit well with the characters, but it is also misspelled. Feck. The way it is said with an Irish accent. If this is something that would bother you, then you probably shouldn't read this, because seriously, there are few pages that don't contain at least one, Irish-pronounced swear word.
The beginning had such a slow build, that I had a hard time getting into it. I wasn't attached to the characters, and I had small hope of it getting better. I will eat those words, because it really turned into a great story, and I have grown so attached to the characters that I will actually miss them now that the book is over.
I liken this book to The Tea Rose, and not just because they are both romantic historical fiction. We have an exceptional lead protagonist, who is strong despite, and because of, her own weaknesses. Elaine finds herself forced to make some of the hardest decisions, personal, religious and political. On the other side of the scale, we have James. Never have I wished so hard for some kind of despicable harm to come to a character before!
The language is an aspect which I should probably mention. I have rarely read a book able to so easily carry such foul language. In fact, I found that I wasn't insulted at all by the gratuitous use of the F* word. Why? Not only did it fit well with the characters, but it is also misspelled. Feck. The way it is said with an Irish accent. If this is something that would bother you, then you probably shouldn't read this, because seriously, there are few pages that don't contain at least one, Irish-pronounced swear word.
December 30, 2016
Set in early 20th century Northern Ireland, the novel begins when Eileen O'Neill's family is torn apart at the death of her father. The family is split up - her mother winds up in a mental institution and young Eileen is forced to work in the mill. The Yellow House does a wonderful job examining the politics and social consequences of religious discrimination as well as Northern Ireland's struggle to maintain it's identity after the English forced a population shift from native Irish to English and Scottish. Young Eileen is the heroine of the story, and her strength and quick Irish temper make her larger than life (although, not likeable, in my opinion). Eileen's personality made it difficult for me to appreciate the love story Falvey entwines between Eileen O'Neill and her wealthy Protestant neighbor, Owen Sheridan. I certainly couldn't imagine any man falling in love with her, much less someone whose very class caused her to continually act rudely to him. I did, however, enjoy the story of the beginnings of the Irish Republican Army and her character's association with it.
This is one of those books that people either love or hate. Falvey is an excellent writer and the story is riveting. I just didn't happen to care for the main character. 3 1/2 stars.
This is one of those books that people either love or hate. Falvey is an excellent writer and the story is riveting. I just didn't happen to care for the main character. 3 1/2 stars.
February 21, 2011
Irish stories have always fascinated me and this one certainly sounded promising. The premise is good and the political history is interesting, although it got a bit laborious in parts. Some will argue that politics is inherent to Ireland and while they are correct, I didn't pick this book up for the history lesson, I wanted a people story. Unfortunately, the characters simply weren't people I cared about. Eileen, in particular, wasn't at all likeable. James' family, and his mother in particular, were annoying, cruel caricatures.
The fight for a free Ireland was fraught with anger, violence and heartache. This story, which follows the early days of the IRA and the freedom fighters, while somewhat compelling, isn't an uplifting or even moderately inspiring story. It's sad and depressing, even with the predictable ending. The book is also full of prolific profanity and the F word in any language or pronunciation is still the F word.
Ultimately disappointing.
The fight for a free Ireland was fraught with anger, violence and heartache. This story, which follows the early days of the IRA and the freedom fighters, while somewhat compelling, isn't an uplifting or even moderately inspiring story. It's sad and depressing, even with the predictable ending. The book is also full of prolific profanity and the F word in any language or pronunciation is still the F word.
Ultimately disappointing.
September 6, 2011
This was a satisfactory read. I have a long-held fascination with the Troubles in Ireland. This book predictably made me hungry to learn more about my paternal lineage. My great grandmother, Eleanor, was born in Ireland and ended up in Wales sometime before the 1920s. I don't know much more than that, but I suspect her Protestant roots may have had something to do with her decision to leave Ireland and relocate to the UK.
Although Eileen, the narrator and main character of The Yellow House, was a Catholic girl, I suspect the tensions and hardships she experienced during the early 20th century were common among the Irish. Conditions were volatile, and many families were torn apart by divided loyalties. Maybe my ancestor experienced this, too.
