Ashes of Fiery Weather

by Kathleen Donohoe

One of Brooklyn magazine’s 100 Books to Read for the Rest of 2016
One of Book Riot ’s 100 Must-Read New York City Novels

“A remarkably authentic portrait, rich in memorable detail, with characters that come so vividly to life one forgets one is reading a novel . . . An impressive feat. Anyone Irish will face an uncanny recognition in these pages; everyone else will be enthralled meeting such captivating figures. Prepare to settle in.” — Matthew Thomas, New York Times  best-selling author of We Are Not Ourselves

Firefighters walk boldly into battle against the most capricious of elements. Their daughters, mothers, sisters, and wives walk through the world with another kind of strength and another kind of sorrow, and no one knows that better than the women of the Keegan-O’Reilly clan. In Ashes of Fiery Weather, debut novelist Kathleen Donohoe takes us from famine-era Ireland to New York City a decade after 9/11, illuminating the passionate loves and tragic losses of six generations of women in a firefighting family.
Here is a tour de force in the tradition of Let the Great World Spin. Exquisitely attuned to the language, humor, and history of her own firefighting family, Donohoe presents portraits of seven unforgettable characters—laying bare the many ways we search for each other, and the many ways we hope to be rescued.
 
“A stunning and intimate portrayal of four generations of New York City firefighters . . . Extraordinary. Ashes of a Fiery Weather somehow manages to be part Alice McDermott, part Denis Leary, and ultimately a worthy addition to the canon of great New York ethnic novels.”  — Irish America  

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, New York, Historical, Ireland, Contemporary, Book Club

417 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2016

About the author

Kathleen Donohoe is the author of the novels Ghosts of the Missing and Ashes of Fiery Weather, which was named one of Book Riot’s 100 Must-Read New York City Novels.

Her stories and essays have appeared in The Recorder: The Journal of the American Irish Historical Society, Web Conjunctions, Washington Square Review, Irish America Magazine.

She grew up in Brooklyn, NY in a family of NYC firefighters, and still lives in Brooklyn, now with her husband and son.

Substack: Brooklyn, Writer
Instagram as @kathleenmdonohoe

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Touched by flame. Six woman from the Keegan/O' Reilly clan tell their stories in these lengthy vignettes. All have sons, fathers, that were firefighters, died in the line of duty and how this effected themselves their families and what happened after in their lives. From Ireland after the potato famine to ten years after 911, the beginning of the fire departments in New York and the closeness of these fire families. It is also a story of messing or displaced people, one child is adopted, one given up for adoption, and yet through it all this remarkable family supports each other, helps each other and stay extremely close.

Some readers may find the format confusing. Although each segment is about a particular woman, it does skip back and forth in time which took some getting used to, though the dates are clearly marked. I did quickly get used to this, finding easily the connections between the characters and found this book ultimately engaging and heartfelt. The segment detailing 911, gave me chills, told from the perspective of those who risked their lives, firefighters, volunteers, gave me Goosebumps.
A different perspective from other books I have read on this subject and of course by then I knew the characters involved which made it more heartbreaking. The prose is straightforward. Not dramatic, not flowery, and this suited the story perfectly.

A generational novel, but unique in subject matter, loved the characters, they were realistically portrayed and liked the ending, it was fitting and wells one. Just a solidly written good story.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashes of Fiery Weather is a 2016 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publication.

This debut novel is an astounding portrait of six generations of women, spanning a significant period of time, beginning at the end of the potato famine and ending a decade after the 9/11 attacks, all of whom were living within a family of firefighters.

This novel is more like a collection of short stories, or vignettes, none of which follows a set timeframe, but highlights the sacrifices and heroism, not only of those who served as firefighters, but the wives, mothers and sisters who loved them, lost them, worried over them and supported them.

The disjointed time frame could be jarring, but I felt it worked out better than if the author had stuck to a strict chronological timeline.

These stories are often stark, raw and brutal in their realistic portrayal of life as a firefighter, always living on the edge. But, the story is also about family, about the expectations, the struggles, and the bonds they forge having their heritage and the common thread of a dangerous but brave occupation binding them tightly together.

I admired each generation of women, all them a reflection of the time period in which they lived. Tragedy, and the effects it has on the family is portrayed in a forthright manner, with no sugar coating.

