Mersey Girls

by Katie Flynn

Spring 1913, and seventeen-year-old Evie Murphy is leaving her native Ireland for the city of Liverpool with her baby daughter Linnet - but leaving Linnet's frail twin, Lucy, behind. These are mixed fortunes ahead for Evie, and while Lucy grows up in the beautiful Irish countryside, Linnet is all too often forced to throw herself on the mercy of the enormous, impoverished Sullivan family. Life in a slum court during the thirties is far from easy -but when tragedy strikes it becomes the only existence possible for Linnet. Destitute, she disappears into the Liverpool slums like an teardrop in an ocean. Lucy, meanwhile, urgently needs her sister by her side. But she has little idea, when she leaves the farm and sets off to look for Linnet, how their meeting will change their lives for ever. . .

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 1994

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Katie Flynn was born in Norwich and attended Norwich High School, where she was extremely happy and extremely undistinguished. Published at the tender age of eight, in Enid Blyton's Sunny Stories, she joined a Writers’ Circle as an adult, publishing short stories, articles, etc; only turning to novels in 1971 because the postal strike cut off her main source of income!
At first she wrote under several different names – Judith Saxton, Judy Turner, Lydia Balmain, Judith Arden – but her Katie Flynn books were a delight to write and proved far more popular than she had dreamed. She has now published nearly ninety novels, twenty-seven of which are Flynns. Her most recent titles are: Lost Days of Summer and Christmas Wishes.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Newton]

A gentle, heart-warming tale of twin sisters, Linnet and Lucy Murphy, who are parted as babies and lead very different lives as a result. One stays at home on Ivy Farm in Ireland and the other ends up in the big city of Liverpool, having to rely on the hospitality of others and eventually make her own way to make ends meat.

From reading the blurb, I was expecting the sisters to meet up much sooner and so for me, the story seemed to be going at a very slow pace and really focussing in on what each girl’s upbringing was like and the experiences they had and the people they met. But about halfway through I realised, their meeting is going to be the climax of this story and I started to enjoy the book much more. I couldn’t figure out why it was called The Mersey Girls and even began to consider that the front cover was a mistake – as the girls’ surname is Murphy. But I knew, really, that that couldn’t be the case and I was looking forward to finding out why they receive the name Mersey. I’m guessing a little more knowledge of Liverpool might have helped me, but I won’t give anything else away.

There are some lovely snippets of imagery in this book which really place you there in that setting. And each character is well written; I can see them, hear their voices quite vividly and care about what happens to them.

I enjoyed watching Linnet and Lucy grow and mature and following their story and the family and friends around them. And I especially enjoyed seeing them meet and fitting their very different lives together like a little puzzle that was always meant to be completed.

If you don’t like too much action or heavy drama or tragedy, you will enjoy this book. It’s still a rollercoaster, with realistic drama, tears, disappointments, joys, successes, failures... but it leaves you with a smile on your face, making you feel satisfied and that you’ve just read something really nice and wholesome.

[Tracey]

This story is about twin girls, Linett and Lucy, who were separated when they were four months old. We read about Lucy growing up in Ireland, on the family farm and Linett in Liverpool where she overcomes difficulties to make her way in the world.
I found this book difficult to get into at first but in the end I found it a pleasant story.

[Clare O'Beara]

Having recently visited Liverpool I wanted to read a social history book set in that city. This tale begins in 1913 and spans a couple of decades but there is not a single mention of the Great War, which I thought unlikely. We also don't see much of the docks, hear nothing of the sugar or ship building industries and never see the two Liver Birds.

A young single mother in Kerry goes to find fame and fortune in Liverpool taking one baby girl and leaving the other. Little Evie is not much of a presence in this tale, which is about her two daughters and their aunt Maeve. Linnet is raised in the city among poor Irish families while Lucy remains on the Kerry farm, not surprisingly emerging the healthier of the two.

This is not a tale of drama, politics or strife, just an account of their different lives, loves and how they meet up again. I found it relaxing to read a social history which didn't include war, disease, abuse and wretchedness. The Irish traditional conversation is faithfully written, the speech patterns like "will I be after going to the market" a direct translation from the Irish language. And the account of a nanny's life in a well-off household is well presented so we see how she was better off than other workers but very limited in freedoms.

Katie Flynn also writes as Judith Saxton and specialises in reflecting the lives of ordinary women in Britain.

[Debbie Ward]

A lovely story, you are there with the characters be it on Ivy Farm with Lucy or the streets of Liverpool with Linnet. It kinda of ended quickly and would have been good to end with Maeve coming back for Lucy's wedding and being reunited with Linnet.

[Kate]

A good read for a trip.

[Anna Thomas]

If you've read other Kate Flynn novels and enjoyed them, you will enjoy this. A thoroughly enjoyable read, was almost disappointed to finish reading it.