There are several things I didn't like about this book: the pace was very fast, and the author skipped ahead in time as it was convenient for her. The story skipped from one momentous event to the next and Eileen's story never, in my opinion, took root. Rather than allowing Eileen to grow into the feisty, independent, stubborn woman that she was, the author was constantly saying it. The words of my creative writing professor constantly echoed in my mind: "Show it, don't tell it." The author may have benefitted from that entry-level advice.
The book was also quite predictable. Aside from the surprise regarding Lizzie, I predicted every single outcome. There was nothing new, no essential element of the story that really shocked me.
Last, I believe the author is a deeply religious woman. I know that Eileen's Catholic faith was essential to her life, but I got the impression that God was mentioned over and over again because the author felt some allegiance, rather than the importance to character or story development. Especially toward the sugar-coated ending of this book--God was thick. I found it annoying.
At the end of the day, it's rare that historical fiction is ever truly satisfying. It will always lack that certain credibility; indeed, I recognize that it's nearly impossible to perfect it. This was a good attempt. I love Ireland and its history, and I did learn something from this book. For that, it deserves four stars, not the three I nearly awarded.
Although Eileen, the narrator and main character of The Yellow House, was a Catholic girl, I suspect the tensions and hardships she experienced during the early 20th century were common among the Irish. Conditions were volatile, and many families were torn apart by divided loyalties. Maybe my ancestor experienced this, too.
There are several things I didn't like about this book: the pace was very fast, and the author skipped ahead in time as it was convenient for her. The story skipped from one momentous event to the next and Eileen's story never, in my opinion, took root. Rather than allowing Eileen to grow into the feisty, independent, stubborn woman that she was, the author was constantly saying it. The words of my creative writing professor constantly echoed in my mind: "Show it, don't tell it." The author may have benefitted from that entry-level advice.
The book was also quite predictable. Aside from the surprise regarding Lizzie, I predicted every single outcome. There was nothing new, no essential element of the story that really shocked me.
Last, I believe the author is a deeply religious woman. I know that Eileen's Catholic faith was essential to her life, but I got the impression that God was mentioned over and over again because the author felt some allegiance, rather than the importance to character or story development. Especially toward the sugar-coated ending of this book--God was thick. I found it annoying.
At the end of the day, it's rare that historical fiction is ever truly satisfying. It will always lack that certain credibility; indeed, I recognize that it's nearly impossible to perfect it. This was a good attempt. I love Ireland and its history, and I did learn something from this book. For that, it deserves four stars, not the three I nearly awarded.
March 4, 2010
Patricia Falvey's first novel, The Yellow House, has been described as firmly and unapologetically on the side of Republican/Nationalist perspective. I didn't feel that this point of view detracted from the novel. Eileen O'Neill is strong-willed, determined, and often excessively stubborn, but these same traits help keep her sane as she faces amazing personal tragedies. The events in Eileen's life are tied to the growing hostilities and political unrest in Ireland. Eileen faces the loss of both her parents and the disintegration of her family and responds by trying to recover their old home, the Yellow House, which represents the life that the O'Neills once had. Eileen's political awareness and willingness to take risks leads her to greater tragedies and disappointments. As Eileen would jump headlong into dangerous situations, I would shake my head, just waiting for the inevitable pain and disappointment.
The Yellow House is the story of Ireland in the early 1900s - it's part historical fiction and part love story. It's a story of hardship, love, loyalty, and hope against all odds.
ISBN-10: 1599952017
Publisher: Center Street; 1 edition (February 15, 2010), 352 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
The Yellow House is the story of Ireland in the early 1900s - it's part historical fiction and part love story. It's a story of hardship, love, loyalty, and hope against all odds.
ISBN-10: 1599952017
Publisher: Center Street; 1 edition (February 15, 2010), 352 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
August 31, 2012
I should have loved this book. I am really into the time period it is set in (1914-1920) and I love kind of epic, sweeping stories like this. But I finished the book feeling very disappointed.
There are too many side characters that don't mean anything or that have no real bearing on the story. Many of them could have been left out. On top of that, none of the characters are particularly likable.
The heroine, Eileen, is not much of a heroine and she has a ridiculous mouth. The language in this book is atrocious and I should have put it down just for that. Lots of the F word.
Also there's a couple of sex scenes which got a little more detailed than I care for.
The book was very well researched and had a lot of information about the Irish conflicts but the plot was just not engaging and the characters were unsympathetic and dull.
