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The Girl Who Came Home
A voyage across the ocean becomes the odyssey of a lifetime for a young Irish woman. . . .
Ireland, 1912 . . .
Fourteen members of a small village set sail on RMS Titanic, hoping to find a better life in America. For seventeen-year-old Maggie Murphy, the journey is bittersweet. Though her future lies in an unknown new place, her heart remains in Ireland with Séamus, the sweetheart she left behind. When disaster strikes, Maggie is one of the few passengers in steerage to survive. Waking up alone in a New York hospital, she vows never to speak of the terror and panic of that fateful night again.
Chicago, 1982 . . .
Adrift after the death of her father, Grace Butler struggles to decide what comes next. When her great-grandmother Maggie shares the painful secret about the Titanic that she's harbored for almost a lifetime, the revelation gives Grace new direction—and leads both her and Maggie to unexpected reunions with those they thought lost long ago.
Inspired by true events, The Girl Who Came Home poignantly blends fact and fiction to explore the Titanic tragedy's impact and its lasting repercussions on survivors and their descendants.
Ireland, 1912 . . .
Fourteen members of a small village set sail on RMS Titanic, hoping to find a better life in America. For seventeen-year-old Maggie Murphy, the journey is bittersweet. Though her future lies in an unknown new place, her heart remains in Ireland with Séamus, the sweetheart she left behind. When disaster strikes, Maggie is one of the few passengers in steerage to survive. Waking up alone in a New York hospital, she vows never to speak of the terror and panic of that fateful night again.
Chicago, 1982 . . .
Adrift after the death of her father, Grace Butler struggles to decide what comes next. When her great-grandmother Maggie shares the painful secret about the Titanic that she's harbored for almost a lifetime, the revelation gives Grace new direction—and leads both her and Maggie to unexpected reunions with those they thought lost long ago.
Inspired by true events, The Girl Who Came Home poignantly blends fact and fiction to explore the Titanic tragedy's impact and its lasting repercussions on survivors and their descendants.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 11, 2012
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About the author
Hazel Gaynor
22 books3,915 followersHazel Gaynor is an award-winning New York Times and internationally bestselling author of historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. A recipient of the 2015 RNA Historical Novel award and the 2024 Audie award for Best Fiction Narrator, she was also shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown, and the Irish Book Awards in 2017, 2020 and 2023.
Hazel’s co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim, winning or being shortlisted for several international awards.
She is a regular speaker at literary festivals, co-founder of The Inspiration Project, and programmed and hosted a series of Historia Live events in association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature in 2024. Her work is translated into 20 languages and published in twenty-seven territories to date. Her latest novel, Before Dorothy, the imagine life story of Dorothy’s Aunt Em from The Wizard of Oz, will be published in June 2025.
Hazel lives in Ireland with her family.
For more information, visit www.hazelgaynor.com
where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
Hazel’s co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim, winning or being shortlisted for several international awards.
She is a regular speaker at literary festivals, co-founder of The Inspiration Project, and programmed and hosted a series of Historia Live events in association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature in 2024. Her work is translated into 20 languages and published in twenty-seven territories to date. Her latest novel, Before Dorothy, the imagine life story of Dorothy’s Aunt Em from The Wizard of Oz, will be published in June 2025.
Hazel lives in Ireland with her family.
For more information, visit www.hazelgaynor.com
where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,851 reviews
March 13, 2013
This book suffers from a short attention span. It is supposed to be the story of Maggie, a young Irish woman in 1912, about to travel on the ill-fated Titanic; simultaneously, it incorporates the story of Grace, her granddaughter in 1982. As far as I can tell, there is not much point to incorporating Grace into the story; Grace's father dies and she is having trouble moving on, Maggie's story helps her get off her ass, to be a little crass, but I really don't see the point of having Grace in the story besides having the reader catch up with Maggie 70 years later.
Obviously, the story is about the Titanic. I've read my fair share of books about the Titanic, most of it from the POV of passengers in first class. This book offers a change in that the POV is from those in third class and a steward serving the third class cabins. The main character, Maggie, is a 17-year old woman leaving her sweetheart behind in Ireland to travel to a new life in America, along with 13 others in her little village. The book mainly describes her experiences and bewilderment on board the Titanic and her amazement even at the little things, since she has been so sheltered her entire life.
I enjoyed the description of life in third class, but that was one of the few things I found enjoyable about this book. I got this book for free on Kindle, so I don't know if it is a formatting problem, but a good half of the book was in italics. Usually, the italics don't bother me; they delineate flashbacks. Now, this is a problem because HALF THE BOOK WAS IN ITALICS. Enough with the flashbacks of flashbacks of flashbacks already. The book takes place in 1912 and in 1982. There were flashbacks in 1912. There were flachbacks of 1982. There were multiple points of view, from a random sister of someone who happened to be the mother of someone else on the Titanic to a random aunt traveling along with them.
I have no problems with flashbacks. I love getting more insight and details into the main characters' lives and thoughts. My main problem with the flashbacks in this book was that there were too many of them; I was not exaggerating when I say they literally take up half the novel. This would not be a problem if not for the fact that most of them were irrelevant and did not much contribute to the storyline. It's like in the middle of Maggie's tale, sudenly we get a glimpse of the life of a random fellow traveler who didn't really contribute anything and so who the hell cares?
Furthermore, the author seriously needs a grammar checker. She also really needs to learn the use of a comma. Useful little thing, that.
Obviously, the story is about the Titanic. I've read my fair share of books about the Titanic, most of it from the POV of passengers in first class. This book offers a change in that the POV is from those in third class and a steward serving the third class cabins. The main character, Maggie, is a 17-year old woman leaving her sweetheart behind in Ireland to travel to a new life in America, along with 13 others in her little village. The book mainly describes her experiences and bewilderment on board the Titanic and her amazement even at the little things, since she has been so sheltered her entire life.
I enjoyed the description of life in third class, but that was one of the few things I found enjoyable about this book. I got this book for free on Kindle, so I don't know if it is a formatting problem, but a good half of the book was in italics. Usually, the italics don't bother me; they delineate flashbacks. Now, this is a problem because HALF THE BOOK WAS IN ITALICS. Enough with the flashbacks of flashbacks of flashbacks already. The book takes place in 1912 and in 1982. There were flashbacks in 1912. There were flachbacks of 1982. There were multiple points of view, from a random sister of someone who happened to be the mother of someone else on the Titanic to a random aunt traveling along with them.
I have no problems with flashbacks. I love getting more insight and details into the main characters' lives and thoughts. My main problem with the flashbacks in this book was that there were too many of them; I was not exaggerating when I say they literally take up half the novel. This would not be a problem if not for the fact that most of them were irrelevant and did not much contribute to the storyline. It's like in the middle of Maggie's tale, sudenly we get a glimpse of the life of a random fellow traveler who didn't really contribute anything and so who the hell cares?
Furthermore, the author seriously needs a grammar checker. She also really needs to learn the use of a comma. Useful little thing, that.
November 19, 2020
The sinking of the maiden voyage of the Titanic-“fascinating in its telling and tragic in its reality.”
🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢
1912: Seventeen year old, Maggie Murphy doesn’t want to leave her sweetheart, Seamus behind in Ireland, but her Ma has passed away, and her Aunt is bringing her to America for a better life.
She will be making the voyage with friends and neighbors, the Ballysheen Fourteen!
Seamus promises to wait for Maggie under the Cherry Blossom tree, every Wednesday until she returns, and sends her off on her journey with 14 letters...one for each month they have been courting.
Maggie chronicles her travels in her journal, writing each night..and she was capturing her thoughts when the Titanic hit the iceberg.
You can even see the shudder in her handwriting, on the last page written before the vessel began to sink.
Would her “ship to shore” message to Seamus reach him?
Will he ever learn how much she cared?
1982: Cass County, Illinois-April 15th (70 years after the Titanic went down)
Grace Butler’s Great Grandmother Maggie has never wanted to talk about being one of survivors of the Titanic.
But, she has decided that she doesn’t want her story to die with her, so she is sharing it with Grace, a college journalism major, and allowing her to submit the article to the local newspaper.
In the attic is a small black case with her journal, and perhaps some letters.
It is time to make peace with the past.
The story unfolds, primarily through the 1912 Chapters, but with chapters from 1982 interspersed throughout until this VIVID first hand account concludes.
I could picture the grandeur of the ship.
And, I could feel the terror as the Titanic began to sink.
Knowing how many lives were lost and how many words were left unspoken left me feeling poignant, DESPITE the fact that I have heard the story of The Titanic many times.
In fact, I have walked through a traveling exhibit of The Titanic (highly recommend) where you can view pictures of the ship and see salvaged remnants since retrieved.
When you start the tour you are given a card with a passenger name and you won’t know if your passenger lived or perished till the last room, where all passenger names are displayed in remembrance.
🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢
FROM THE “ABOUT THE BOOK CHAPTER”:
This historical fiction novel is based on a group of fourteen Irish emigrants, known locally in Count Mayo Ireland as the Addergoole Fourteen.
Maggie Murphy is based on two of the youngest of the group, Annie Kate Kelly and Annie McGowan.
Annie Kate Kelly reported to the Chicago Herald, that she believed she was the last woman to leave the Titanic, helped by a steward she had befriended and Annie McGowan did share her account years later with her Great-Granddaughter.
More information about the Addergoole Fourteen can be found by visiting
www.Mayo-Titanic.com
This was a fascinating buddy read with DeAnn!
Be sure to watch for her review !
🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢
1912: Seventeen year old, Maggie Murphy doesn’t want to leave her sweetheart, Seamus behind in Ireland, but her Ma has passed away, and her Aunt is bringing her to America for a better life.
She will be making the voyage with friends and neighbors, the Ballysheen Fourteen!
Seamus promises to wait for Maggie under the Cherry Blossom tree, every Wednesday until she returns, and sends her off on her journey with 14 letters...one for each month they have been courting.
Maggie chronicles her travels in her journal, writing each night..and she was capturing her thoughts when the Titanic hit the iceberg.
You can even see the shudder in her handwriting, on the last page written before the vessel began to sink.
Would her “ship to shore” message to Seamus reach him?
Will he ever learn how much she cared?
1982: Cass County, Illinois-April 15th (70 years after the Titanic went down)
Grace Butler’s Great Grandmother Maggie has never wanted to talk about being one of survivors of the Titanic.
But, she has decided that she doesn’t want her story to die with her, so she is sharing it with Grace, a college journalism major, and allowing her to submit the article to the local newspaper.
In the attic is a small black case with her journal, and perhaps some letters.
It is time to make peace with the past.
The story unfolds, primarily through the 1912 Chapters, but with chapters from 1982 interspersed throughout until this VIVID first hand account concludes.
I could picture the grandeur of the ship.
And, I could feel the terror as the Titanic began to sink.
Knowing how many lives were lost and how many words were left unspoken left me feeling poignant, DESPITE the fact that I have heard the story of The Titanic many times.
In fact, I have walked through a traveling exhibit of The Titanic (highly recommend) where you can view pictures of the ship and see salvaged remnants since retrieved.
When you start the tour you are given a card with a passenger name and you won’t know if your passenger lived or perished till the last room, where all passenger names are displayed in remembrance.
🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢 🚢🚢
FROM THE “ABOUT THE BOOK CHAPTER”:
This historical fiction novel is based on a group of fourteen Irish emigrants, known locally in Count Mayo Ireland as the Addergoole Fourteen.
Maggie Murphy is based on two of the youngest of the group, Annie Kate Kelly and Annie McGowan.
Annie Kate Kelly reported to the Chicago Herald, that she believed she was the last woman to leave the Titanic, helped by a steward she had befriended and Annie McGowan did share her account years later with her Great-Granddaughter.
More information about the Addergoole Fourteen can be found by visiting
www.Mayo-Titanic.com
This was a fascinating buddy read with DeAnn!
Be sure to watch for her review !
January 5, 2018
The Girl Who Came Home is loosely based on the story of the Addergoole 14.....14 poor Irish from a single village in County Mayo who boarded the Titanic in 1912 to head to a new life in America. They were filled with dreams, hopes and expectations. Sadly, only 3 would survive the sinking of the gigantic ship in the cold, dark Atlantic Ocean. The names of the 14 passengers, their life stories, the name of the Irish village and some other facts are changed in the Girl Who Came Home...but the story is obviously built on the true tale of 14 immigrants whose dreams were cut short by an iceberg.
The story jumps back and forth in time from 1912 to 1982. In 1912, Maggie Murphy is 17 years old. Her mother has just died, and her aunt Kathleen travels from America to bring young Maggie home with her. She doesn't want to leave her love, Seamus, but she is drawn to the promise of a life in America and feels a duty to obey her aunt. She hopes Seamus will travel to America later to be with her. She misses him terribly while on board Titanic. The ship is massive and filled with more luxuries than the 14 hopeful Irish villagers have seen in their lives. They laugh, dance and joke about all the rich food...happy and delighted. Then late one night there is a slight bump and the engines go still. The night of horror has begun. In 1982, an 87-year old Maggie tells the story of that night to her great-granddaughter Grace. Grace needs to write a feature story for a Chicago newspaper and her great-grandmother decides it's time to tell someone her story. She has refused to talk about Titanic for decades, still feeling guilt that she survived and so many others died. In the attic there is a small suitcase that she carried with her the night of the sinking. She shares its contents with Grace, and the story about her memories of her life in Ireland, the voyage on Titanic and the aftermath of the sinking.
The Girl Who Came Home is a lovely and sad story. It's well-written and emotional. I listened to the audiobook version....and I think hearing it read in a lovely Irish accent added more depth to the story for me. The audiobook is narrated by Connor Kelly-Eiding and Alana Kerr. They both read at a nice, even pace and are easily understandable. I have hearing loss, but was easily able to enjoy this audiobook with no problems. I normally don't like books that jump back and forth in time as it gets tedious and often confused, but Gaynor pulls it off. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Beautiful, haunting and just lovely -- a great book! I will definitely be reading more by this author.
I can't truly imagine what it must have been like for those on board the Titanic. For those in the lifeboats, hearing more than 1000 people screaming and dying in the cold water must have been heartbreaking. And for those in the water, it must have been horrific. Hazel Gaynor does a great job of depicting the joys of the lavish ship, the differences between steerage and the first class accomodations, the huge range of passengers aboard, the absolute horror of the sinking, and the depths of despair and loss felt afterwards. I think the most memorable part for me is towards the end....hundreds of family members waiting at the dock in New York in the pouring rain for hours. The Carpathia was due to dock, and it was carrying survivors.Some are happily reunited and others learn the final sad truth about the death of their loved ones. Very emotional scene.
Gaynor is the author of several books including The Cottingley Secret and The Girl from the Savoy.
The story jumps back and forth in time from 1912 to 1982. In 1912, Maggie Murphy is 17 years old. Her mother has just died, and her aunt Kathleen travels from America to bring young Maggie home with her. She doesn't want to leave her love, Seamus, but she is drawn to the promise of a life in America and feels a duty to obey her aunt. She hopes Seamus will travel to America later to be with her. She misses him terribly while on board Titanic. The ship is massive and filled with more luxuries than the 14 hopeful Irish villagers have seen in their lives. They laugh, dance and joke about all the rich food...happy and delighted. Then late one night there is a slight bump and the engines go still. The night of horror has begun. In 1982, an 87-year old Maggie tells the story of that night to her great-granddaughter Grace. Grace needs to write a feature story for a Chicago newspaper and her great-grandmother decides it's time to tell someone her story. She has refused to talk about Titanic for decades, still feeling guilt that she survived and so many others died. In the attic there is a small suitcase that she carried with her the night of the sinking. She shares its contents with Grace, and the story about her memories of her life in Ireland, the voyage on Titanic and the aftermath of the sinking.
The Girl Who Came Home is a lovely and sad story. It's well-written and emotional. I listened to the audiobook version....and I think hearing it read in a lovely Irish accent added more depth to the story for me. The audiobook is narrated by Connor Kelly-Eiding and Alana Kerr. They both read at a nice, even pace and are easily understandable. I have hearing loss, but was easily able to enjoy this audiobook with no problems. I normally don't like books that jump back and forth in time as it gets tedious and often confused, but Gaynor pulls it off. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Beautiful, haunting and just lovely -- a great book! I will definitely be reading more by this author.
I can't truly imagine what it must have been like for those on board the Titanic. For those in the lifeboats, hearing more than 1000 people screaming and dying in the cold water must have been heartbreaking. And for those in the water, it must have been horrific. Hazel Gaynor does a great job of depicting the joys of the lavish ship, the differences between steerage and the first class accomodations, the huge range of passengers aboard, the absolute horror of the sinking, and the depths of despair and loss felt afterwards. I think the most memorable part for me is towards the end....hundreds of family members waiting at the dock in New York in the pouring rain for hours. The Carpathia was due to dock, and it was carrying survivors.Some are happily reunited and others learn the final sad truth about the death of their loved ones. Very emotional scene.
Gaynor is the author of several books including The Cottingley Secret and The Girl from the Savoy.
January 3, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. Anyone who is a history buff and likes Titanic will enjoy reading this book. The way it was written, with a few timelines and points of view was brilliant and refreshing! It really brings home the story of this tragic ship, passengers, crew members and families unlike anything I've read. It's a very good tribute to all those lost on that horrific night, 100 years ago. The world has never forgotten.
August 20, 2022
A heartbreakingly beautiful and educational read on the Titanic.