Despite Norah’s bleak reality, which certainly resonated with me, I think Eileen is the character I cheered for more than any other, mainly because she pursued her goals despite such ugly opposition.

I found each segment interesting and unique and enjoyed seeing the way the family spanned out, the difference they made and the way they all managed to stay connected no matter what forces were working against them.

Firefighters have always been, and always will be heroes to me, and I’ve had a long standing respect for their families. The history and personal insights into a family of firefighters only solidifies that respect and gives me a deeper sensitivity to their families.

I was impressed with the author’s writing style and will add her to a long list of debut author’s I’ve discovered this year that are worth keeping an eye on.




4 stars

[Ellen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, I really did. Well-written, interesting perspective of Irish families in NY that are firefighters, from generation to generation. Started in the 1800's --and went through several famous fire/rescues, (the Waldbaums fire, tenement fire etc...) through 9/2011 and the firefighters who died there -- but this book skipped around in the timeline. I mean, with less than a few pages being in the present with certain characters, then next page, different characters in 1875, then three pages later, other characters in 1930s. Not even whole sections devoted to one time/one family. it made reading this book UNENJOYABLE. It needed a good editor to say "Kathleen, it's great that you've mastered cut and paste so you can rearrange sections of your manuscript. But the way you've jumbled it has ruined your narrative."
I can't recommend this book because of her technique in jumping all around in the story.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was actually a good story. However, it was so confusing to read that it actually became frustrating. There were so many characters. And the going back and forth was VERY confusing. At one point Norah is wondering what to do with her baby and then a couple of chapters later a child named Rose is brought into the picture and she's five years old. Then several chapters later, Rose appears again and she is a one year old. I know I'm reading an e-galley and I am so hoping that this one is severely unedited. Because this story deserves much more than 3 stars, if it was reedited.

Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Anmiryam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathleen Donohoe's engaging debut, a novel about seven generations of women from an Irish-American family with a legacy of firefighting is suffused with empathy. Through the eyes of these working class women -- some tough and practical, some wounded, all intriguing -- we grow to understand the impact of tragic losses and the fortitude that compels them to keep living in face of fate and their own choices. Threaded through the very different stories is a focus on abandonment through death, immigration, and adoption. Donohoe is a gifted storyteller and it's easy to fall into her embrace of this large and complicated family's experience of New York's tragedies spanning from the 19th century through the attacks of September 11, 2001. A book to swallow in great gulps.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this novel, and was sorry when it ended. I was so completely invested in the story of Irish and Irish American families connected to a Brooklyn firehouse that I was unable to put "Ashes" down. It ends abruptly- which was crushing-but this also raises the question of a possible sequel. Please?


The story weaves through time, picking up each character at certain points in the present and past. Kathleen Donohoe is masterful at this and full of surprises. Anyone looking for an engrossing and rewarding reading experience, this is it.

[Laurene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A multigenerational story -- absolutely loved it. Loved the point of view from several of the characters.

[June J. McInerney · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father’s oldest brother was once a Captain in the Dobbs Ferry Fire Department. I don’t know or quite remember which station (there are three, I think), but I do recall him riding on a hook and ladder in Memorial Day parades, dressed in full dress uniform. My Da, not one much for heroes, called him “a brave soul, putting out fires, saving lives…” Uncle Dougie succumbed, so the urban family legend goes, in the line of duty, very much the courageous captain his younger brother so admired.

I couldn’t help but recall his memory when, this past March, I read an advanced copy of Ashes of Fiery Weather by Kathleen Donohoe. Released just today, it is a seminal tribute to the 343 members of the Fire Department of New York City who lost their lives in the line of duty during the 9/11 tragedy; the fifteenth anniversary of which is next week. This debut novel’s publication by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt couldn’t have been more timely. Nor more poignant.

Set in Brooklyn, "Ashes of Fiery Weather" tells not the stories of firemen, but of seven women, all members of the Irish clan of O’Reilly who, as the title aptly suggests, “weathers” the various tragedies of fires their men – husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, cousins – as members of the FDNY are called to fight. It spans a blazing history of the family in Brooklyn from 1918 through September 2012, each account told from the perspective a woman, including a wife unexpectedly now a widow; a mother silently grieving for her losses; a sister determined to follow in her brother’s footsteps; a daughter coming to gripes with adulthood; a unexpected cousin, newly discovered. Each story is told in a rich, flowing writing style that uses simple words and phrases to convey complex emotions and situations; probing into the abyss of all aspects of familiar relationships.