There are too many side characters that don't mean anything or that have no real bearing on the story. Many of them could have been left out. On top of that, none of the characters are particularly likable.
The heroine, Eileen, is not much of a heroine and she has a ridiculous mouth. The language in this book is atrocious and I should have put it down just for that. Lots of the F word.
Also there's a couple of sex scenes which got a little more detailed than I care for.
The book was very well researched and had a lot of information about the Irish conflicts but the plot was just not engaging and the characters were unsympathetic and dull.
March 9, 2015
Great story about an Irish girl who as a kid starts off viewing the world through rose colored glasses only to discover the harsh realities when she grows up. Eileen O'Neill thinks the world of her parents and her family. She is a spunky red-head, speaks her mind more often than she should, and through some quirks of fate gets herself mixed up in things you never would have thought would happen. And, she tries to hold on to her dreams for as long as she can. I liked that about her. I loved the time frame for this book - 1905 though 1924. The struggle for independence of the Irish people is a great setting for this story. I learned a lot. Hope someday to make it to Ireland!!
December 2, 2009
This is another family story, which takes place during the Revolutionary Period in Ireland. The story begins in 1905 and ends in 1924, and centers around Eileen O'Neill and her family.
The story opens with Eileen remembering a particular summer when she was 8 years old, and her father returns at the end of the day with yellow paint for their house. As the story progresses, and the family home is lost and the family is torn apart, Eileen holds the idea of the yellow house close to her heart, believing that someday she will be able to reunite her family there.
In the meantime, she takes work at a local textile mill, becomes involved in the early work of the group that would later become the IRA, and faces several personal decisions that change things personally for her while national events are changing the world around her.
This was an interesting book, taking a historical period and making it personal through the telling of one woman's story. At times it is somewhat predictable, but that is as much the work of history as anything else. Eileen is a flawed heroine, which makes the predictable parts just that. But she is also someone who pays a lot of attention to the world around her, and manages to grow into a strong woman as she is forced to face the truth about members of her family and her own prejudices. I liked the fact that she starts out believing that her destiny is decided by what her family's history is, and at the end of the book has realized that her family's history helps define her place in the world while not holding her in the past.
Saying a lot more about this book would make this review either incredibly long, or lead to spoiler-type revelations, so I'll just say that I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, particularly those interested in Irish history.
The story opens with Eileen remembering a particular summer when she was 8 years old, and her father returns at the end of the day with yellow paint for their house. As the story progresses, and the family home is lost and the family is torn apart, Eileen holds the idea of the yellow house close to her heart, believing that someday she will be able to reunite her family there.
In the meantime, she takes work at a local textile mill, becomes involved in the early work of the group that would later become the IRA, and faces several personal decisions that change things personally for her while national events are changing the world around her.
This was an interesting book, taking a historical period and making it personal through the telling of one woman's story. At times it is somewhat predictable, but that is as much the work of history as anything else. Eileen is a flawed heroine, which makes the predictable parts just that. But she is also someone who pays a lot of attention to the world around her, and manages to grow into a strong woman as she is forced to face the truth about members of her family and her own prejudices. I liked the fact that she starts out believing that her destiny is decided by what her family's history is, and at the end of the book has realized that her family's history helps define her place in the world while not holding her in the past.
Saying a lot more about this book would make this review either incredibly long, or lead to spoiler-type revelations, so I'll just say that I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, particularly those interested in Irish history.
August 28, 2012
First off, how could I not read a book called "The Yellow House?" Anyone who knows me knows how much I love yellow houses, and how I have painted both houses I have owned yellow first thing! This yellow house story however, is not how you would want your life to go! It is very sad until the last few pages, and it is very hard to root for the characters when they are so self destructive. I am all for a main character having flaws, but oh my goodness, I can't imagine a more prideful woman biting off her nose to spite her face! I found her very hard to like, and she really had no sense of humor whatsoever. I don't know how she was able to attract any men, let alone two! I guess her only redeeming quality was her love for her family and the need that she felt to reunite them. Even so, I felt like even that was attributed to her pride and not wanting to fail at what she had promised to do, and less to do with love. I couldn't even really feel sorry for her sad lot in life, because she was so unrelateable to me.
I was entertained for the most part, but not captivated. There were some very slow parts where you kinda just want to throw the book across the room and forget the whole thing. But then who can turn away from a train wreck? The ending was to little to late in my opinion, but I'm glad the author at least tried to redeem her characters at the end!