Maggie is from Ireland. After her mother passes, her Aunt Kathleen comes to take care of her. Kathleen has been to American and tells the Irish community that they could have a chance at a better life there. Maggie and fourteen others decide to travel aboard the Titanic in search of new opportunities. Some are excited and others, like Maggie, are nervous for the journey ahead and sad to leave behind their homeland and loved ones.
Years later, Grace, a young aspiring writer, is going through a tough period in life. She gets an opportunity to have a piece published but doesn’t know what to write about. One day, Grace’s grandmother opens up about her past, and it changes everything.
The story takes you through Maggie’s long journey from Ireland to England and then aboard Titanic. The author portrays the ship in such a vivid and detailed way, being an elegant and vast vessel. It was interesting to learn about the differences in social classes and where each resided on the ship. The first class section was decadent and opulent, being higher up, while the lower ranking passengers stayed at the bottom more basic floors.
The story draws you in from the beginning. I felt transported into the setting. The characters were well developed and written in such a real way that I felt connected to them. There was a sense of foreboding, as the outcome of the voyage is known. I was nervous for the characters and eager to find out their fate as they experienced terrible tragedy. Many survivors lived with intense guilt, always thinking of all those that perished that horrible night. The book also described the devastation of family members as many received bad news.
The story is told from multiple perspectives that flowed together nicely and all came together in the end. This was truly an emotional read. It emphasized the fragility of life, how your circumstances can change in an instant, and the importance of never taking life for granted. The surviving characters learned to accept the past, let go of guilt, and move on with a sense on continuity and remembrance. The story had much sadness, but it was beautifully written and ended with a serene sense of peace and happiness.
Maggie is from Ireland. After her mother passes, her Aunt Kathleen comes to take care of her. Kathleen has been to American and tells the Irish community that they could have a chance at a better life there. Maggie and fourteen others decide to travel aboard the Titanic in search of new opportunities. Some are excited and others, like Maggie, are nervous for the journey ahead and sad to leave behind their homeland and loved ones.
Years later, Grace, a young aspiring writer, is going through a tough period in life. She gets an opportunity to have a piece published but doesn’t know what to write about. One day, Grace’s grandmother opens up about her past, and it changes everything.
The story takes you through Maggie’s long journey from Ireland to England and then aboard Titanic. The author portrays the ship in such a vivid and detailed way, being an elegant and vast vessel. It was interesting to learn about the differences in social classes and where each resided on the ship. The first class section was decadent and opulent, being higher up, while the lower ranking passengers stayed at the bottom more basic floors.
The story draws you in from the beginning. I felt transported into the setting. The characters were well developed and written in such a real way that I felt connected to them. There was a sense of foreboding, as the outcome of the voyage is known. I was nervous for the characters and eager to find out their fate as they experienced terrible tragedy. Many survivors lived with intense guilt, always thinking of all those that perished that horrible night. The book also described the devastation of family members as many received bad news.
The story is told from multiple perspectives that flowed together nicely and all came together in the end. This was truly an emotional read. It emphasized the fragility of life, how your circumstances can change in an instant, and the importance of never taking life for granted. The surviving characters learned to accept the past, let go of guilt, and move on with a sense on continuity and remembrance. The story had much sadness, but it was beautifully written and ended with a serene sense of peace and happiness.
February 19, 2015
When the Titanic sank in April 1912, most of the passengers from steerage did not survive. This fictionalized story is based on the true account of the Addergoole Fourteen—a group of people from Lahardane village in County Mayo, Ireland. They left Ireland full of hopes to begin better lives in America. However, only a few survived to make it across the Atlantic.
This poignant story combines fact and fiction and brings the story of one fictional survivor to life. Seventeen year old Maggie Murphy sailed for America together with her aunt and friends from her village. But she left Ireland with mixed emotions because the young man she hoped to marry could not make the trip. After the disaster, Maggie vowed never to speak about her experience. But seventy years later, as an elderly lady living outside of Chicago, she tells her story to her granddaughter, and both lives are changed forever.
This is a book that is hard to put down! Well written with wonderful characters and a true sense of place, it’s one that adults and young adults would thoroughly enjoy.
Thanks to Diane for recommending it to me!
This poignant story combines fact and fiction and brings the story of one fictional survivor to life. Seventeen year old Maggie Murphy sailed for America together with her aunt and friends from her village. But she left Ireland with mixed emotions because the young man she hoped to marry could not make the trip. After the disaster, Maggie vowed never to speak about her experience. But seventy years later, as an elderly lady living outside of Chicago, she tells her story to her granddaughter, and both lives are changed forever.
This is a book that is hard to put down! Well written with wonderful characters and a true sense of place, it’s one that adults and young adults would thoroughly enjoy.
Thanks to Diane for recommending it to me!
November 21, 2020
4.25 Titanic stars
This is my sixth book by Hazel Gaynor, and I love the way she tells an historical fiction story! This time she tackles the daunting story of a Titanic survivor, inspired by true events and people.
Maggie Murphy is 17 and now alone in Ireland, so her aunt returns from America to take her across the ocean for a better life. Along with Maggie and her Aunt Kathleen, a large group of villagers buy tickets for the inaugural Titanic voyage and the hopes of a booming America. Called the “Ballysheen 14” they set out, unaware of what fate has in store for them. Maggie leaves behind her true love Seamus as he’s caring for an ailing father and doesn’t have the money for passage. He vows to wait for Maggie.
I enjoyed the stories of the adventures the Irish lasses had on board the ship and the scenes of the sinking were heartbreaking. Not surprisingly Maggie vows to never speak of the horrors she witnessed. I thought the author did a great job describing the aftermath in New York with relatives waiting for news and the torture of reading the lists of survivors. And that village in Ireland, the news hit there particularly hard.
Flash-forward to 1982, the story features Maggie’s grand-daughter Grace and her struggles as a budding writer. She leaves college to care for her ailing mother and worries about ever returning to school and writing. Maggie decides it is time to share her story with Grace and the two bond over the telling and Maggie seems to finally find some peace.
I really enjoyed the characters in this one and who can resist a story involving the Titanic? This was a fun buddy read with Jayme and she’s written an excellent review. Check it out!
Thank you to Book Club Girls/Harper Collins/William Morrow for the copy of this one to read!
This is my sixth book by Hazel Gaynor, and I love the way she tells an historical fiction story! This time she tackles the daunting story of a Titanic survivor, inspired by true events and people.
Maggie Murphy is 17 and now alone in Ireland, so her aunt returns from America to take her across the ocean for a better life. Along with Maggie and her Aunt Kathleen, a large group of villagers buy tickets for the inaugural Titanic voyage and the hopes of a booming America. Called the “Ballysheen 14” they set out, unaware of what fate has in store for them. Maggie leaves behind her true love Seamus as he’s caring for an ailing father and doesn’t have the money for passage. He vows to wait for Maggie.
I enjoyed the stories of the adventures the Irish lasses had on board the ship and the scenes of the sinking were heartbreaking. Not surprisingly Maggie vows to never speak of the horrors she witnessed. I thought the author did a great job describing the aftermath in New York with relatives waiting for news and the torture of reading the lists of survivors. And that village in Ireland, the news hit there particularly hard.
Flash-forward to 1982, the story features Maggie’s grand-daughter Grace and her struggles as a budding writer. She leaves college to care for her ailing mother and worries about ever returning to school and writing. Maggie decides it is time to share her story with Grace and the two bond over the telling and Maggie seems to finally find some peace.
I really enjoyed the characters in this one and who can resist a story involving the Titanic? This was a fun buddy read with Jayme and she’s written an excellent review. Check it out!
Thank you to Book Club Girls/Harper Collins/William Morrow for the copy of this one to read!
April 25, 2014
Unfortunately, sadly this review does begin with unfortunately, with the centennial of the sinking of the Titanic, there are a boatload(pun intended) of books centering around that event and, sadly, this one brings nothing new to the story.
I think if you've seen the movie Titanic, you are already familiar with the general story, even so much as what it was like in steerage as compared to first class. I'm sad to say this doesn't really add anything.
This is a fictionalized event of fourteen people from a small Irish parish, most of whom lost their lives. The story is told through the eyes of one survivor, but her story isn't really told and the more modern story of her great-granddaughter, a young woman who makes her own drama and unhappiness, should have simply been left out. Grace, the granddaughter, didn't interest me as a character and every time the book shifted to her story I was irritated.
The storytelling is very choppy, jumping from this character to that character and lots and lots and lots of telling instead of showing. Just when the story was getting exciting, it would stop and insert some other part of the story. There was no flow to the story.
Since this is the story of a great loss of life, it might have been interesting to actually experience that, show us what that end might have looked like, contrast it with the survivor's story. That might have really improved the book.
Also, only one family member who lost a loved one is actually described and that is only up to the time she finds the loss to be a reality. It might have been nice to know what more happened in her life, how this affected her, again, in comparison with the survivor.