To say Donohoe is a genius of a writer is an understatement. Her literary talent, reminiscent of Flannery O’Conner, Eudora Welty, and William J. Kennedy – with a subtle dash of Keatsian poetic nuance – polishes each plotline facet into a sparkling diamond of wisdom, wit, and heart-wrenching circumstances. Her characters are so real, one could almost hear their Irish Brooklyn brogues ringing in the ears. This author stunningly and compassionately renders each woman’s story in excellent juxtaposition of intertwining families as they bravely face alongside their men the most terrifying experiences of their (and our) lives. It is, to say the least, one of the better, most finely crafted, most satisfying novels of the year.

Ashes of Fiery Weather is a must read that will fire up the deepest imaginations of reality, leaving you burning for more.

[Elite Group · Rating 3 out of 5]

A convoluted tale of Irish firefighters in New York

Norah O’Reilly is living in New York with her husband Sean and their 3 children Maggie, Aidan, Brendan and she is expecting her 4th child when her husband is killed saving victims of a fire. She manages to bring up her family with the help of the close knit group of Brooklyn firefighters and their families and her job at a travel agency catering for people of Irish ancestry wanting to visit The Emerald Isle.

The book is well written and the stories are all interesting but I found it very disjointed as we keep jumping backwards and forwards between the characters and their life histories. I found it quite difficult to work out at what stage each character was at and how their relationships with each other interacted. The story of Sean’s death is in 1983 but then we go back to 1971 when Norah first came over to New York and met her husband and another recurring theme throughout the book became pregnant and “had to get married” as it was called in those days. The vast majority of the female characters either had to get married, usually resulting in divorce or in one case adoption and to me it seemed strange how often that happened.

We then learn about Sean’s mother Delia back in 1967 who met her husband Luke and again became pregnant, got married and subsequently got abandoned by her husband who went back to Ireland.

I get the feeling that this book could have been a series of books as there are so many different characters that all had lives of their own and by putting everything together in one book it has lost its edge. I also suspect that there may be a sequel in the offing as at the end there is an event that I was expecting to happen before the book finished bit it didn’t which was slightly disappointing.

Towards the end of the book the author concentrates on the terrible happenings at 9/11 and how the firefighters were involved and I felt really moved at the way she described the carnage and the panic. I felt that this part of the book was also good enough to be a novel in itself.

To sum up this was an enjoyable read but I think I would have preferred the story in chronological order as I found it quite confusing. I also feel that there are too many stories within the one book, it could have been written in about three different books. For this reason I have given it 3 stars.

Dexter

Breakaway reviewers received a copy of the book to review

[Sumaiyya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've literally just finished this massive read and I'm not sure how best to describe it, but I'll try. This book dives into the recent history of an Irish American firefighting family, that also encompasses the developments that took place in the firefighting‎ regime through the end of the 20th century. We get to see the system become more professional and selective, followed by women's entrance into the field as firefighters. We see characters like Eileen who break the stereotype and fight to become a part of the service, and Delia who has secrets of her own, beneath the study exterior acquired over a tough life. ‎
The novel begins with a funeral; this is very fitting for a story that constantly, ceaselessly treats the subject of death and loss as something to be understood and addressed firmly. What I mean to say is, Donohoe's work expresses the simple fact that death is part of life but what's really difficult is dealing with loss that comes as a result. Do you accept it and try to move on, or do you hold on to every hope that you'll see them again and welcome them back into your life? ‎We see a mother, wife, sister and children lose their son, husband, brother and father. We see a mother chose to separate from her child and we see another child grow up in the midst of a family that's bound not by blood, but by love. There is so much life within the pages, pushed forward by its vibrant set of characters, that it's almost ironic the book is so rooted in the act of leaving and disappearing - as a result of choice, war or death. 
Ashes of Fiery Weather is about women whose losses and choices have made them stronger or just more prepared for life. ‎It's about secrets, love and friendship that comes in many forms. It's a ponderous tome riddled with dialogues and characters who you'll want to discover slowly and patiently until you're completely consumed by their well written world. I absolutely recommend this novel to all who wish to see what it's like to be a part of a firefighting family, to those who'd like to see 9/11 from the perspective of firefighters and to everyone else.