I was entertained for the most part, but not captivated. There were some very slow parts where you kinda just want to throw the book across the room and forget the whole thing. But then who can turn away from a train wreck? The ending was to little to late in my opinion, but I'm glad the author at least tried to redeem her characters at the end!
June 9, 2011
Enjoyed this book a lot... it's about a girl that lives in Northern Irland when the problems between Protestants and Catholics begins!!! The ending was a bit foreseeable and a lil bit of a let down but a good read nonetheless!!!
March 1, 2022
Wonderful story! I had to take off one star because it just did not jive with me that the characters who were either mean spirited or despicable through out most of the story had a quick change of character at the end of the story ….really? I don’t want to give away any spoilers but James, his sister and Frankie all had huge personality changes …that just bothered me. Also. Lizzie’s story was never explained I kept hoping it would be. Other than that … a every enjoyable read.
October 6, 2017
I could not stop turning the pages.
January 30, 2012
I got this book back in 2010 when I won it from a blog. Unfortunately, I didn't keep track where I won it from though. Since then it has been sitting on my To Read shelf, patiently waiting. Then a few weeks ago, I saw it listed as the Kindle Deal of the Day for $2.99. I had recently started a mini book club with two of my friends and since they both have Kindle Fires, I thought this would be the perfect book for us to read. So THE YELLOW HOUSE got bumped to the top of my reading list just like that!
As you know, I LOVE Historical Fiction and this book gave me plenty of it. I love reading books and learning about parts of history that I never even knew happened. Since I grew up and have always lived in America, I had very little knowledge of the political and religious uprisings that occurred in Ireland. This was another book that gave me a greater appreciation for the country and era that I grew up in.
The story was also filled with family secrets and struggles that I think most of us can relate to. Eileen and her family loved each other deeply, were hard working, but also had a bit of the past that prevented them from moving forward. Some of the twists in the story were expected but others made me drop the book and gasp in surprise. You also can't have a story without a little romance and the author kept the love lives in the story interesting!
If you would have been eavesdropping while I was reading this novel, you would have heard laughter, gasps, sniffles, and even a few sobs. This novel kept you focused and interested. All the characters were easily imaginable and Eileen was someone I would have loved to have been friends with as well as been afraid to cross! She definitely made life interesting! This would be a great choice for book clubs as there are a lot of topics worthy of discussing including: family loyalty, politics, religion, war, friendship, love, dreams, values, grief, and parenting. This book has it all.
Another thing I loved about this book was that it was the author's first novel. It thrills me to find a new author and then to fall in love with their first novel. I'm always excited to hear of their next novel. Since it took me so long to read this one, Falvey has already come out with her second novel, THE LINEN QUEEN, which is also set in Ireland and has been added to my To Read list. Falvey is also working on her third novel.
As you know, I LOVE Historical Fiction and this book gave me plenty of it. I love reading books and learning about parts of history that I never even knew happened. Since I grew up and have always lived in America, I had very little knowledge of the political and religious uprisings that occurred in Ireland. This was another book that gave me a greater appreciation for the country and era that I grew up in.
The story was also filled with family secrets and struggles that I think most of us can relate to. Eileen and her family loved each other deeply, were hard working, but also had a bit of the past that prevented them from moving forward. Some of the twists in the story were expected but others made me drop the book and gasp in surprise. You also can't have a story without a little romance and the author kept the love lives in the story interesting!
If you would have been eavesdropping while I was reading this novel, you would have heard laughter, gasps, sniffles, and even a few sobs. This novel kept you focused and interested. All the characters were easily imaginable and Eileen was someone I would have loved to have been friends with as well as been afraid to cross! She definitely made life interesting! This would be a great choice for book clubs as there are a lot of topics worthy of discussing including: family loyalty, politics, religion, war, friendship, love, dreams, values, grief, and parenting. This book has it all.
Another thing I loved about this book was that it was the author's first novel. It thrills me to find a new author and then to fall in love with their first novel. I'm always excited to hear of their next novel. Since it took me so long to read this one, Falvey has already come out with her second novel, THE LINEN QUEEN, which is also set in Ireland and has been added to my To Read list. Falvey is also working on her third novel.