Speaking of the survivor, her story is never really told. The actual story of how she ends up with whom she ends up with is just glossed over, it all worked out we are told. Again, telling and not showing.
If a reader knows absolutely nothing about Titanic, they might enjoy this book. Otherwise, maybe not.
Overall, I didn't much care for it.
I think if you've seen the movie Titanic, you are already familiar with the general story, even so much as what it was like in steerage as compared to first class. I'm sad to say this doesn't really add anything.
This is a fictionalized event of fourteen people from a small Irish parish, most of whom lost their lives. The story is told through the eyes of one survivor, but her story isn't really told and the more modern story of her great-granddaughter, a young woman who makes her own drama and unhappiness, should have simply been left out. Grace, the granddaughter, didn't interest me as a character and every time the book shifted to her story I was irritated.
The storytelling is very choppy, jumping from this character to that character and lots and lots and lots of telling instead of showing. Just when the story was getting exciting, it would stop and insert some other part of the story. There was no flow to the story.
Since this is the story of a great loss of life, it might have been interesting to actually experience that, show us what that end might have looked like, contrast it with the survivor's story. That might have really improved the book.
Also, only one family member who lost a loved one is actually described and that is only up to the time she finds the loss to be a reality. It might have been nice to know what more happened in her life, how this affected her, again, in comparison with the survivor.
Speaking of the survivor, her story is never really told. The actual story of how she ends up with whom she ends up with is just glossed over, it all worked out we are told. Again, telling and not showing.
If a reader knows absolutely nothing about Titanic, they might enjoy this book. Otherwise, maybe not.
Overall, I didn't much care for it.
July 21, 2020
"The Girl Who Came Home" by Hazel Gaynor was a beautiful historical fiction novel.
This book is a fictional depiction reminiscent of the "Addergoole Fourteen", Irish immigrants from a small village in Ireland who traveled on the RMS Titanic's maiden voyage. In this story, Maggie Murphy is one of the Irish immigrants in the factitious "Ballysheen Fourteen" traveling in Third Class steerage hoping for a better life in America. Maggie, despite being excited for her travel on the unsinkable ship, is brokenhearted to leave her boyfriend, Seamas, behind. He insists he must remain in Ireland to care for his ailing father but will faithfully wait for Maggie's return. Maggie survives the April 15, 1912 event in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean, making it to America.
In Chicago, where Maggie has settled with her family, she has never spoken of her experience on the Titanic to anyone but her husband. However, in 1982 Maggie now feels compelled to share her story with her great-granddaughter, Grace, who is studying to become a journalist. Maggie knows the value of her story and wants Grace to be the one to share it, through her gifted writing skills, via the Chicago Tribune.
Even though the Titanic story has been retold many times for over 100 years, this book seemed fresh in its retelling of the experiences of the steerage passenger's voyage to America. It centralizes the story through Maggie's experience on the ship, her survival and how her circle of life continued even after this most horrific of tragedies.
Historical Fiction is my favorite genre and I will definitely read more from this writer!
This book is a fictional depiction reminiscent of the "Addergoole Fourteen", Irish immigrants from a small village in Ireland who traveled on the RMS Titanic's maiden voyage. In this story, Maggie Murphy is one of the Irish immigrants in the factitious "Ballysheen Fourteen" traveling in Third Class steerage hoping for a better life in America. Maggie, despite being excited for her travel on the unsinkable ship, is brokenhearted to leave her boyfriend, Seamas, behind. He insists he must remain in Ireland to care for his ailing father but will faithfully wait for Maggie's return. Maggie survives the April 15, 1912 event in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean, making it to America.
In Chicago, where Maggie has settled with her family, she has never spoken of her experience on the Titanic to anyone but her husband. However, in 1982 Maggie now feels compelled to share her story with her great-granddaughter, Grace, who is studying to become a journalist. Maggie knows the value of her story and wants Grace to be the one to share it, through her gifted writing skills, via the Chicago Tribune.
Even though the Titanic story has been retold many times for over 100 years, this book seemed fresh in its retelling of the experiences of the steerage passenger's voyage to America. It centralizes the story through Maggie's experience on the ship, her survival and how her circle of life continued even after this most horrific of tragedies.
Historical Fiction is my favorite genre and I will definitely read more from this writer!
April 25, 2021
4.5 stars!
June 22, 2014
This review contains spoilers in the second paragraph. Fans of romance novels might enjoy this book, but it wasn't what I was expecting and not my taste. As others have already said, nothing new was brought to the Titanic story and much of the plot followed the footsteps of the James Cameron movie. Long descriptive passages were often tedious and there was way too much repetition throughout the book. I found myself skimming entire paragraphs, which I almost never do. The worst part for me was the predictability.
SPOILERS: I knew very early in the book that Seamus was James. I knew Grace would get back with Jimmy. I knew the letters would turn up after the article was published. I knew Peggy would somehow survive. I knew the news article was going to be the greatest story ever written. I knew Maggie would die at the end. I even knew why Maggie liked to arrange the cookies on the plate before it was revealed. It made me wonder how Grace could be so dense.
The two main characters were too virtuous and perfect to engage me. The poor people had no flaws; the rich people had no virtues. The plot was too neat and pretty and all the loose ends were tied up at the end with pretty strings that were intended to tug at your heart. As far as romance novels go, this one is relatively well-written, but not my cup of tea. Maybe it will make a successful Lifetime movie.
SPOILERS: I knew very early in the book that Seamus was James. I knew Grace would get back with Jimmy. I knew the letters would turn up after the article was published. I knew Peggy would somehow survive. I knew the news article was going to be the greatest story ever written. I knew Maggie would die at the end. I even knew why Maggie liked to arrange the cookies on the plate before it was revealed. It made me wonder how Grace could be so dense.
The two main characters were too virtuous and perfect to engage me. The poor people had no flaws; the rich people had no virtues. The plot was too neat and pretty and all the loose ends were tied up at the end with pretty strings that were intended to tug at your heart. As far as romance novels go, this one is relatively well-written, but not my cup of tea. Maybe it will make a successful Lifetime movie.
April 4, 2019
3.5 stars rounded down.
This is ostensibly the story of Maggie Murphy, a 17 year old Irish girl who survived the sinking of the Titanic. After her mother dies, her aunt comes to Ireland to bring Maggie to America to live with her. Maggie must leave her sweetheart, Seamus, behind. They and 12 others from her village will be sailing on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. No spoiler alert needed: we all know how that ends.
It is also the story of Maggie’s great granddaughter, Grace, who is having difficulty getting on with her life after her father dies.She drops out of college to help care for her mother, who has MS, leaving behind her boyfriend, Jimmy, She turns to her great grandmother for solace and wisdom. During one of their talks, Maggie finally tells her about her experience on the Titanic.
The book alternates between 1912 and 1982, telling both women’s stories. Maggie’s story is the most interesting and compelling. Much has always been made of the experiences of those in First Class, but this story gives the reader insight into the lives of the passengers in Third Class, also known as steerage. Grace’s story is much less interesting, and at times I felt that it was unnecessary. I would have rather just read about Maggie. By the end I understood why the book was written this way, but had Grace’s story just been incorporated into Maggie’s, I think it would have been a better book. Historical fiction writers seem to feel the need to write every book in dual time frames. This was interesting at first, but it’s become trite. Not every story has to be told this way. Sometimes you just want to read the historical story without jumping to a later time. That said, there are a couple of surprise revelations at the end, which were very satisfying.
The writing is OK. Sometimes it felt like the author was telling instead of showing. During these parts I felt an emotional disconnect from the story. This was usually during Grace’s sections. The retelling of the Titanic disaster was good, but not great. Had the author just concentrated on Maggie’s story, she might have been able to go into more detail.
The characters were fairly well portrayed, some better than others. Maggie was well done, Grace less so. There are some extraneous characters whose presence is marginally interesting, but not vital to the story, almost like filler.
The author was inspired to write this book by researching the Addergoole Titanic Society, the group that commemorates the loss of its parishioners on the Titanic.
Overall this is a good, not great book. To me, it could have been better, but I enjoyed it for what it is. If you enjoy historical fiction, you may like this book, even more than I did. Beware, though! You will probably have that Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” stuck in your brain the whole time you are reading this!
Time to watch the movie “Titanic” and just overdose on the story.
This is ostensibly the story of Maggie Murphy, a 17 year old Irish girl who survived the sinking of the Titanic. After her mother dies, her aunt comes to Ireland to bring Maggie to America to live with her. Maggie must leave her sweetheart, Seamus, behind. They and 12 others from her village will be sailing on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. No spoiler alert needed: we all know how that ends.
It is also the story of Maggie’s great granddaughter, Grace, who is having difficulty getting on with her life after her father dies.She drops out of college to help care for her mother, who has MS, leaving behind her boyfriend, Jimmy, She turns to her great grandmother for solace and wisdom. During one of their talks, Maggie finally tells her about her experience on the Titanic.