.

Thank you HMH Books for sending me this brilliant book!

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book appealed to me as it is the stories of seven women from fire-fighting families. However, even though the women were linked through generations of the same family the stories were too fragmented for me. The reader has to constantly jump back and forth through various time periods – all within the same chapter and no indication of what year you have been taken to. The families are Irish and still have family in Ireland. At times I had difficulty grasping who was in Ireland and who was in the US. The story (or stories) just jumped around too much for me. I could not make an emotional connection to the characters because of this. I also feel much of the story was rushed in order to give me some background for something coming up. Sadly, I got nothing from this book.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting idea to tell a multi-generational story from the point-of-view of the matriarchs of the family. An Irish-American family with firefighting seemingly in their blood suffers through heartache, tribulations, betrayal, family drama, and of course, the added stressors that come with a risky profession. The book flows back and forth between family narrators and time lapses, so it is a little hard to follow, but the social and gender commentary is interesting. The book does contain a variety of heavy subject matter so it felt like a weight to read at times. I thought there could be better character development and a more coherent/cohesive storyline - the author never seemed to make a point...but an interesting set-up nonetheless.

[Korey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong family saga that does a good job presenting the reader with compelling characters and recreating the culture of Irish NYC firefighters. As some of the other reviews mention, the cast is large enough and the time jumps frequent enough that I sometimes felt a bit discombobulated while reading but it wasn't a serious problem. This is really good, you should read it.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much hopping around from generation to generation, making it necessary to stop and go back over who was who, over and over again. And I don't think there was a single woman who didn't get pregnant by mistake -- perhaps understandable in past times, but come on, even Catholics know about birth control nowadays!
Not for me -- and I wouldn't recommend it.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Average family saga that had unfulfilled promise. Too much jumping around in time, too many characters. Too many women having to get married because they were pregnant. And the ending was totally unbelievable. You really expect me to believe that Quinn and Rose took one look at Maggie and knew who she was?

[Suzze Tiernan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 multi-generational saga of an Irish American firefighting family in NYC. Lots of back and forth between time periods (which I like). The novel centers mainly on the women in the family as they face many challenges over the years.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of multiple generations of firefighters and their family in New York City. From the 1800s through 9/11. I really enjoyed this book! Particularly the chapters about 9/11. Brought back many memories of that time and was well written.

[Jenna Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I sort of hate this book. It was interesting, engaging and a good premise. I really liked this family. But it jumped around in time and POV and didn't wrap things up very well. Everyone's story kind of hung out these st the end, ongoing. I don't want to read 403 pages to be left hanging. Blah.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book appealed to me because it is about Irish families and firefighting. The book is told from different view points. It was a good story and you liked how the characters developed. The ending seems to lead to a sequel which I can't wait to read.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poignant & beautiful, a multi-generational tale told by the sisters, daughters, wives, & mothers of the FDNY. A gorgeous look at family, public service, tradition & heritage, sweeping across Ireland & NYC.

[Kelley Rayos-Teixeira · Rating 2 out of 5]

i like the characters and the story but i did not like how it jumped around in the timeline. so confusing!

[Heatherly Hardin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donohoe weaves together generations of a Brooklyn firefighting family in a beautiful, poignant, and mysterious novel that readers will love.

[Stephanie Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this - only wish it hadn't ended.

[Rd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story but I kept getting confused going from era-to-era, person-to-person. I kept forgetting the proper familiar order.

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

No one knows the pain of a fire more than the women of the Keegan/O’Reilly clan.
When we meet Norah — the first member of her family to move from Ireland to New York — she is a mother of three, contemplating her husband’s casket as his men give him a full fireman’s funeral, and faced with a terrible choice.
Norah's mother-in-law, Delia, is stoic and self-preserving. Her early losses have made her keep her children close and her secrets closer.
Eileen, Delia’s daughter, adopted from Ireland and tough-as-nails, yet desperate for a sense of belonging, is one of the first women firefighters in New York. It is through her eyes that we experience 9/11, blindsided by the events of that terrible day along with her.