January 25, 2016
For Eileen, Ireland is more than just a country. It's a home, a history - an heirloom to be defended and cherished. From the time she was a babe her Da taught her a fierce pride in her Irish-Catholic roots - and living in Ulster at the turn-of-the-century made Eileen witness to the sort of strife that was as much a part of Irish Catholic life as soda bread and music on a Saturday night. When she is still young, her family and their beloved Yellow House begin to fall apart as political unrest and sickness leave no family unaffected.
The Yellow House follows Eileen's life as she grows and finds a warrior for Ireland inside herself. Much of this book is Eileen trying to figure out what role is going to take center stage in her life. Will she be a fighter? A spinner at the mill? A wife? A mother? And all the while, deep down, what she truly wants is to just see her family all together and happy again in the Yellow House - a dream that keeps slipping away, not only because of the violence in her world and the hard things that keep happening to her, but also because of her own bad choices and inability to truly know her own mind. Add to that a love triangle with an Irish Revolutionary and a wealthy Quaker landowner and poor Eileen is a mess of emotions a lot of the time, with so many good desires and so few paths to happiness.
I really liked this, for the most part (the language was a bit much for me). I like Eileen as a strong character, despite her flaring temper and crazy choices. The truth of it is - she WAS in a hard place in a hard time and I appreciate that the author tried to show us all the different aspects of Irish life during that period - both Catholic and (in a lesser way) Protestant. It was a shade predictable for me and the men in her life were painted as a bit too "good vs evil" for it to be completely believable, but I would be lying if I said I didn't get completely wrapped up in the story. If you are a fan of Irish history and coming of age books, then you should find this one.
also: if you are interested in knowing the content (graphic language, etc.) of what I've read, I post "rated reviews" on this website, so check it out!
April 23, 2017
All I can really say positively about this book is that it somehow manages to have a happy ending after all the crap that Eileen goes through (much brought on herself, but not all). And that the historical backdrop of the early 20th Century in Ireland is interesting. I learned a lot about the conflict between Protestants and Catholics, and the formation of Northern Ireland and the IRA - a bloody, hateful history that Eileen brashly dashes into because of her family's proud warrior history.
I wish I could have liked Eileen (or anyone) in the first place, to care more that they got a happy ending, but Eileen rarely talks to people; she snaps at them. Or yells. She also is obsessed with being an O'Neill warrior, a childhood story that her father told her and she somehow believes she must fulfill without any thought whatsoever throughout most of the book. She is a hot-headed Irishwoman who is dirt-poor, has an extremely sharp tongue, constantly drives the people around her away and threatens her own livelihood by never thinking about the consequences of her actions or of opening her mouth.
Her husband is a complete jerk, her friends are not real friends, her family is fractured from childhood, and the only people who care for her are her late father's loyal friends and someone outside of her social sphere who just causes her a lot more trouble for most of the book. Not that Eileen really is the type of person to inspire great friendships, so I can understand her being isolated much of the time. It's really a miracle that things turn out well in the end.
Actually, the level of dislike I find for all of these people is probably an indication of good writing. These people in all their selfishness and brutality were just too real, and unfortunately there weren't any characters who showed the other side of humanity.
Like I said, happy ending - check. Interesting time period - check. Relief that I can move on - check. 2 stars.
I wish I could have liked Eileen (or anyone) in the first place, to care more that they got a happy ending, but Eileen rarely talks to people; she snaps at them. Or yells. She also is obsessed with being an O'Neill warrior, a childhood story that her father told her and she somehow believes she must fulfill without any thought whatsoever throughout most of the book. She is a hot-headed Irishwoman who is dirt-poor, has an extremely sharp tongue, constantly drives the people around her away and threatens her own livelihood by never thinking about the consequences of her actions or of opening her mouth.
Her husband is a complete jerk, her friends are not real friends, her family is fractured from childhood, and the only people who care for her are her late father's loyal friends and someone outside of her social sphere who just causes her a lot more trouble for most of the book. Not that Eileen really is the type of person to inspire great friendships, so I can understand her being isolated much of the time. It's really a miracle that things turn out well in the end.
Actually, the level of dislike I find for all of these people is probably an indication of good writing. These people in all their selfishness and brutality were just too real, and unfortunately there weren't any characters who showed the other side of humanity.