The book alternates between 1912 and 1982, telling both women’s stories. Maggie’s story is the most interesting and compelling. Much has always been made of the experiences of those in First Class, but this story gives the reader insight into the lives of the passengers in Third Class, also known as steerage. Grace’s story is much less interesting, and at times I felt that it was unnecessary. I would have rather just read about Maggie. By the end I understood why the book was written this way, but had Grace’s story just been incorporated into Maggie’s, I think it would have been a better book. Historical fiction writers seem to feel the need to write every book in dual time frames. This was interesting at first, but it’s become trite. Not every story has to be told this way. Sometimes you just want to read the historical story without jumping to a later time. That said, there are a couple of surprise revelations at the end, which were very satisfying.
The writing is OK. Sometimes it felt like the author was telling instead of showing. During these parts I felt an emotional disconnect from the story. This was usually during Grace’s sections. The retelling of the Titanic disaster was good, but not great. Had the author just concentrated on Maggie’s story, she might have been able to go into more detail.
The characters were fairly well portrayed, some better than others. Maggie was well done, Grace less so. There are some extraneous characters whose presence is marginally interesting, but not vital to the story, almost like filler.
The author was inspired to write this book by researching the Addergoole Titanic Society, the group that commemorates the loss of its parishioners on the Titanic.
Overall this is a good, not great book. To me, it could have been better, but I enjoyed it for what it is. If you enjoy historical fiction, you may like this book, even more than I did. Beware, though! You will probably have that Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” stuck in your brain the whole time you are reading this!
Time to watch the movie “Titanic” and just overdose on the story.
December 23, 2016
What can I say about this book? It's not that I *disliked* it. I just felt that there was nothing particularly new or interesting here. I saw the "big reveal" from a mile away.
This is not a book I would have chosen on my own, but it was the selection for one of my book clubs. I prefer books that either make me think or feel something. If I'm choosing something lighter, I tend to choose either humor or suspense/thriller. This is "women's fiction" through and through. Just not my thing.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
This is not a book I would have chosen on my own, but it was the selection for one of my book clubs. I prefer books that either make me think or feel something. If I'm choosing something lighter, I tend to choose either humor or suspense/thriller. This is "women's fiction" through and through. Just not my thing.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
August 12, 2022
I want to give this book a 10 Star rating,so I will!! I have always been fascinated by the story of the Titanic and have read many wonderful books,saw a couple movies and read articles about it, but none have touched my heart as much as this poignant novel by Hazel Gaynor has! This is her first novel.. I'm amazed! Quite a few years ago,I went with my Canine Companion dog and a friend to see an exhibit at The Science Center in Cleveland, Ohio to see artifacts that they recovered from the Titanic...it was truly amazing!
I have so many thoughts running through my head of how to write a review worthy of this amazing book. I'll share with you some of my thoughts as I read this book. I love the dedication page: " This book is dedicated to the memory of the Addergoole Fourteen and all those who lost their lives on Titanic April 15,1912". Also the fact that the band on the Titanic was playing the beautiful hymn "" Nearer My God To Thee" as the ship sank. If you never heard the words of this hymn, please take a few minutes to listen to it. It captures all the emotions of faith, love, courage, strength and fear of the final moments of those in the lifeboats & still aboard the Titanic when the unthinkable happened.🥲
The author draws you in from page 1! The characters are fully developed and believable. You care about all of them. Hazel Gaynor has a way of making you feel like you are actually there! Her descriptions of everything are so real that you see and feel what the characters see and feel. You see the white linen tablecloths,the china table settings, the way everyone dressed from beautiful suits and dresses of the first class passengers to the humble clothing of the steerage passengers. You hear the waves crashing upon the sides of the ship, the different conversations among the people. Feel the emotions of sailing off to America from different countries for many different reasons, most off to discover new lives in America. The worst fears of everyone aboard as the Titanic crashes into the iceberg. The confusion, panic and the reality to leave loved ones aboard, stay with them or get into a lifeboat ( woman and children first) and hope to survive. If you survived,who was waiting to greet you? Where do you go? You hear the screaming turn to silence as the Titanic sank.
Of over 2,400 aboard ( not counting those who boarded the ship illegally) only 675 people survived!
This is the first time I read the story of the Titanic from the Irish point of view! 🍀This is a wonderful, beautiful, moving book that is one of my favorite books of this year! I absolutely loved it and shed quite a few years. I very highly recommend this emotionally moving book to everyone! It's a book that I didn't want the story to end and it will stay with me always 💖⛴️🍀
I have so many thoughts running through my head of how to write a review worthy of this amazing book. I'll share with you some of my thoughts as I read this book. I love the dedication page: " This book is dedicated to the memory of the Addergoole Fourteen and all those who lost their lives on Titanic April 15,1912". Also the fact that the band on the Titanic was playing the beautiful hymn "" Nearer My God To Thee" as the ship sank. If you never heard the words of this hymn, please take a few minutes to listen to it. It captures all the emotions of faith, love, courage, strength and fear of the final moments of those in the lifeboats & still aboard the Titanic when the unthinkable happened.🥲
The author draws you in from page 1! The characters are fully developed and believable. You care about all of them. Hazel Gaynor has a way of making you feel like you are actually there! Her descriptions of everything are so real that you see and feel what the characters see and feel. You see the white linen tablecloths,the china table settings, the way everyone dressed from beautiful suits and dresses of the first class passengers to the humble clothing of the steerage passengers. You hear the waves crashing upon the sides of the ship, the different conversations among the people. Feel the emotions of sailing off to America from different countries for many different reasons, most off to discover new lives in America. The worst fears of everyone aboard as the Titanic crashes into the iceberg. The confusion, panic and the reality to leave loved ones aboard, stay with them or get into a lifeboat ( woman and children first) and hope to survive. If you survived,who was waiting to greet you? Where do you go? You hear the screaming turn to silence as the Titanic sank.
Of over 2,400 aboard ( not counting those who boarded the ship illegally) only 675 people survived!
This is the first time I read the story of the Titanic from the Irish point of view! 🍀This is a wonderful, beautiful, moving book that is one of my favorite books of this year! I absolutely loved it and shed quite a few years. I very highly recommend this emotionally moving book to everyone! It's a book that I didn't want the story to end and it will stay with me always 💖⛴️🍀
March 27, 2016
As another anniversary of the Titanic disaster approaches, I listened to this story of Maggie Murphy, a survivor who traveled with 13 others from Ballysheen, Ireland. Her adventures before, during, and after the fateful trip are mingled with a 1980's time frame in Illinois where her great granddaughter, Grace, is writing Maggie's story for the Chicago Tribune. I enjoyed both time frames, but the narrator with an Irish brogue for Maggie's parts was a real delight while Grace's was a little too matter of fact for me.
It's hard to come up with something fresh when writing about the Titanic, and I did often picture Leonardo DiCaprio as the ship's steward, what with his mingling with the Irish lasses in steerage and all; but as the story continued and I saw where the author was going, it was hard to break away. Loved all the references to genealogical research.
A little chick-lit-ish, but more comforting than annoying.
Some might call the ending to Maggie's story sneaky or sly; it did annoy me a tiny bit until I gave it more thought and decided to cut the author some slack.
Nicely done audiobook.
3.5 stars rounded up.
It's hard to come up with something fresh when writing about the Titanic, and I did often picture Leonardo DiCaprio as the ship's steward, what with his mingling with the Irish lasses in steerage and all; but as the story continued and I saw where the author was going, it was hard to break away. Loved all the references to genealogical research.
A little chick-lit-ish, but more comforting than annoying.
Some might call the ending to Maggie's story sneaky or sly; it did annoy me a tiny bit until I gave it more thought and decided to cut the author some slack.
Nicely done audiobook.
3.5 stars rounded up.
December 3, 2014
The author was inspired by the true story of a group of fourteen people from an Irish village who traveled on the Titanic in 1912, hoping to find a better life in America. The fictional Maggie Murphy, a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic, was so traumatized by the terrible events that she had been unwilling to share her story, even with her family. As she reached her 90th birthday, Maggie opened up to her great-granddaughter and showed her the journal she kept during the fateful voyage.
The novel concentrates on a group of Irish friends who traveled steerage class, rather than the rich and famous first class passengers, although they are also mentioned. The surviving passengers were rescued by the ship "Carpathia" and brought to New York City. There were conflicting lists of survivors with many passengers in shock or suffering from hypothermia, and unable to communicate. The heartbroken survivors faced life in a new country without their loved ones who had perished in the disaster.
The novel was composed of regular chapters, journal entries, letters, and telegrams. The first half of the book was very repetitious with many events in the regular chapters mentioned a second time in the journal or letters. Some more editing would have improved this part of the book. Fortunately, the last half of the book, about the sinking of the Titanic and its aftermath, was very engaging. The back of the book also contained some interesting historical information and material for reading groups.
