The Stone House

by Marita Conlon-McKenna

Everything changes for Kate, Moya and Romy when they receive word that Maeve Dillon, their mother, is critically ill. It is time to return from Dublin, London and New York to Rossmore and the old stone house overlooking the Irish Sea where they grew up. But ancient jealousies surface as each sister confronts the past and the decisions they have made.
For work-driven Kate it is time to take stock of her role as a high-flying ambitious lawyer and single parent; life is a battle between work and looking after Molly with little time for a proper relationship. Even Patrick, the man she once fell for, has ended up marrying her sister. Beautiful and intense Moya must take a hard look at her marriage to the charming but unfaithful Patrick and consider her own worth. For wild child Romy who has travelled the world and hasn't put a foot on Irish soil for years, it is time to finally stop running and find the courage to confront her family.
A good and caring mother, Maeve Dillon has somehow over the years labelled each of her three Moya the beautiful, Kate the brains, and Romy, the bold and wild one. Now it is finally time for all three to break out of the box.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Ireland, Romance

386 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Born in Dublin in 1956 and brought up in Goatstown, Marita went to school at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Mount Anville, later working in the family business, the bank, and a travel agency. She has four children with her husband James, and they live in the Stillorgan area of Dublin.
Marita was always fascinated by the Famine period in Irish history and read everything available on the subject. When she heard a radio report of an unmarked children's grave from the Famine period being found under a hawthorn tree, she decided to write her first book, Under the Hawthorn Tree.

Published in May 1990, the book was an immediate success and become a classic. It has been translated into over a dozen languages, including Arabic, Bahasa, French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Italian, Japanese and Irish. The book has been read on RTÉ Radio and is very popular in schools, both with teachers and pupils. It has been made a supplementary curriculum reader in many schools and is also used by schools in Northern Ireland for EMU (Education through Mutual Understanding) projects. It was also filmed by Young Irish Film Makers, in association with RTÉ and Channel 4. This is available as a DVD.

Marita has written more books for children which were also very well received. The Blue Horse reached No. 1 on the Bestseller List and won the BISTO BOOK OF THE YEAR Award. No Goodbye, which tells of the heartbreak of a young family when their mother leaves home, was recommended by Book Trust in their guide for One Parent Families. Safe Harbour is the story of two English children evacuated from London during World War ll to live with their grandfather in Greystones, Co Wicklow and was shortlisted for the BISTO Book of the Year Award. A Girl Called Blue follows the life of an orphan, trying to find who she really is in a cold and strict orphanage. Marita has also explored the world of fantasy with her book In Deep Dark Wood.

Marita has won several awards, including the International Reading Association Award, the Osterreichischer Kinder und Jugendbuchpreis, the Reading Association of Ireland Award and the Bisto Book of the Year Award.

Reviews

[Pocahontas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Als Kate, Moya und Romy die Nachricht erhalten, dass ihre Mutter schwer erkrankt ist, reisen sie sofort aus Dublin, London und New York in den Ort ihrer Kindheit. Im Haus hoch oben auf den Klippen an der irischen See sehen sich die Schwestern nach langer Zeit zum ersten Mal wieder und werden unweigerlich mit ihrer Vergangenheit konfrontiert - und mit den Entscheidungen, die sie für ihr Leben getroffen haben.
Kate stellt plötzlich ihre Rolle als erfolgsverwöhnte Anwältin und alleinerziehende Mutter in Frage. Moya wirft einen nüchternen Blick auf ihre Ehe. Und Nesthäkchen Romy versucht, endlich den Mut aufzubringen, nicht mehr wegzulaufen und sich ihrer Familie zu stellen.
Die drei merken, dass sie endlich alle Eifersucht und Geheimnisse vergessen und als Schwestern zusammenhalten müssen, um wahres Glück zu finden. Werden sie es schaffen, alte Wunden zu heilen und einen Neuanfang zu wagen?
Meinung
Wie begleiten die drei Schwestern Romy, Moya und kate über zwei zeitebenen. Zu Beginn sind wir in der Gegenwart.
Das Setting ist wunderschönes.
So erlebt der Leser mit Zeitsprüngen das Aufwachsen der Schwestern.
Die Höhen und Tiefen des Erwachsen werdens.
Ein schöne Tiefgehende Familiengeschichte, die berührt und fesselt.
Große Lese Empfehlung

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Marita Conlon-McKenna for many years. It's been quite some time since I read one of her books, so decided to take The Stone House away on holiday, it seemed to be a perfect beach read.

As usual Conlon-McKenna delivered just what I wanted. A family story, set in Ireland; this really is a great story, perfectly paced with some wonderfully created characters.

Three very different sisters return home to their childhood home when they hear that their much-loved Mother is seriously ill. Each one of them have their own story, and these are told, along with the story of their mother.

Warm and well written, I enjoyed this novel very much

[Talie]

This pulled my heart cords. Such a touching story about three sisters and their different lot in life. I cried so much at the end of this one.

[Jennifer Leather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found it really hard to rate this book,a lot of it I really enjoyed, parts of it was heartbreaking to read and it was a little close to home. having said that I’m glad I followed the girls journeys to their end. It is less of a story of the Stonehouse more the story of three sisters who grow up together leading very separate lives due to secrets betrayals and boyfriends. At times I found I got the sisters little bit mixed up although their characters were completely different. Dealing with the death of a parent is always very difficult and I felt the subject matter was handled brilliantly by the author and also very true to life. At times I cried reading this book because only four months ago we were in a similar position with my mother-in-law and strangely enough that’s how I ended up with this book because it was in her collection. Don’t pick up this book thinking it’s an easy read or an enjoyable holiday quick read because it isn’t this book is hard to read it’s very often sad but also because of that very relatable. Would I buy borrow or been this book I would borrow it because having read it I don’t think it’s something that I would pick up and read again at a later date.

[Ellie Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely story. A great mix of wholesome and heartbreak. Would definitely recommend to a friend.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was ok. it was an easy read, it was the first book I have read from this author.

[Boktyckaren Carita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maeve är mamman som har hållit ihop familjen i alla år. Hon och maken har inte alltid haft det lätt och de tre döttrarna är väldigt olika.
📚
Moya, vacker som en dag och van att få som hon vill, har lagt sina drömmar åt sidan och valt att leva som hemmafru i London. Kate den intelligenta har satsat på karriären som jurist i Dublin och Romy är rastlös och flyttar utan mål från kontinent till kontinent.
Men så när Maeve blir sjuk återvänder de alla hem till barndomshemmet. Det kommer att bli en tid då mycket gammalt kommer fram i ljuset och måste hanteras.
📚
”Tre gånger så mycket kärlek” är ett fantastisk familjedrama. Kärlek, sorg, längtan och besvikelser - boken har allt. Saknar dock lite av författarens fina miljöbeskrivningar, vilka jag har uppskattat i tidigare böcker. Då har jag känt hur jag riktigt sugs in i miljön. Men helt klart en läsvärd upplevelse.
📕📗📘📙av 5📚
#tregångersåmycketkärlek #maritaconlonmckenna @norstedts_forlag @eksjobokhandel #caritasläsning2021 #72 #gynnadinbokhandel

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Randomly chosen from my selection to be book #131 for 2011. Perhaps I will reach my 133 goal after all.

[Angie Swain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book to curl up with on a bleak night. Undemanding, easy to read, good characters, and an author who makes every word count.

[Rayness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with characters that develop to maturity and that one can relate to.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story but the intimate scenes were too detailed for me.

[Monica Melleroth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Handlar om tre systrars olika liv och hur de försonas vid moderns dödsbädd, lite seg emellanåt.