*3.5 stars*

This is a story of a multi-generational Irish family who became a family of firefighters. A rich and lush description of the family, the heritage, their lives - all the way from the 1800's through to 9/11 (which, I have to say, is one of the most profound descriptions of that day in fiction that I have ever read.) The story covers the challenges not only to members of the firefighting brigade but to their families as well. Also the heritage and tradition of being an Irish/NYC firefighter was interesting to learn about. So much history in this book that makes my heart sing...

However, what almost kills this book for me, almost made me give up, almost made me throw it out the window in frustration was the dreadfully thought-out timeline. Why the author felt the need to skip around so much, restricting the narrative flow, was beyond me. It all came out in stuttering pages that never really let me settle in to follow the lives of these women. I think that this would have worked so much better (for me) if the timeline was in one steady forward flow. Or, at the very least, have great chunks of time together so the reader can experience everything the characters are going through...

Having said that, though, I still think this is a book worth recommending, based solely on the historical fiction aspect...which it does incredibly well.


Paul
ARH

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching and heart-rending novel from debut author Kathleen Donohoe. Starting at the time just after the Irish Potato Famine up to 9/11, Ashes of Fiery Weather follows the story of the Keegan/O'Reilly family.
I think what I loved the most was the breadth of this book. Some people may be turned off and confused by all the junping around done in this novel, but I think it's the most effective way to tell each character's narrative.
Told by women - mothers, daughters, sisters, wives - of firefighters, Ashes is a story of strength - different faces of it. I think this bit summarizes the book nicely:
"A dark-haired woman appeared at the top of the steps with a similarly dark-haired little girl and boy on either side of her. She was ashen, but dry-eyes. The children looked to be between the ages of five and eight. The girl, who was older, held the helmet.
Eileen tensed. Most churches, it seemed, had steep steps. At nearly every funeral Eileen had been to since September, she had waited, hardly breathing, yet the women, somehow, never fell down."
Definitely recommend it for anyone who loves family drama and contemporary.

[Jo Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I am not an easy reader to please, but this book gave me that “magical” reading experience that is so rare. The characters, the stories, the look into a world I didn’t know (the families of firefighters of Irish descent in Brooklyn), the heartache, the love…Donohoe got it all right for me. As other reviewers have noted there are problems with this book. I believe a good editor could have solved all of the issues raised: the time jumps, the similar characters who pop up at different ages, the confusion. As a woman of Irish descent (though no longer a Catholic) I recognized a lot from the history of my own family in this book. (Although a good family saga is a good family saga no matter what nationality the family is).

The author’s feelings about adoption are interesting. She provides the reader with two adopted female characters who share a sense of loss, and yearn for their birth mothers. I had several favorite characters and wanted to read more about them. I’d actually love a sequel.

[Dena Pardi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy a generational family book. Being able to follow the family through good times and bad and ride that rich, deep history throughout a prolonged saga. What makes Ashes of Fiery weather so unique is it's tie in to Irish heritage and the unique brotherhood of NYFD Firefighters. Additionally, it touched upon several impactful historical fire tragedies such as Slocum, Park Slop and 9/11.

However, I did struggle to read the book. The complex narrative and continuous time travel from one date to the next made it all very confusing; characters blurred, their place in time blurred, and sometimes I wasn't even sure where things were happening be it in Ireland or NY. What's more, the overall downtrodden nature of the story telling and outcomes for the characters, made it hard to want to carry on. There was very little uplift and even the moments of levity were quickly overshadowed by depression, anger, tragedy, and this overwhelming feeling of sadness.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. This book starts out slow, but I was soon engaged. It follows the lives of several generations of Irish firefighters in New York. The point of view is from the wives, daughters, and mothers. The fire house is the "Glory Devlins" which was established after the Civil War in the then city of Brooklyn. It, of course, is rife with disasters of historic significance. It ends in 2012, so the last disaster is 9/11 and its aftermath. The only drawback in the book is the way it skips around in the generations. Fortunately, there is a chart of family members in the front which really helps and I used often.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad story about the women in the lives of Irish-American firefighters in Brooklyn New York. The stories span five generations and each woman is given a single chapter which twists and turns and jumps through time. As such, there are a lot of characters and sometimes I had to page back to remember who someone was. Overall, it was very interesting, though I do wonder at the inclusion of poor Mattie Cullen - that was one character I couldn't forget. I kept expecting it to circle back to her and it never did.