The novel concentrates on a group of Irish friends who traveled steerage class, rather than the rich and famous first class passengers, although they are also mentioned. The surviving passengers were rescued by the ship "Carpathia" and brought to New York City. There were conflicting lists of survivors with many passengers in shock or suffering from hypothermia, and unable to communicate. The heartbroken survivors faced life in a new country without their loved ones who had perished in the disaster.
The novel was composed of regular chapters, journal entries, letters, and telegrams. The first half of the book was very repetitious with many events in the regular chapters mentioned a second time in the journal or letters. Some more editing would have improved this part of the book. Fortunately, the last half of the book, about the sinking of the Titanic and its aftermath, was very engaging. The back of the book also contained some interesting historical information and material for reading groups.
April 17, 2012
I very much enjoyed this story line and loved that it was based on true facts, not just from the Titanic sinking, but the characters being based on real life characters as well.
That being said, I could have, would have, enjoyed this novel much more had I not been frequently distracted by the writing style. There was a bit of redundancy, especially at the beginning and around the 3/4 mark. I prefer that the points be told efficiently the first time as apposed to having to retell the same point in multiple different ways to get the point across. I also am confused as to where Maggie actually lived, because it states that she lived with her Aunt but then it states that that same aunt lived in Chicago and returned to Ireland to bring Maggie to America. The names were also a distraction and since the author used fictitious names, why were Katie, Catherine, and Kathleen, chosen when they are so similar?
There were many times when I was not bothered by distractions and at those times the author completely drew me in to the story. A bit more time tweaking on this novel and it could really be something. I have an opinion that it was most likely rushed to meet the deadline of the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
Very enjoyable story.
That being said, I could have, would have, enjoyed this novel much more had I not been frequently distracted by the writing style. There was a bit of redundancy, especially at the beginning and around the 3/4 mark. I prefer that the points be told efficiently the first time as apposed to having to retell the same point in multiple different ways to get the point across. I also am confused as to where Maggie actually lived, because it states that she lived with her Aunt but then it states that that same aunt lived in Chicago and returned to Ireland to bring Maggie to America. The names were also a distraction and since the author used fictitious names, why were Katie, Catherine, and Kathleen, chosen when they are so similar?
There were many times when I was not bothered by distractions and at those times the author completely drew me in to the story. A bit more time tweaking on this novel and it could really be something. I have an opinion that it was most likely rushed to meet the deadline of the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
Very enjoyable story.
January 28, 2019
I have been obsessed with Titanic since I was a young teenager and fell in love with Leo and Kate. This story felt familiar - and obviously still tragic. I really appreciated that in this book we got the perspective of third class passengers. So often in Titanic stories first class is focused on (probably because of the beautiful opulence and details of the ship). I wasn’t as enthralled with the modern timeline - mostly because something about it felt a little less authentic? For some reason the characters didn’t resonate as much and I think it was the way they were written. But I loved the little twist at the end (even though I figured it out beforehand); it made my heart swell with warm feelings. And I also thought the historical note at the end was a thoughtful addition to the book. Knowing that these fictional characters were based on real people who travelled (and many who perished) on the Titanic gave the story even more heft. This was Hazel Gaynor’s first book and I really enjoyed it. I’m excited to read more from her!
February 21, 2021
Such a deep, touching story...especially as it was on true happenings! I shed many tears at times as it was so imaginable....powerful .
July 26, 2016
I'm fascinated with the story of the Titanic, but not obsessed so I haven't read lots of books on it. This is a fictional account inspired by a real group of 14 Irish emigrants who left Ireland to visit relatives in America.
The story focuses on 17-year-old Maggie Murphy. Maggie's parents have both died and her aunt Kathleen has come to Ireland and is taking Maggie back to Chicago with her. While there, others have decided to join them in making the journey. Maggie is sad to be leaving her boyfriend, Seamus, behind. His father is sick so he won't be able to come, but tells her he'll be waiting for her to come home.
We also get two more stories: "Lucky Harry," and Grace Butler, Maggie's great-granddaughter. Harry is one of the stewards on the ship who Maggie and her friends get to know and who later helps her get into one of the last lifeboats to leave. Grace's story takes place in Illinois in 1982. Grace's life was going well until her father died. She left college and her boyfriend, Jimmy, to help her mother. Maggie starts to help her get her life back, starting with telling her about her journey on the Titanic, a story she has never told anyone. Learning her great-grandmother's story gives Grace the courage to move on with her life.
I loved this book! Most of it is told in flashback so there's a lot of jumping back and forth. I didn't find it to be confusing and actually liked it. Maggie was young and excited to go on the ship, but she was sad to have left Seamus behind. It was interesting to experience the Titanic through her young eyes. Knowing what happened doesn't lessen the impact of the scenes of the tragic night of April 15, 1912. All the talk of the Titanic being unsinkable appeared to have caused confusion and disbelief at what was happening. The author didn't dwell too long on the actual sinking and I liked that. The aftermath is what gets lost sometimes. The journey to the Carpathia in the lifeboats was long and cold. The people waiting to welcome the ship in New York were in shock as they attempted to learn the fate of their loved ones, and even if they didn't see their names on the list of survivors, hoped they would still see them disembark. It's not too surprising that Maggie didn't want to remember and discuss the horror of that night until she was much older.
I also enjoyed Harry and Grace's stories. It was interesting to see what happened to Harry. I thought his ending would be a little different. Grace was able to learn what was important to her and to go for it before it was too late. I also loved Maggie's story and hearing the ending to it. She was able to do something at the end that she'd been wanting to do for a long time and was able to make peace with all that happened.
I like the section at the end where the author shares the story behind the book and tells the parts of the book based on fact. There is also a short Glossary of Irish Terms and Reading Group Discussion Questions. There is a lot to say about this book so it would be great for a book club! This is a clean read. If you enjoy reading about the Titanic, this is a book for you!
I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
The story focuses on 17-year-old Maggie Murphy. Maggie's parents have both died and her aunt Kathleen has come to Ireland and is taking Maggie back to Chicago with her. While there, others have decided to join them in making the journey. Maggie is sad to be leaving her boyfriend, Seamus, behind. His father is sick so he won't be able to come, but tells her he'll be waiting for her to come home.
We also get two more stories: "Lucky Harry," and Grace Butler, Maggie's great-granddaughter. Harry is one of the stewards on the ship who Maggie and her friends get to know and who later helps her get into one of the last lifeboats to leave. Grace's story takes place in Illinois in 1982. Grace's life was going well until her father died. She left college and her boyfriend, Jimmy, to help her mother. Maggie starts to help her get her life back, starting with telling her about her journey on the Titanic, a story she has never told anyone. Learning her great-grandmother's story gives Grace the courage to move on with her life.
I loved this book! Most of it is told in flashback so there's a lot of jumping back and forth. I didn't find it to be confusing and actually liked it. Maggie was young and excited to go on the ship, but she was sad to have left Seamus behind. It was interesting to experience the Titanic through her young eyes. Knowing what happened doesn't lessen the impact of the scenes of the tragic night of April 15, 1912. All the talk of the Titanic being unsinkable appeared to have caused confusion and disbelief at what was happening. The author didn't dwell too long on the actual sinking and I liked that. The aftermath is what gets lost sometimes. The journey to the Carpathia in the lifeboats was long and cold. The people waiting to welcome the ship in New York were in shock as they attempted to learn the fate of their loved ones, and even if they didn't see their names on the list of survivors, hoped they would still see them disembark. It's not too surprising that Maggie didn't want to remember and discuss the horror of that night until she was much older.
I also enjoyed Harry and Grace's stories. It was interesting to see what happened to Harry. I thought his ending would be a little different. Grace was able to learn what was important to her and to go for it before it was too late. I also loved Maggie's story and hearing the ending to it. She was able to do something at the end that she'd been wanting to do for a long time and was able to make peace with all that happened.
I like the section at the end where the author shares the story behind the book and tells the parts of the book based on fact. There is also a short Glossary of Irish Terms and Reading Group Discussion Questions. There is a lot to say about this book so it would be great for a book club! This is a clean read. If you enjoy reading about the Titanic, this is a book for you!
I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
June 12, 2023
The GIRL WHO CAME HOME is a story about the Titanic with the main character, Maggie, a seventeen year old woman leaving her sweetheart behind in Ireland to travel to a new life in America, along with 13 others in the little village. Having led a sheltered life, there were many experiences while on board which were described in depth.
Maggie was a young Irish woman in 1912 about to travel on the ill-fated Titanic and is intertwined with Grace her granddaughter in 1982. Maggie’s story motivates Grace to move on with flashbacks between 1912 and 1982, with multiple points of view from travelers of the same Irish village. When her great-grandmother Maggie shares the painful secret about Titanic that she's harbored for almost a lifetime, the revelation gives Grace new direction—and leads both her and Maggie to unexpected reunions with those they thought lost long ago.
