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Ellen O'Malley #1
The Whitest Flower
Rich and epic Historical Fiction set against the backdrop of the Great Famine. Perfect for fans of Winston Graham and Ken Follett.
It is August 1845. In Dublin’s Botanic Gardens, Phytophora infestans is discovered for the first time. The bacteria blooms throughout the country, blighting potato crops and creating what becomes known as the Great an event of holocaust proportions that affects every man, woman and child in Ireland.
Ellen O’Malley is one such victim. As the Blight ravages the land, Ellen loses her husband. Alone and vulnerable, she is duped into going to Australia to seek a better life, leaving three of her beloved children behind. Travelling aboard a coffin ship, she arrives emaciated and ill with her new baby. But the country proves a harsh and brutal landscape and a change in fortunes seems further away than ever. But Ellen, a woman with an indomitable spirit, is determined to rise above her oppression and bring her family together once more.
It is August 1845. In Dublin’s Botanic Gardens, Phytophora infestans is discovered for the first time. The bacteria blooms throughout the country, blighting potato crops and creating what becomes known as the Great an event of holocaust proportions that affects every man, woman and child in Ireland.
Ellen O’Malley is one such victim. As the Blight ravages the land, Ellen loses her husband. Alone and vulnerable, she is duped into going to Australia to seek a better life, leaving three of her beloved children behind. Travelling aboard a coffin ship, she arrives emaciated and ill with her new baby. But the country proves a harsh and brutal landscape and a change in fortunes seems further away than ever. But Ellen, a woman with an indomitable spirit, is determined to rise above her oppression and bring her family together once more.
640 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1999
30 people are currently reading
553 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
November 19, 2010
Hands down the best book I have read this year. This story was well written and so touching. Recommend to read it in the privacy of your house because there were definitely moments where I was tearing up on the train during my commute to work.
The story is based around Ellen Rua who lives in Ireland with her husband and three kids. The book demonstrates the heart ache of potato blight and the famine that ripped through Ireland. This book goes through all of Ellen's triumphs and heart aches as she tries to make it out of this terrible time with her family.
A real eye opener..
The story is based around Ellen Rua who lives in Ireland with her husband and three kids. The book demonstrates the heart ache of potato blight and the famine that ripped through Ireland. This book goes through all of Ellen's triumphs and heart aches as she tries to make it out of this terrible time with her family.
A real eye opener..
July 7, 2016
Δύσκολες καταστάσεις, φτώχεια, πείνα, χαρά, ευτυχία, αγάπη, θάνατος... Τα πάντα υπάρχουν σε αυτό το βιβλίο. Πολύ καλογραμμένο, στενάχωρο, προφανώς έχει και πολλές δόσεις αλήθειας και ιστορικά στοιχεία. Μια ηρωίδα που περνάει από χίλια κύματα, χαίρεται, πονάει, ματώνει η καρδιά της... απλά ζει δηλαδή, όμως τα όσα περνάει σε τραβάνε και σε καθηλώνουν. Δεν είναι υπερβολικό το βιβλίο, αν και αφού το τελείωσα (και τις τρεις φορές που το έχω διαβάσει) σκέφτηκα ότι ίσως να το τράβηξε ο συγγραφέας- πάρα πολλά της τύχανε της ηρωίδας.
June 29, 2012
I loved this book. I was pretty ignorant about the Potato Famine and particularly the issues of foreign landlords in Ireland. Graham ought to apply for funding from the Irish Tourism authorities because this book would be a great motivation for anyone to visit Ireland and see the places depicted therein.
April 12, 2016
Brilliant portrayal of a woman and her family during the famine age, including how life was in Australia and America as well as Ireland. Well worth a read if you're interested in Irish History.
October 2, 2009
I loved this book, being a history buff, and I love the era, and the story about the Irish famine, the woman who survived it, made it to Australia, and never forgot her family and her babies. A strong female character, beautiful writing about wonderful and terrible places, and a great, grand story. What more could you ask for?
July 15, 2008
Gorgeous, heartbreaking, amazing, tear jerking, lovely... I absolutely LOVE this story based on historical events and am yet to give it back to my friend.... I will though!!