[Sharon Collins]

Currently reading and my biggest concern is what sort of editor allows such cultural and historical inaccuracy in a book. In so far as I know Irish travelling people never cremated people in caravans and insofar as I know Ireland had no crematorium outside of Dublin till the 90s. In another book of hers "when Xmas bells ring" the two highly unlikable main characters talk about the Irish people not celebrating Christmas day but doing the main celebration on January 6th. Not true as that date is nollaig na ban or woman's little Christmas. It boils my blood that this rubbish is published and good writers languish on the slush pile.

[Kylie Dowers]

An enjoyable read. The ending felt abrupt though and like there should be a sequel. The only issue I have with Katie Flynn books is that the print is small and the chapters are very long, at least 30 pages each. They'd be even longer if the print were a normal size. They are thick books aswel. Lately it takes me ages to finish any book. It used to only take a few days

[A J Grainger]

A heartwarming tale of 2 sisters living their seperate but intertwined lives. Katie Flynn takes you to the streets of Liverpool, with her notable penchant for writing the transliteration of accents, and also to rural ireland. The book is beautifully written, and left me wanting to know more of the two Mersey girls and what happens next in their ordinary lives.

[Toni Marie]

The storyline is very good however the writing style is very hard to understand if you're not Irish. Its quite difficult to read in parts but I was desperate to find out what happened to the mersey girls at the end.

[Glenys]

Lucy and Linnet are twins but were separated early on when their mum decided to follow a career in the theatre taking one twin with her and leaving the other with family. Story line follows the twins, their trials and tribulations and eventually they meet up and move forward.

[irene currie]

What a read

AMAZING through heart break comes smiles love and the Mersey girls get that by the cart load eventually getting their men loved this book very much five stars again to Katie Flynn her books never let you down would recommend this book

[Karen Johnson]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It has loss, romance and long lost family , fighting poverty and ties to Ireland. An interesting read

[Karen Regent]

Fantastic read. Didnt want it to end

[Len Law]

A very good story.what a pity it has not got a follow up story. Surely we should hear more f the Murphy's

[Danielle O’Connor]

Beautiful story! Brilliant ending! So glad it ended happily!

[Angela]

Usual outcome but interesting route

[Rowlie]

Loved it

[Katie]

Enjoyable read.

Somewhat romance and somewhat family saga. I liked how the romance wasn't over the top.

This is my first Katie Flynn book and I look forward to reading more.

[Jani]

Literally so good.

[HM Yates]

Lovely read

[Anna]

2.5*

[Layla]

Very Good.

[tracybookaholic]

Really really enjoyed this book, but was a little disappointed with the ending, still worth a read though :)

[Liselotte Jongejans]

Absolutely loved this book. Would have given it more than 5 stars easily. Was dissappointed that it finished. The writing style is beautiful and loved the vocab.

[Rachael Hewison]

This was the first time I've read a Katie Flynn book and although it was a very easy read and flowed brilliantly, there were a few things that I didn't like about it.

The main issue I had was that the first few chapters started off with listing the year it took place which made it easy to know the ages of the characters and how long has passed. However it wasn't long before this dropped off and the rest of the book didn't mention the year. This meant that sometimes I could be halfway through a chapter before I realised that years had passed since the previous chapter so the timeline felt a bit all of the place.

Flynn however has made some very likeable characters, the twins in particular. Although I preferred Linnet's story as I found it so much more interesting and felt that she went on more of a journey, they were both easy to like and emphasise with. There were a few characters I felt took up too much of the story and it could have been trimmed down a lot, but it was an easy, enjoyable read.

[Barbra]

This is the first book of hers that I have read. Quite good, quick read.

Back Cover Blurb:
Spring 1913, and seventeen-year-old Evie Murphy is leaving her native Ireland for the city of Liverpool with her baby daughter Linnet - but leaving Linnet's frail twin, Lucy, behind. But there are mixed fortunes ahead for Evie, and while Lucy grows up in the beautiful Irish countryside, Linnet is all too often forced to throw herself on the mercy of the enormous impoverished Sullivan family. Life in a slum court during the thirties is far from easy - but when tragedy strikes it becomes the only existence possible for Linnet. Destitute, she disappears into the Liverpool slums like a teardrop in an ocean.
Lucy, meanwhile, urgently needs her sister by her side. But she has little idea, when she leaves the farm and sets off to look for Linnet, how their meeting will change their lives for ever.....

[Christine Morrison]

I have read quite a few of Katie Flynn's books as I like the light historical genre. I enjoyed this one, the switching between the two characters gave it variety, and a comparison of the lives led by the separated twins in the different types of area (i.e. urban Liverpool and rural Ireland) plus of course the historical perspective. Both of the heroines were likeable, optimistic characters who rose to the challenges which beset them. I also enjoyed reading about "Granny Mog" as she reminded me of a late friend. The only failing I have with the book is that it seemed to end too "pat" and I wandered if Lucy really would fit so easily into the life of a gypsy.

[Booklover BEV]

beautiful story told from the heart