A fictional account inspired by a real group of travelers who left Ireland to visit relatives in America. Maggie's parents have both died and her aunt Kathleen has come to Ireland, taking Maggie back to Chicago with her. While there, others have decided to join them in making the journey. Maggie is sad to be leaving her boyfriend, Seamus, behind. His father is sick so he won't be able to come, but tells her he'll be waiting for her to come home.
Lucky Harry, and Grace Butler, Maggie's great-granddaughter are also part of the story, as Harry is one of the stewards on the ship --Maggie and her friends get to know and later helps her get into one of the last lifeboats to leave. Grace's story takes place in Illinois in 1982. Grace's life was going well until her father died. She left college and her boyfriend, Jimmy, to help her mother. Maggie starts to help her get her life back, starting with telling her about her journey on the Titanic, a story she has never told anyone. Learning her great-grandmother's story gives Grace the courage to move on with her life.
When disaster strikes, Maggie is one of the few passengers in steerage to survive. Waking up alone in a New York hospital, she vows never to speak of the terror and panic of that fateful night again.
Grace was able to learn what was important to her and to go for it before it was too late and Maggie was able to do something she longed to do and was able to make peace. I did enjoy the section at the end of the book as the author shares the story behind the book and which parts were based on fact.
Inspired by true events, THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME, blends fact and fiction, exploring the Titanic tragedy's impact and its lasting repercussions on survivors and their descendants, which was bittersweet.
JDCMustReadBooks
Be sure and read her latest, A MEMORY OF VIOLETS A NOVEL OF LONDON’S FLOWER SELLERS (5 Stars)!
Maggie was a young Irish woman in 1912 about to travel on the ill-fated Titanic and is intertwined with Grace her granddaughter in 1982. Maggie’s story motivates Grace to move on with flashbacks between 1912 and 1982, with multiple points of view from travelers of the same Irish village. When her great-grandmother Maggie shares the painful secret about Titanic that she's harbored for almost a lifetime, the revelation gives Grace new direction—and leads both her and Maggie to unexpected reunions with those they thought lost long ago.
A fictional account inspired by a real group of travelers who left Ireland to visit relatives in America. Maggie's parents have both died and her aunt Kathleen has come to Ireland, taking Maggie back to Chicago with her. While there, others have decided to join them in making the journey. Maggie is sad to be leaving her boyfriend, Seamus, behind. His father is sick so he won't be able to come, but tells her he'll be waiting for her to come home.
Lucky Harry, and Grace Butler, Maggie's great-granddaughter are also part of the story, as Harry is one of the stewards on the ship --Maggie and her friends get to know and later helps her get into one of the last lifeboats to leave. Grace's story takes place in Illinois in 1982. Grace's life was going well until her father died. She left college and her boyfriend, Jimmy, to help her mother. Maggie starts to help her get her life back, starting with telling her about her journey on the Titanic, a story she has never told anyone. Learning her great-grandmother's story gives Grace the courage to move on with her life.
When disaster strikes, Maggie is one of the few passengers in steerage to survive. Waking up alone in a New York hospital, she vows never to speak of the terror and panic of that fateful night again.
Grace was able to learn what was important to her and to go for it before it was too late and Maggie was able to do something she longed to do and was able to make peace. I did enjoy the section at the end of the book as the author shares the story behind the book and which parts were based on fact.
Inspired by true events, THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME, blends fact and fiction, exploring the Titanic tragedy's impact and its lasting repercussions on survivors and their descendants, which was bittersweet.
JDCMustReadBooks
Be sure and read her latest, A MEMORY OF VIOLETS A NOVEL OF LONDON’S FLOWER SELLERS (5 Stars)!
January 26, 2015
Where I got the book: freebie on the Kindle.
Note (1/25/15): this review is of the original self-published version. The novel was subsequently republished by William Morrow, and it's quite possible a lot of the problems I mentioned were fixed.
This is a weak 3-star read, in my opinion. I was tempted to 2-star it, but I'm not going to do that for two reasons: it's a debut novel and therefore by definition not representative of the author's future development, and in some ways I rather enjoyed the story. I saw the twist in the tale coming a mile off, but it might come as a pleasant surprise to a less observant reader.
Things I liked: a) the cover. Great cover. b) the fact that it was about steerage passengers instead of banging on about the rich and famous all the time c) to some extent, the 1980s story that's woven in with it. d) The author handles dialogue well when there is dialogue. e) Maggie, the Titanic-era heroine, seems real and ordinary (after my last Titanic read I'm feeling allergic to super-talented heroines). (The 1980s heroine, on the other hand, was a super-talented writer. Sigh. I need to start keeping count of the number of heroines or major supporting characters in debut novels who are super-talented writers, and they write ONE THING and everyone falls on their faces and goes "we're not worthy, you're such a genius, have an important job in journalism" and so on.)
But I digress. My issue with this book can be summed up thus: the author seemed to take every opportunity to pull the reader out of the story and drop her into the Limbo of Annoyance. My status updates give my blow-by-blow opinions, but if you're a diehard reader (or especially if you're a writer) you'll recognize the symptoms: chunks of exposition, flashbacks, POV-hopping, and worse, easily checkable inaccuracies/anachronisms such as mentioning the Heimlich maneuver in the 1912 story.
The text could have done with a proofread - it wasn't too bad, but there were quite a few grocer's apostrophes, especially in family names, and some homonym errors. I'm not going to carp about the that/which issue, because having grown up in England I know that rule isn't generally respected over there, but I want to point it out. All in all, editing at the developmental and final stages could have done a great deal for this novel. The writing got better toward the end (another trend I often note in debut novels, and another reason to edit the heck out of your MS once you've written The End).
Finally, I'd like to give the author props for taking on the Titanic. It's not easy writing a story about an event that is well known to so many. I still haven't found the perfect Titanic novel, but writing about the steerage passengers is a good start if you ask me.
Note (1/25/15): this review is of the original self-published version. The novel was subsequently republished by William Morrow, and it's quite possible a lot of the problems I mentioned were fixed.
This is a weak 3-star read, in my opinion. I was tempted to 2-star it, but I'm not going to do that for two reasons: it's a debut novel and therefore by definition not representative of the author's future development, and in some ways I rather enjoyed the story. I saw the twist in the tale coming a mile off, but it might come as a pleasant surprise to a less observant reader.
Things I liked: a) the cover. Great cover. b) the fact that it was about steerage passengers instead of banging on about the rich and famous all the time c) to some extent, the 1980s story that's woven in with it. d) The author handles dialogue well when there is dialogue. e) Maggie, the Titanic-era heroine, seems real and ordinary (after my last Titanic read I'm feeling allergic to super-talented heroines). (The 1980s heroine, on the other hand, was a super-talented writer. Sigh. I need to start keeping count of the number of heroines or major supporting characters in debut novels who are super-talented writers, and they write ONE THING and everyone falls on their faces and goes "we're not worthy, you're such a genius, have an important job in journalism" and so on.)
But I digress. My issue with this book can be summed up thus: the author seemed to take every opportunity to pull the reader out of the story and drop her into the Limbo of Annoyance. My status updates give my blow-by-blow opinions, but if you're a diehard reader (or especially if you're a writer) you'll recognize the symptoms: chunks of exposition, flashbacks, POV-hopping, and worse, easily checkable inaccuracies/anachronisms such as mentioning the Heimlich maneuver in the 1912 story.
The text could have done with a proofread - it wasn't too bad, but there were quite a few grocer's apostrophes, especially in family names, and some homonym errors. I'm not going to carp about the that/which issue, because having grown up in England I know that rule isn't generally respected over there, but I want to point it out. All in all, editing at the developmental and final stages could have done a great deal for this novel. The writing got better toward the end (another trend I often note in debut novels, and another reason to edit the heck out of your MS once you've written The End).
Finally, I'd like to give the author props for taking on the Titanic. It's not easy writing a story about an event that is well known to so many. I still haven't found the perfect Titanic novel, but writing about the steerage passengers is a good start if you ask me.
June 25, 2020
I could read about the Titanic every single day and never get bored with it. The Girl Who Came Home was a fine addition to my collection, with well-drawn characters, brisk storytelling and a skillful mix of fact and fiction.
Titanic lore often focuses on the magnificence of the ship and the famous, wealthy people on board for its doomed maiden voyage. I enjoyed that this story brought to vivid life the experience of the third-class passengers who perished in much greater numbers, mostly as a poor and faceless mass.
We follow a group of 14 friends from Ireland, getting to know them as real people with their lives and loves and friendships and plans a better life in America. We hear how thrilled they were with small luxuries in their cabins, the plentiful foods and humble entertainments - all paltry in comparison with the opulence of first class, but probably treasured so much more.