January 15, 2019
Too many coincidences. Too long on the hardship at the beginning. Only got into the book when she left Ireland.
June 24, 2019
Dnf at 42% 250p. I’ve tried 3 times to read this and I’ve decided not to continue. It’s not me!
February 28, 2016
Ένα βαθιά συγκινητικό και ρεαλιστικό βιβλίο με αφήγηση κάπως ωμή κάποιες φορές και δυνατούς χαρακτήρες που μένουν για καιρό στην μνήμη. Με μετέφερε στον κόσμο των ηρώων του, μεταδίδοντας μου τα πιο βαθιά τους συναισθήματα : πάθος για την ζωή, αγάπη για την οικογένεια, τον άνθρωπο και την αγάπη του για την φύση,
τον κόσμο της πολιτικής εκείνης της εποχής , την υποκρισία και την ψευτιά των ανθρώπων όπως επίσης και την χαρά και την αισιοδοξία για το μέλλον.
Ο συγγραφέας αγγίζει τόσο πολύ την γυναικεία ψυχή, υμνεί την μητρική αγάπη μέσα από την ηρωίδα του την Έλεν Ρουά , μια γυναίκα με απίστευτη δύναμη και θάρρος που αγωνίζεται σκληρά για να επιβιώσει η οικογένεια της, από την πείνα και τις κακουχίες κατά την διάρκεια του μεγάλου λιμού της Ιρλανδίας.
τον κόσμο της πολιτικής εκείνης της εποχής , την υποκρισία και την ψευτιά των ανθρώπων όπως επίσης και την χαρά και την αισιοδοξία για το μέλλον.
Ο συγγραφέας αγγίζει τόσο πολύ την γυναικεία ψυχή, υμνεί την μητρική αγάπη μέσα από την ηρωίδα του την Έλεν Ρουά , μια γυναίκα με απίστευτη δύναμη και θάρρος που αγωνίζεται σκληρά για να επιβιώσει η οικογένεια της, από την πείνα και τις κακουχίες κατά την διάρκεια του μεγάλου λιμού της Ιρλανδίας.
February 3, 2008
This is a great book. If you like storys set on fact. This story is based during the time of the Irish Famine. It really gives you an insight to what the time would have been like.
Its based on a young women who's family is on the brink of death and the only way for them to survive is for her to leave them in the care of someone else while she travels to Australia to try make enough money to save her family.
Truly a must read. Defintly a tear will be shed reading this
Its based on a young women who's family is on the brink of death and the only way for them to survive is for her to leave them in the care of someone else while she travels to Australia to try make enough money to save her family.
Truly a must read. Defintly a tear will be shed reading this
January 22, 2013
Beautifully composed story based on fact about the human heartache of hunger, loss and grief during Ireland's Great Potato Famine.
This is an outstanding book and will have a profoundly moving impact on the heart of any reader.
Highly recommend.
This is an outstanding book and will have a profoundly moving impact on the heart of any reader.
Highly recommend.
June 11, 2008
Great read from Ireland to New Life in America
January 10, 2015
Captivating story. I found some parts of it extremely upsetting. Not for the faint of heart, but well written all the same.
February 11, 2018
This book was very much an emotional roller coaster ride for me. I really enjoyed it at the beginning. It was well set up & I loved all the detail relating to the historical setting in Ireland. I did feel slightly torn in regards to the central character - the heroine - Ellen Rua O'Malley. I just didn't like her as much as I felt the author would want me to. At times she seemed to be her own worst enemy - with her complete inability to know when to keep her head down and shut the hell up. Mary and Katie were beautiful characters and I adored them both.
Then when the story moved onto Australia it really lost me. I started to hate it! Maybe this is because I'm an Australian, but everything about the Australian experience related in this book was negative, and it annoyed me a lot! Offended me even. Ellen and Lavelle were painted as the only decent white people in the entire continent. I found the extreme debauchery involving the maze and servant girls far-fetched, but that soon paled into insignificance when compared to Ellen's time with the Ngarrindjeri tribe. Oh boy - the whole episode was so implausible that I almost injured my neck from constantly shaking my head in disbelief! Ellen's seamless infiltration into the tribe and sudden in-depth understanding and adoption of all their customs, coupled with her reaction to the traumatic loss that occurred while with them, beggared belief. Then there was the football scene....