Like I said, happy ending - check. Interesting time period - check. Relief that I can move on - check. 2 stars.
March 14, 2014
Rereading this for March group read - The Novel Ideas. March 2014.
There’s never a dull moment in Patricia Falvey’s debut novel, The Yellow House. Northern Ireland in the revolutionary period of the early 1900s almost becomes a character in this novel weaving intrigue, romance, politics and family love. The reader will feel a part of this tiny Irish village within a few pages. Ms. Falvey’s narrative and dialogue deftly fill in the history and back stories to her plot. The novel is so well constructed that the reader not only feels almost a part of the story, but also is continually surprised at the many plot twists.
Eileen O’Neill, torn between a love for a dedicated revolutionary and a pacifist, has the courage, strength and tenacity to face her many life challenges. Although she rises to every occasion, her human side is evident in comments such as, “I wonder how old you have to be until you don’t need your ma to love you anymore.”
The Yellow House is an absorbing book, highly recommended to those who want to learn, not just about Irish history, but about the resilience of its people. Along the way, you will enjoy an exceptionally gripping story.
Look for The Linen Queen: A Novel, Patricia Falvey’s second novel to be released in March 2011.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of
Crestmont
There’s never a dull moment in Patricia Falvey’s debut novel, The Yellow House. Northern Ireland in the revolutionary period of the early 1900s almost becomes a character in this novel weaving intrigue, romance, politics and family love. The reader will feel a part of this tiny Irish village within a few pages. Ms. Falvey’s narrative and dialogue deftly fill in the history and back stories to her plot. The novel is so well constructed that the reader not only feels almost a part of the story, but also is continually surprised at the many plot twists.
Eileen O’Neill, torn between a love for a dedicated revolutionary and a pacifist, has the courage, strength and tenacity to face her many life challenges. Although she rises to every occasion, her human side is evident in comments such as, “I wonder how old you have to be until you don’t need your ma to love you anymore.”
The Yellow House is an absorbing book, highly recommended to those who want to learn, not just about Irish history, but about the resilience of its people. Along the way, you will enjoy an exceptionally gripping story.
Look for The Linen Queen: A Novel, Patricia Falvey’s second novel to be released in March 2011.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of
Crestmont
October 5, 2012
A great read! I loved the way the story was told. Eileen narrated the story using a sharp Irish tongue that I found so charming I wanted to read it out loud. I love a good feisty heroine! The Yellow House is a story of a young Irish girl who faces many tragedies and hardships both close to her heart and in her homeland. She carries with her a warrior's spirit that was handed down to her through her father. She fights through all the challenges of her life with a dream that one day she will restore her family in the old yellow house she grew up in. There were nail biting scenes of suspense and heartwarming- tear inducing revelations. Politics, war, secrets, love and one woman’s fierce determination had me turning the pages well into the night.
This was another book club read that I wasn't looking forward to reading because I'm not a fan of historical fiction. So grateful to my book club for introducing me to wonderful books I would have never discovered otherwise.
This was another book club read that I wasn't looking forward to reading because I'm not a fan of historical fiction. So grateful to my book club for introducing me to wonderful books I would have never discovered otherwise.
March 30, 2012
The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey, which is her first novel, is an incredible, sweeping novel set in Ireland during the beginning of the nation’s struggle for freedom from Britain, the rise of the IRA, and WWI. Eileen O’Neill, our heroine, comes from a long line of warriors or so her Da tells her, and she revels in his folklore and his stories about how the O’Neills stole back the yellow house from the Sheridans who had once stole it from them. The dynamics of the family often mirror the political situation in Ireland as her father is struck down and her mother looses her moorings and drifts. Eileen’s brother Frank becomes even more angry and distant, mirroring the heightened angst over Ireland’s freedom and the dedication of its people to the Cause.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/03/t...
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/03/t...
July 5, 2011
Very enjoyable book by this first time author. I thought her use of dialogue was extremely believable and appropriate and the story had enough twists and turns in its plot line to keep anyone from really knowing exactly what was going to happen. This is the first book that I have read that dealt with Ireland during this time period from 1905 thru 1922 and it certainly got me looking into research books to read more about the forces and people who had this great effect on Ireland.
Definitely a book that will be on our Book Club list for the next season that begins in September.
Definitely a book that will be on our Book Club list for the next season that begins in September.
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