Further lending depth and texture to these lives are glimpses of the loved ones they left behind in Ireland and those waiting for them at their final destinations in America. The unimaginable tragedy of the Titanic profoundly affects all of these people, as well as those who perished at sea.
The main character, Maggie Murphy, survives the sinking (no spoiler, it's right in the title) and goes on to live a good life. She never speaks of the tragedy, even to her family. But as the 70th anniversary of the sinking approaches, she is finally ready. She reveals her story to Grace, her great-granddaughter who is an aspiring journalist struggling with problems of her own. When the story is published, surprising developments help both Maggie and Grace come to terms with their pasts.
Titanic lore often focuses on the magnificence of the ship and the famous, wealthy people on board for its doomed maiden voyage. I enjoyed that this story brought to vivid life the experience of the third-class passengers who perished in much greater numbers, mostly as a poor and faceless mass.
We follow a group of 14 friends from Ireland, getting to know them as real people with their lives and loves and friendships and plans a better life in America. We hear how thrilled they were with small luxuries in their cabins, the plentiful foods and humble entertainments - all paltry in comparison with the opulence of first class, but probably treasured so much more.
Further lending depth and texture to these lives are glimpses of the loved ones they left behind in Ireland and those waiting for them at their final destinations in America. The unimaginable tragedy of the Titanic profoundly affects all of these people, as well as those who perished at sea.
The main character, Maggie Murphy, survives the sinking (no spoiler, it's right in the title) and goes on to live a good life. She never speaks of the tragedy, even to her family. But as the 70th anniversary of the sinking approaches, she is finally ready. She reveals her story to Grace, her great-granddaughter who is an aspiring journalist struggling with problems of her own. When the story is published, surprising developments help both Maggie and Grace come to terms with their pasts.
April 7, 2020
Enjoyed this book very much... some interesting twists!
August 28, 2019
I am fascinated with the story of the Titanic. This is the fictional account of 14 young people who are leaving Ireland with hopes and dreams of a better life in America.The fictional Maggie Murphy leaves the love of her love to travel with her aunt Kathleen. Maggie’s mother has just died leaving Maggie an orphan. Maggie is only 17 and has no choice but to go. Her heart is broken, but promises Seamus she will return to Ireland,
Maggie survives this horrific ordeal and is one of the last to get on a lifeboat. They are rescued by the Carpathia and brought to New York. Maggie never found her aunt and arrives alone. Maggie keeps a journal that she writes daily, but she is so traumatized by her ordeal, she doesn’t tell another sole.
Maggie goes on with her life, she can never return back to Ireland. She marries and has a family,
Finally when Maggie is 90 years old she decides to share her journal and story with her great granddaughter Grace.
What I like about this book was it centered on the people traveling in steerage, not the rich and famous. We learned how they felt.
Also this book is based on the account of 14 young immigrants known as Addergoole Group from Mayo, Ireland, never to be heard from again. Maggie is one of them. Their names have been changed in the book. Maggie tells the story in her voice.
I just loved this book.
Maggie survives this horrific ordeal and is one of the last to get on a lifeboat. They are rescued by the Carpathia and brought to New York. Maggie never found her aunt and arrives alone. Maggie keeps a journal that she writes daily, but she is so traumatized by her ordeal, she doesn’t tell another sole.
Maggie goes on with her life, she can never return back to Ireland. She marries and has a family,
Finally when Maggie is 90 years old she decides to share her journal and story with her great granddaughter Grace.
What I like about this book was it centered on the people traveling in steerage, not the rich and famous. We learned how they felt.
Also this book is based on the account of 14 young immigrants known as Addergoole Group from Mayo, Ireland, never to be heard from again. Maggie is one of them. Their names have been changed in the book. Maggie tells the story in her voice.
I just loved this book.
April 8, 2012
I must say, before I begin to describe my experience with this story, that I liked it and was charmed by its simplicity. It was innocent and sweeping, an easy warm weather read.
This book has its problems. The names of many of the characters are confusing in their similarity and origin, so it can be hard to decipher who the author is talking about. There are grammar/punctuation errors which may cause a reader to review a sentence once or twice to really decipher the meaning.
Still, I feel all of those hindrances can be overlooked. This is both Maggie Murphy's story of leaving her Irish lover behind, adapting to being a 'third class' passenger on a luxury liner, and surviving the Titanic's disaster as well as her great grand-daughter's story of spiritual rebirth. A reader gets to see both women come to accept their personal tragedies as a stepping stone to happy, fulfilled lives.
My favorite thing about this book was not the rich description of Irish life, the authentic portrayal of class inequality, or the lingering injustice of all those travelers' deaths but that, after so much struggle and heartbreak, a happy ending is given to both the leading female characters and us readers.
This book has its problems. The names of many of the characters are confusing in their similarity and origin, so it can be hard to decipher who the author is talking about. There are grammar/punctuation errors which may cause a reader to review a sentence once or twice to really decipher the meaning.
Still, I feel all of those hindrances can be overlooked. This is both Maggie Murphy's story of leaving her Irish lover behind, adapting to being a 'third class' passenger on a luxury liner, and surviving the Titanic's disaster as well as her great grand-daughter's story of spiritual rebirth. A reader gets to see both women come to accept their personal tragedies as a stepping stone to happy, fulfilled lives.
My favorite thing about this book was not the rich description of Irish life, the authentic portrayal of class inequality, or the lingering injustice of all those travelers' deaths but that, after so much struggle and heartbreak, a happy ending is given to both the leading female characters and us readers.
December 24, 2017
I've read a few books about Titanic and each one had a slightly different perspective and offered a little more information. This one, however, does not and seems to be content to try to ride on the coattails of the blockbuster movie. It fell very flat for me and the only way I could finish was to skim and speed read to the end. If you're looking for a new angle to the Titanic story, I recommend The Midnight Watch by David Dyer.
November 17, 2024
5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This book was a tragic, emotional read for me, but it had moments of excitement, sweetness and surprise that delivered for me. An historical fiction based on the true events of the Titanic. I loved the way Hazel Gaynor wrote and presented this story. She has a knack of holding back some important details and making the story “pop”right at the correct moment. To me that’s what makes a story great…waiting for that moment when a surprise is revealed. She did her research well and the characters reflected real people. I was taken in by these fourteen Irish people who traveled to America together, in search of a better life, who were known as the Addergoole fourteen.
Maggie Murphy from Ireland is one of the few passengers from the steerage level of the ship to survive and this is her story. She is age 87 now and she tells her story to Grace, her great grand daughter in the year 1982 in Chicago, Illinois. Her journey reveals a remarkable life lived.
The majestic “unsinkable” ship leaves port in Ireland on April 11th and sinks on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg. Fifteen hundred people go down with it…A brand new ocean liner that is solid and unsinkable…or thought to be.
Tragically, only about 650 women and children survived on the emergency rafts and lived to remember the unspeakable nightmares.
As Maggie tells her story to her grand daughter she is troubled and struggles with
“Why would God have spared me , an insignificant young girl from Ireland. When so many others drowned?” She was only seventeen and impacted by loss.
Maggie and her grand daughter revisit a journey of many years ago. There is love and memories of lost loves, family and friends tragically taken throughout this story.
It tugged at my heartstrings in a good way. The ending of Maggie’s life settled well, after so much grief.
Maggie Murphy from Ireland is one of the few passengers from the steerage level of the ship to survive and this is her story. She is age 87 now and she tells her story to Grace, her great grand daughter in the year 1982 in Chicago, Illinois. Her journey reveals a remarkable life lived.
The majestic “unsinkable” ship leaves port in Ireland on April 11th and sinks on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg. Fifteen hundred people go down with it…A brand new ocean liner that is solid and unsinkable…or thought to be.
Tragically, only about 650 women and children survived on the emergency rafts and lived to remember the unspeakable nightmares.
As Maggie tells her story to her grand daughter she is troubled and struggles with
“Why would God have spared me , an insignificant young girl from Ireland. When so many others drowned?” She was only seventeen and impacted by loss.
Maggie and her grand daughter revisit a journey of many years ago. There is love and memories of lost loves, family and friends tragically taken throughout this story.
It tugged at my heartstrings in a good way. The ending of Maggie’s life settled well, after so much grief.
August 25, 2020
3 Stars.
I enjoyed the characters and sections of the book set in 1912 (Maggie was charming), but found the 1982 characters uninteresting. Grace's love interest was under characterized and bland; as was Grace for the most part. So, 4 stars for the parts set in 1912 and 2 stars for the parts set in 1982.
I enjoyed the characters and sections of the book set in 1912 (Maggie was charming), but found the 1982 characters uninteresting. Grace's love interest was under characterized and bland; as was Grace for the most part. So, 4 stars for the parts set in 1912 and 2 stars for the parts set in 1982.
April 10, 2022
a very beautiful story about a titanic tragedy survivor. wonderfully written and absolutely lovely.
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