Things improved markedly from Grosse Ile onward. I could hardly bear to put the book down from that point. It was riveting and moving. The two major character deaths that occurred - one in Grosse Ile, the other in Ireland - had me in pieces.
When I started reading this book I had no idea that it was part of a trilogy. I've now ordered the next two books and look forward to reading them.
*Footnote: I just finished reading the follow-on 'The Element of Fire' and thought it was fantastic - much better written than 'The Whitest Flower'. I recommend it!
Then when the story moved onto Australia it really lost me. I started to hate it! Maybe this is because I'm an Australian, but everything about the Australian experience related in this book was negative, and it annoyed me a lot! Offended me even. Ellen and Lavelle were painted as the only decent white people in the entire continent. I found the extreme debauchery involving the maze and servant girls far-fetched, but that soon paled into insignificance when compared to Ellen's time with the Ngarrindjeri tribe. Oh boy - the whole episode was so implausible that I almost injured my neck from constantly shaking my head in disbelief! Ellen's seamless infiltration into the tribe and sudden in-depth understanding and adoption of all their customs, coupled with her reaction to the traumatic loss that occurred while with them, beggared belief. Then there was the football scene....
Things improved markedly from Grosse Ile onward. I could hardly bear to put the book down from that point. It was riveting and moving. The two major character deaths that occurred - one in Grosse Ile, the other in Ireland - had me in pieces.
When I started reading this book I had no idea that it was part of a trilogy. I've now ordered the next two books and look forward to reading them.
*Footnote: I just finished reading the follow-on 'The Element of Fire' and thought it was fantastic - much better written than 'The Whitest Flower'. I recommend it!
January 23, 2017
Ατμοσφαιρικό, σε μεταφέρει στην εποχή και στα βάσανα των ανθρώπων, ενώ είναι εμφανές ότι ο συγγραφέας έχει κάνει ενδελεχή βιβλιογραφική έρευνα για όσα γράφει. Η πρωταγωνίστρια είναι για μένα το κατεξοχήν πρότυπο πρωταγωνίστριας βιβλίου, δυναμική και σταθερή, αν και πολύπαθη. Από τη μέση και μετά δε μου ήταν πια τόσο ενδιαφέρον, τα πολλά γεγονότα με κούρασαν και βιαζόμουν να φτάσω στο τέλος.
September 8, 2011
A bit fanciful in places but gave a good idea of how the Irish Potato famine effected ordinary people
January 5, 2020
A fantastic read. I actually read it twice and would read it again. So well written, u can almost feel like ur there.
June 3, 2020
One of THEE best books I've ever read!
January 30, 2025
As I started reading this book, I realised I had already read it about 4 years ago.
My grandma had given me the book after my great mar had died.
But I noticed there was a loving message in the front, from my dads cousin Tracey to great ma. She had purchased the book for great mar.
So I contacted Tracey and offered to return the book to her, since I knew it would be a treasured keepsake. She was very grateful.
I had read the book before posting it, and it was such a heartbreaking story about the potato famine that actually happened in Ireland.
Since our family has Irish ancestry I found it particularly moving and hard to read.
I'm glad to have this book in my collection, and will read book 2 next.
My grandma had given me the book after my great mar had died.
But I noticed there was a loving message in the front, from my dads cousin Tracey to great ma. She had purchased the book for great mar.
So I contacted Tracey and offered to return the book to her, since I knew it would be a treasured keepsake. She was very grateful.
I had read the book before posting it, and it was such a heartbreaking story about the potato famine that actually happened in Ireland.
Since our family has Irish ancestry I found it particularly moving and hard to read.
I'm glad to have this book in my collection, and will read book 2 next.
May 8, 2018
An amazing novel accurately set & researched against the backdrop of the Irish potato blight and famine in the late 1840s when over a million died from starvation and the resulting diseases like typhus, while another million left for America and the Antipodes, many of whom never survived the sea voyage. A very worth-while read. I now better understand Irish history, because although we were taught "British History" in college, I am finding huge gaps in my knowledge and I think the syllabus should have been more aptly named "English History."
February 5, 2024
Στο λιμό της Ιρλανδίας το 1845, η Έλεν Ρούα Ο'Μάλλεϋ, όταν πεθαίνει ο άντρας της αναγκάζεται να φύγει για την Αυστραλία, και κατόπιν μέσω Καναδά να πάει στη Βοστόνη.
Αισθηματικό μυθιστόρημα με απόλυτα καλούς και απόλυτα κακούς χαρακτήρες που θα νόμιζες ότι γράφτηκε από γυναίκα συγγραφέα.
"Η παράδοση είναι που κρατάει τους λαούς δυνατούς και πιστούς στον εαυτό τους, και η μόρφωση είναι που τελικά τους ελευθερώνει."
"Το δέος δεν είναι έλλειψη γνώσης, το δέος δεν είναι άγνοια. Όχι το δέος είναι το θαύμα - το δώρο της γνώσης σου ότι υπάρχουν πράγματα που δεν καταλαβαίνουμε."
Αισθηματικό μυθιστόρημα με απόλυτα καλούς και απόλυτα κακούς χαρακτήρες που θα νόμιζες ότι γράφτηκε από γυναίκα συγγραφέα.
"Η παράδοση είναι που κρατάει τους λαούς δυνατούς και πιστούς στον εαυτό τους, και η μόρφωση είναι που τελικά τους ελευθερώνει."
"Το δέος δεν είναι έλλειψη γνώσης, το δέος δεν είναι άγνοια. Όχι το δέος είναι το θαύμα - το δώρο της γνώσης σου ότι υπάρχουν πράγματα που δεν καταλαβαίνουμε."
January 22, 2025
Debated about rating this book a 4 but have settled on a high 3. I did learn some Irish history that I had previously known little of, but I found the plot predictable and far fetched at times. I also came across a few editing errors...or so I thought, where sentences didn't quite make sense due to a word being mis-used. Overall, an interesting, if disturbing read (graphic descriptions of poverty and violence).
July 11, 2019
Η έρευνα που έχει κάνει ο συγγραφέας είναι εξαιρετική (για το είδος του βιβλίου). Παραθέτει πηγές και τεκμηριώνει τις ιστορικές πληροφορίες που παρέχει. Όμως η μυθιστορηματική πλευρά του έργου δεν έχει δομή και σύνδεση. Η ιστορία της Έλεν μοιάζει βιαστική, με κενά που αφήνει κάπως "μετέωρο" τον αναγνώστη.
May 3, 2024
The Whitest Flower
A very sad story of the famine in Ireland.How cruel this world can be. The Irish people of that time suffered so much. I just wanted to cry most of the way through the book. I have already read these books and is my third time. I remember a lot but not all. A lesson and a story everyone should read.
A very sad story of the famine in Ireland.How cruel this world can be. The Irish people of that time suffered so much. I just wanted to cry most of the way through the book. I have already read these books and is my third time. I remember a lot but not all. A lesson and a story everyone should read.
August 17, 2018
My neighbor told me this was her favorite book so I bought a copy for our trip to Ireland. This book follow the life of Ellen Rua throughout their families journey of the potato famine. Although it is heartbreaking at times, Elllen is a force to make her family survive.
March 12, 2023
It was hard to get through the first “book” Ireland, which was about half of the book. Book 2, Australia, and the rest, was very good, but heartbreaking. I am a fan of historical fiction, and this time was new for me. I knew about the potato famine, but no real details.
October 4, 2017
An absolute must read!!
July 29, 2019
Absolutely loved this book. One of the best books I’ve read.
Great story using the Irish Potato famine as the back drop. Heartbreaking as well as uplifting .
Highly recommended
Great story using the Irish Potato famine as the back drop. Heartbreaking as well as uplifting .
Highly recommended
January 4, 2020
In het Nederlands gelezen: sneeuwwitte bloem
June 12, 2020
I loved this book about the famine in Ireland in 1847, beautiful written, I now miss the characters, this book is a trilogy, so looking forward to reading the next two books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews