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De dienstbode
In 1908 vertrekt de zestienjarige Ierse Bridey naar Amerika op zoek naar een beter leven. Alleen, maar zwanger, komt ze aan in Manhattan. Ze vindt onderdak bij de nonnen, maar wordt gedwongen haar baby af te staan. Na een zware start komt ze als dienstmeisje terecht in Hollingwood, het landhuis van de rijke Hollingworths. Bridey ziet de toekomst weer met vertrouwen tegemoet en ze ontfermt zich over hun geadopteerde zoontje alsof het haar eigen kind is. Maar wanneer de patriarch onder mysterieuze omstandigheden overlijdt, verandert Brideys leven voorgoed. Jarenlang achtervolgen haar geheimen de Hollingworths tot een van de nazaten een voorwerp vindt dat al die tijd verborgen heeft gelegen en dat licht werpt op een donkere geschiedenis.
432 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2018
254 people are currently reading
7192 people want to read
About the author
Helen Klein Ross
6 books383 followersHelen's third novel The Latecomers will be published by Little, Brown on November 6, 2018. Told in interweaving timelines, this story spans an American century, bringing steam engines, top hats and suffragettes into brilliant collision with cell phones, 9/11 and ancestry apps.
Helen's poetry, essays, and fiction have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, literary journals and in anthologies, including SHORT, published in 2014 by Persea Books. Her first novel, Making It: A Novel of Madison Avenue, published in 2013 by Gallery/Simon and Schuster, is an e-book featuring the first digital epilogue. Her bestselling novel What Was Mine, published in 2016, tells the tale of a woman who kidnaps a baby from a shopping cart and gets away with it until the baby turns 21.
Helen is also the creator and editor of a poetry anthology, The Traveler's Vade Mecum, from Red Hen Press. Over 80 poets-- including Frank Bidart, David Lehman and Billy Collins-- wrote to telegram titles from an 1853 compendium that provides a glimpse into habits and social aspects of nineteenth-century America.
Helen lives in New York City and Lakeville, Connecticut where she is on the board of a haven for book lovers: Scoville Memorial Library.
Helen's poetry, essays, and fiction have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, literary journals and in anthologies, including SHORT, published in 2014 by Persea Books. Her first novel, Making It: A Novel of Madison Avenue, published in 2013 by Gallery/Simon and Schuster, is an e-book featuring the first digital epilogue. Her bestselling novel What Was Mine, published in 2016, tells the tale of a woman who kidnaps a baby from a shopping cart and gets away with it until the baby turns 21.
Helen is also the creator and editor of a poetry anthology, The Traveler's Vade Mecum, from Red Hen Press. Over 80 poets-- including Frank Bidart, David Lehman and Billy Collins-- wrote to telegram titles from an 1853 compendium that provides a glimpse into habits and social aspects of nineteenth-century America.
Helen lives in New York City and Lakeville, Connecticut where she is on the board of a haven for book lovers: Scoville Memorial Library.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
November 7, 2018
It’s not often I’ve picked a book because of its cover, but it’s what led me to The
Latecomers. A family saga, of sorts, it deals with the Hollingsworth family along with their live-in maid, Bridey. Bridey came over from Ireland as a 16 year old. Unfortunate circumstances led to her beau dying on the crossing but not before leaving her pregnant. While at a home for unwed mothers, she meets Sarah Hollingworth and is soon working for the family.
The story is well told and you quickly come to care for the characters. Each chapter deals with a different time period, told from either Bridey or Sarah’s POV and later, from Vincent’s and succeeding generations. Ross has done an excellent job of painting the early time periods, including the thoughts and prejudices of the day. She obviously did her research, because everything just seems spot on.
The book speeds up at the end. Over ⅔ involves Bridey and Sarah, but then all of a sudden, generation after generation is thrust on us. It was harder to keep tabs of the later generations as some only get a chapter or two. In the end, all is made clear. Not to the reader, who has understood the truth of a certain death all along, but to those later generations.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advance copy of this book.
August 10, 2018
Well, if a book's author doesn't give it five stars, you have to wonder! Full disclosure: I am the author. This book started out in the walls of an old house my husband and I were renovating in a small town in New England. The house was built by the governor of Connecticut in 1853. In the library, there’s a floor-to-ceiling bookcase with sliding glass doors. The glass is engraved 1860 and I’d wonder what conversations took place in that room, as a Civil War was brewing. I made up a story based on conversations I imagined. The story is fiction. But the house is real. You can read about it here http://www.bringingbackholleywood.com
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December 26, 2018Putting aside for now. Not in the mood for a generational novel with two timelines , at the moment.
August 26, 2018
As I read Helen Klein Ross's new novel, "The Latecomers", I was pretty sure of rating it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It was a well-written novel about a multi-generational family, centered around a house in Wellington, Connecticut. The family, the Hollingworths, had wed, bred, and died in the house for years when a young Irish immigrant, Bridey Molloy was hired to work for the family before WW1. Bridey, who had born a son from a pregnancy begun on her passage from Ireland to the United States with a fellow who'd died on board the ship, was the lynch pin for a hundred or so years of Hollingworth family history. The book, which had seemed a solid 4, was raised to a 5 by the time I finished.
Helen Klein Ross's book is written in different voices at different time periods. Her family history involves such times as September 11, 2001, as well as 1895 til 1930. Ross proves a master at NOT making the voice and time changes confusing for the reader. She keeps everything straight. She conveniently puts a family tree in the front of the book, to help the reader along with any questions of parenthood they may have.
Why write a family history, with at least 15 major characters and 15 minor ones? It's difficult to write much about every character and keep the book somewhat less than Bible-length, but Ross brings the various family members alive and manages to throw in a mystery. Ross's book was a great read and I can heartily recommend it.
Note to publisher/editor: I think you need to check to see if all the names remain the same throughout the book. In the readers' copy I have, Vincent's daughter Abby is referred to as Connie late in the book.
Helen Klein Ross's book is written in different voices at different time periods. Her family history involves such times as September 11, 2001, as well as 1895 til 1930. Ross proves a master at NOT making the voice and time changes confusing for the reader. She keeps everything straight. She conveniently puts a family tree in the front of the book, to help the reader along with any questions of parenthood they may have.
Why write a family history, with at least 15 major characters and 15 minor ones? It's difficult to write much about every character and keep the book somewhat less than Bible-length, but Ross brings the various family members alive and manages to throw in a mystery. Ross's book was a great read and I can heartily recommend it.
Note to publisher/editor: I think you need to check to see if all the names remain the same throughout the book. In the readers' copy I have, Vincent's daughter Abby is referred to as Connie late in the book.
September 19, 2018
Book addicts will relate to this: that wonderful feeling of excitement and expectation as you hold in your hand a 400+ page historical novel; turn to the front and find an old and complicated Family Tree, and turning to the back you discover a Bibliography which included novels that you have read and loved! Bliss! But that angel of practicality and experience over your shoulder whispers in your ear: "Don't get too excited lest you be disappointed." Reader: I was not disappointed!
So I began, Helen Klein Ross' new novel, "The Latecomers" which chronicles the life of two very different main characters: Bridey Molloy– a fin de siècle immigrant from Ireland who now works as a housekeeper at Hollingsworth, a grand family home in Wellington, Connecticut, and Sarah Hollingsworth eldest daughter and heir to the estate.
One of the fun things about reading an historical novel is knowing the future, of which the characters don’t. In the 1920s the characters think “that every improvement worth inventing had been now invented” – electricity brought lights and toasters and vacuum cleaners! The telephone revolutionized communication, the car completely changed transportation, roads, and cities. The “talkies” were miraculous! Imagine if these characters could see OUR reality - fewer than a hundred years in the future? I still look at my iPhone and ponder the amazing technology of my own time!
As in all family sagas that span generations, there are secrets that will be revealed, and some that will not, and endings both sad and satisfying. The ending felt a bit rushed; after spending so much time in the early part of the 20th century with Bridey and Sarah, we suddenly find ourselves in the 21st century with entirely new family members!
Don’t let the page number daunt you – this novel is fast-paced; I picked it up expecting to savor it for the week, but I couldn’t put it down so it didn’t last past Tuesday!
So I began, Helen Klein Ross' new novel, "The Latecomers" which chronicles the life of two very different main characters: Bridey Molloy– a fin de siècle immigrant from Ireland who now works as a housekeeper at Hollingsworth, a grand family home in Wellington, Connecticut, and Sarah Hollingsworth eldest daughter and heir to the estate.
One of the fun things about reading an historical novel is knowing the future, of which the characters don’t. In the 1920s the characters think “that every improvement worth inventing had been now invented” – electricity brought lights and toasters and vacuum cleaners! The telephone revolutionized communication, the car completely changed transportation, roads, and cities. The “talkies” were miraculous! Imagine if these characters could see OUR reality - fewer than a hundred years in the future? I still look at my iPhone and ponder the amazing technology of my own time!
As in all family sagas that span generations, there are secrets that will be revealed, and some that will not, and endings both sad and satisfying. The ending felt a bit rushed; after spending so much time in the early part of the 20th century with Bridey and Sarah, we suddenly find ourselves in the 21st century with entirely new family members!
Don’t let the page number daunt you – this novel is fast-paced; I picked it up expecting to savor it for the week, but I couldn’t put it down so it didn’t last past Tuesday!
Want to read
September 6, 2018Ooooo.....that cover! Exquisite! <3
November 27, 2018
A lovely, touching read about young Bridey who runs off with her beloved, Thom in 1908 during the time when immigrants where making their way to America to seek a better life for themselves. Before the couple can reach American shores Thom dies of shipboard fever and Bridey finds herself with child trying to survive the mean streets of New York alone. This was well written and depicts the plight of what immigrants had to endure during the turn of the century which so fascinates me because of the history this country was founded on. Well worth picking up.
July 6, 2018
Everything I look for in a historical fiction...an orphan! Irish immigrants! creepy family mysteries! a huge old house! Helen Klein Ross must have been reading my mind.
August 10, 2022
Wat een mooi boek. In het begin is de hoofdpersoon Bridey, een Iers meisje dat met haar verloofde naar Amerika vaart. Maar Thom sterft tijdens de reis aan een infectie. Bridey komt alleen aan in Amerika, zwanger.
Ze wordt opgenomen in een tehuis voor immigrantenmeisjes, maar als haar zwangerschap vordert, moet ze daar weg. Ze kan dan op een andere plaats terecht, maar na de bevalling zit er niets anders op dan haar zoontje af te staan: wat zou ze als ongehuwde immigrantenmoeder in haar eentje moeten beginnen?
Ze komt terecht als dienstmeisje op Hollingrood, het huis van de familie Hollingworth.
Ondertussen hebben we in aparte hoofdstukken al kunnen kennismaken met deze familie.
De huidige meesteres van het huis, Sarah, die geen kinderen kan krijgen, adopteert Vincent, het zoontje van Bridey, die door zijn vorige pleegouders teruggestuurd was naar het tehuis.
Bridey mag zijn kindermeisje zijn.
Vanaf dan zijn de levens van de Hollingworths en Bridey en haar zoon verweven. Het is een leven van vreugde en verdriet, en op een gegeven moment wordt Bridey zelfs van moord beschuldigd en ze vlucht terug naar Ierland.
Vincent bereikt de gezegende ouderdom van 96 jaar. Het is één van zijn nakomelingen die uiteindelijk terug in contact komt met de nakomelingen van Bridey...
De geschiedenis van de beide families wordt op een boeiende een aangrijpende manier verteld. We leren verschillende generaties van de Hollingworths kennen, in de verschillende tijdsvakken waarin ze leven, en het is niet moeilijk om met hen mee te leven. Een boek dat ik graag gelezen heb!
Ze wordt opgenomen in een tehuis voor immigrantenmeisjes, maar als haar zwangerschap vordert, moet ze daar weg. Ze kan dan op een andere plaats terecht, maar na de bevalling zit er niets anders op dan haar zoontje af te staan: wat zou ze als ongehuwde immigrantenmoeder in haar eentje moeten beginnen?
Ze komt terecht als dienstmeisje op Hollingrood, het huis van de familie Hollingworth.
Ondertussen hebben we in aparte hoofdstukken al kunnen kennismaken met deze familie.
De huidige meesteres van het huis, Sarah, die geen kinderen kan krijgen, adopteert Vincent, het zoontje van Bridey, die door zijn vorige pleegouders teruggestuurd was naar het tehuis.
Bridey mag zijn kindermeisje zijn.
Vanaf dan zijn de levens van de Hollingworths en Bridey en haar zoon verweven. Het is een leven van vreugde en verdriet, en op een gegeven moment wordt Bridey zelfs van moord beschuldigd en ze vlucht terug naar Ierland.
Vincent bereikt de gezegende ouderdom van 96 jaar. Het is één van zijn nakomelingen die uiteindelijk terug in contact komt met de nakomelingen van Bridey...
De geschiedenis van de beide families wordt op een boeiende een aangrijpende manier verteld. We leren verschillende generaties van de Hollingworths kennen, in de verschillende tijdsvakken waarin ze leven, en het is niet moeilijk om met hen mee te leven. Een boek dat ik graag gelezen heb!
October 7, 2018
The Latecomers by Helen Klein Ross is a multi-generational story of an American family and the Irish immigrant with whom they share a secret. Ross was inspired by a real 1853 Connecticut house, Holleywood.
The novel begins in 1908 when Bridey and Thom plan to secretly marry and immigrant to America because of the feud between their Irish families. The marriage is delayed and Thom dies of ship fever, leaving a pregnant Bridey to fend for herself in America.
Bridey must give her son for adoption and is hired as a maid for the wealthy Hollingsworth family. Their relationship becomes complicated upon the death of the patriarch, causing Bridey to return to Ireland.
The story follows the Hollingsworth family through generations, set against the burgeoning changes in American life, until a long-lost secret is rediscovered through genealogical research.
I had just finished watching Downton Abbey for the first time (yes, I know, years after everyone else saw it.) The early part of the novel reminded me of that series, from the time era to the upstairs/downstairs multigenerational relationships. Except, this story is set in America and continues into contemporary times.
My concern was that the story slowed down in the middle. There is a lot of 'telling' when I would have liked more dialogue and action. I know it is on trend, but I still don't care for a prelude scene with people and a situation not revisited until the end of the book.
Ross's extensive research shows in the period details she includes in the story. Historical fiction fans who enjoy learning about history in a sprawling novel spanning generations will enjoy this book.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
The novel begins in 1908 when Bridey and Thom plan to secretly marry and immigrant to America because of the feud between their Irish families. The marriage is delayed and Thom dies of ship fever, leaving a pregnant Bridey to fend for herself in America.
Bridey must give her son for adoption and is hired as a maid for the wealthy Hollingsworth family. Their relationship becomes complicated upon the death of the patriarch, causing Bridey to return to Ireland.
The story follows the Hollingsworth family through generations, set against the burgeoning changes in American life, until a long-lost secret is rediscovered through genealogical research.
I had just finished watching Downton Abbey for the first time (yes, I know, years after everyone else saw it.) The early part of the novel reminded me of that series, from the time era to the upstairs/downstairs multigenerational relationships. Except, this story is set in America and continues into contemporary times.
My concern was that the story slowed down in the middle. There is a lot of 'telling' when I would have liked more dialogue and action. I know it is on trend, but I still don't care for a prelude scene with people and a situation not revisited until the end of the book.
Ross's extensive research shows in the period details she includes in the story. Historical fiction fans who enjoy learning about history in a sprawling novel spanning generations will enjoy this book.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
November 5, 2018
Bridey and Thom leave Ireland for America, planning to wed once they arrive. Thom dies aboard ship, and Bridey arrives in America pregnant. She considers returning to her family in Ireland, but remains. A young woman who helps Bridey helps her place the child with a Catholic charity and provides Bridey with a job. When the woman's own child dies in birth, she adopts from the charity with Bridey still working for the family. The bond between Bridey and Vincent is strong. Bridey returns to Ireland when the family's patriarch dies. The story follows several more generations in a somewhat chaotic matter. The flow between the older generation and the newer ones does not work well for the reader. Genetic genealogists will love the epilogue. The author provides historical notes and a good bibliography, features unusual for a novel. I really enjoyed Bridey and Thom's story, the story of Bridey's first days in America, and giving up the child for adoption. I even enjoyed some of Bridey's story after that point. Unfortunately, the more the story began to focus on the Hollingworth family, the less interested I became in the story being read. The character development that took place in the early generations did not extend to the later ones. Those generations felt rushed. What started as a good read became just a mediocre one for me. I received an electronic copy from the publishers through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.
August 14, 2022
This was incredibly engaging. Bridey is an Irish girl whose father will not allow her to marry her love Thom. They try to elope but the priest is unavailable but board the boat to America anyway. He unfortunately dies on the journey and she finds herself pregnant and alone in a new country.
We follow her story for most of the novel but then her son's story takes over and then his daughter and granddaughter. Although I was heartbroken for Bridey for most of the story it is also an incredible story of strength and resiliance.
We follow her story for most of the novel but then her son's story takes over and then his daughter and granddaughter. Although I was heartbroken for Bridey for most of the story it is also an incredible story of strength and resiliance.
November 27, 2018
Spellbinding historical fiction spanning five generations, plenty of secrets, richly researched, and highly detailed, THE LATECOMERS has a little something for everyone.
Helen Klein Ross has outdone herself. Several years ago, I read her stunning and compelling WHAT WAS MINE and immediately fell in love; that story stuck with me and I raced to the climatic ending. THE LATECOMERS (Little, Brown November 2018) is a completely different kind of tale--but it's just as good and showcases Klein-Ross's historical writing--which absolutely shimmers. The author's research is evident as much of the book features experiences of America and beyond through the years 1908-2018--and isn't overdone.
We start off in 1908 Ireland--Bridey is 16 years old when she runs off with her beau, Thom to America. Thom dies suddenly of ship fever on their ocean crossing and Bridey finds herself alone and pregnant in NYC.
Forced to give the baby up for adoption, Bridey then takes a job as a housekeeper at a lavish estate, Hollingwood. But that child continues to haunt her every moment. So, too does Thom. She befriends her employer, and readers are given a glimpse into the privileged lives of Sarah and Edmund, even that of the child she gave up for adoption.
Much of THE LATECOMERS is told from multiple POVs traversing time periods, but we almost always come back to Bridey, whom I enjoyed very much. There's love and longing, death and loss, orphans, illness, an old sprawling estate (which I was in love with), issues surrounding women and class, religion, and so much more. Each character is imbued with such authenticity, such gumption, that I felt closely connected to them; the author clearly shows empathy for all of them; even the less-favorable ones.
The middle-end felt a teensy-bit rushed to me and I wondered how the author was going to tie up all the loose ends--but she does, beautifully--leaving us to ponder: just how much can we bury the past?
THE LATECOMERS is such a fabulous study in historical fiction and I would place it in the ranks of J. Courtney Sullivan's SAINTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS meets Colm Toibin's BROOKLYN meets Christina Baker Klein's ORPHAN TRAIN. I am in such awe with the rich details, the obvious research. A fabulous family saga that is not to be missed.
For all my reviews, including author interviews, please see: www.leslielindsay.com
Special thanks to Little, Brown for this review copy. All thoughts are my own.
Helen Klein Ross has outdone herself. Several years ago, I read her stunning and compelling WHAT WAS MINE and immediately fell in love; that story stuck with me and I raced to the climatic ending. THE LATECOMERS (Little, Brown November 2018) is a completely different kind of tale--but it's just as good and showcases Klein-Ross's historical writing--which absolutely shimmers. The author's research is evident as much of the book features experiences of America and beyond through the years 1908-2018--and isn't overdone.
We start off in 1908 Ireland--Bridey is 16 years old when she runs off with her beau, Thom to America. Thom dies suddenly of ship fever on their ocean crossing and Bridey finds herself alone and pregnant in NYC.
Forced to give the baby up for adoption, Bridey then takes a job as a housekeeper at a lavish estate, Hollingwood. But that child continues to haunt her every moment. So, too does Thom. She befriends her employer, and readers are given a glimpse into the privileged lives of Sarah and Edmund, even that of the child she gave up for adoption.
Much of THE LATECOMERS is told from multiple POVs traversing time periods, but we almost always come back to Bridey, whom I enjoyed very much. There's love and longing, death and loss, orphans, illness, an old sprawling estate (which I was in love with), issues surrounding women and class, religion, and so much more. Each character is imbued with such authenticity, such gumption, that I felt closely connected to them; the author clearly shows empathy for all of them; even the less-favorable ones.
The middle-end felt a teensy-bit rushed to me and I wondered how the author was going to tie up all the loose ends--but she does, beautifully--leaving us to ponder: just how much can we bury the past?
THE LATECOMERS is such a fabulous study in historical fiction and I would place it in the ranks of J. Courtney Sullivan's SAINTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS meets Colm Toibin's BROOKLYN meets Christina Baker Klein's ORPHAN TRAIN. I am in such awe with the rich details, the obvious research. A fabulous family saga that is not to be missed.
For all my reviews, including author interviews, please see: www.leslielindsay.com
Special thanks to Little, Brown for this review copy. All thoughts are my own.
January 3, 2019
This generational saga was instantly engaging, and remained so throughout! I loved the various narrators and the different periods which were not sequential, but rather provided tantalizing hints of what was to come or what might have already happened! Irish immigration, an historical old house, the upstairs-downstairs aspect – all were strains which drew me in and tied the strands firmly. Helen Klein Ross is a master story teller! I actually wasn’t that taken with her previous novel, but upon learning of the makeup of this one it went to the top of the list! Fascinating to learn was that the author and her husband had bought an old manor house in Connecticut in 2010, and there the story took root. Her access to diaries and letters made extensive research possible, lending rich credibility to the historical tone of the novel.
December 8, 2020
I read an advanced copy of this book from Book of the Month. I love historical fiction, especially when it's told through different viewpoints and jumps around in time. It's like putting together a puzzle- I can't get through it fast enough! Yet I wanted to savor it as well (and I also had to take breaks to read up on the real-life events that were sprinkled in). I laughed and I cried. Loved it!
March 9, 2020
The author's research was impeccable-- I especially enjoyed the section at the end of the book explaining historical events/context.
First third was four stars--I am a sucker for tragic love stories/secret pregnancy in my historical novels. The unwed mothers homes were heartbreaking and I sped through those. Likewise, the descriptions of the orphanage broke my heart. We stumbled on the last two thirds.
The Emma subplot, though it rounded out the book, felt unnecessary. I understand that Emma's story provided a contrast to Bridey's (ie pregnancy scares/feelings on sexuality) but the opening chapter's "surprise" reveal that it took place on September 11th felt arbitrary/unearned. I remember watching those on TV as an elementary student--it's become a cultural touchstone of modern fiction and it has to be done well to really grab me. As soon as a book says "September 2001" my mind puts it in context of the attacks and revealing that her father worked in the Towers at the end of the chapter felt like cheating. There was no twist to be had since the reader's mind was already there, and I assume many others were in my boat.
Meanwhile, Sarah, Vincent and family didn't have much of my sympathy. Sarah's jealousy of Bridey, though understandable, got old fast. And jumping to a murder conclusion in part because of that jealousy? Eugh. Vincent as a child was wonderful, but boarding school changed him into a cold character with a minor alcohol problem. Yawn. His kids were also pretty meh--I've seen the rebellious child of the 60s/70s trope and I'm over it.
Overall, not a bad book, it just left me cold. You may really enjoy the historical context and intersections of old and new! I just wasn't in the right head space from the get-go.
First third was four stars--I am a sucker for tragic love stories/secret pregnancy in my historical novels. The unwed mothers homes were heartbreaking and I sped through those. Likewise, the descriptions of the orphanage broke my heart. We stumbled on the last two thirds.
The Emma subplot, though it rounded out the book, felt unnecessary. I understand that Emma's story provided a contrast to Bridey's (ie pregnancy scares/feelings on sexuality) but the opening chapter's "surprise" reveal that it took place on September 11th felt arbitrary/unearned. I remember watching those on TV as an elementary student--it's become a cultural touchstone of modern fiction and it has to be done well to really grab me. As soon as a book says "September 2001" my mind puts it in context of the attacks and revealing that her father worked in the Towers at the end of the chapter felt like cheating. There was no twist to be had since the reader's mind was already there, and I assume many others were in my boat.
Meanwhile, Sarah, Vincent and family didn't have much of my sympathy. Sarah's jealousy of Bridey, though understandable, got old fast. And jumping to a murder conclusion in part because of that jealousy? Eugh. Vincent as a child was wonderful, but boarding school changed him into a cold character with a minor alcohol problem. Yawn. His kids were also pretty meh--I've seen the rebellious child of the 60s/70s trope and I'm over it.
Overall, not a bad book, it just left me cold. You may really enjoy the historical context and intersections of old and new! I just wasn't in the right head space from the get-go.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2019
I wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded great. However, the pacing was way too slow for me. Try as I might, I just couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. Every page was a chore to read, and this book would just sit there mocking me. Added to my DNF pile.
(I won this book from a Goodreads Giveaway.)
(I won this book from a Goodreads Giveaway.)
May 4, 2019
Skip this one, pal.
April 8, 2023
A trip through history led by Sarah and Bridey is woven together to create a spectacular tapestry. The moving story of an Irish immigrant as she tackles the hurdles of life in America from the turn of the 20th century to post 9/11.
The writing is outstanding, it reads like a biography rather than fiction. The author does an amazing job of bringing the period alive.
The writing is outstanding, it reads like a biography rather than fiction. The author does an amazing job of bringing the period alive.
September 8, 2018
THE LATECOMERS is certainly one of the best novels of recent vintage. I was so engrossed from the moment I met Bridey Molloy that I was unable to leave the book for a moment.
Ross manages to combine the family history of Bridey and her son with that of the wealthy Hollinghursts, while incorporating the history of the 20th century. It is never boring since the skillful weaving of the stories of the characters, caught in the swirl of the times, kept me turning pages.
Oh, how I loved the characters, but as a teacher, I had to admire the incredible research that went into this novel making it a journey through the century. The author describes not only the significant events and movements of the time period, but even the decorative arts and inventions that changed life.
The heart of the novel is the life of Bridey, running away from Ireland with her intended, and within days finding herself alone and pregnant in New York City. It is this pregnancy and the adoption of her child that is the center of this book. The secondary characters are very well-developed and the family is followed through many generations.
Even the terrible secret that could have ruined Bridey's life is revealed and the author does a wonderful job of bringing closure to the reader. That last moment is fueled by a new technology that has come into broad use.
Klein Ross simply doesn't miss a thing in this book.
I highly recommend this novel to book clubs and to classes in Woman's Studies and modern American history. Part of the uniqueness of the book is that is a wonderful novel wrapped around a well researched story of American. With all the talk about immigration, it provides an interesting look at the lives of female immigrants around the turn of the century. Despite the happenstance of her son's adoption, it also speaks to the control of a young woman's body and the enslavement to the constant danger of giving birth without respite or choice.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this novel and the fascinating journey that I had the fortune to take.
Ross manages to combine the family history of Bridey and her son with that of the wealthy Hollinghursts, while incorporating the history of the 20th century. It is never boring since the skillful weaving of the stories of the characters, caught in the swirl of the times, kept me turning pages.
Oh, how I loved the characters, but as a teacher, I had to admire the incredible research that went into this novel making it a journey through the century. The author describes not only the significant events and movements of the time period, but even the decorative arts and inventions that changed life.
The heart of the novel is the life of Bridey, running away from Ireland with her intended, and within days finding herself alone and pregnant in New York City. It is this pregnancy and the adoption of her child that is the center of this book. The secondary characters are very well-developed and the family is followed through many generations.
Even the terrible secret that could have ruined Bridey's life is revealed and the author does a wonderful job of bringing closure to the reader. That last moment is fueled by a new technology that has come into broad use.
Klein Ross simply doesn't miss a thing in this book.
I highly recommend this novel to book clubs and to classes in Woman's Studies and modern American history. Part of the uniqueness of the book is that is a wonderful novel wrapped around a well researched story of American. With all the talk about immigration, it provides an interesting look at the lives of female immigrants around the turn of the century. Despite the happenstance of her son's adoption, it also speaks to the control of a young woman's body and the enslavement to the constant danger of giving birth without respite or choice.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this novel and the fascinating journey that I had the fortune to take.
September 18, 2018
I have to say that I couldn’t wait to read this book based on the description and it did not disappoint! It was everything I thought it would be and more: a wonderful story that grabbed me right from the start, characters that I grew to love ( especially Bridey), and a real sense of time and place with period details. I loved every minute of it and didn’t want it to end, yet the end was perfect. I just wish I had someone to discuss it with! This would make a terrific book club book and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Thanks to Little Brown & Company and Netgalley for the advanced digital review copy!
Thanks to Little Brown & Company and Netgalley for the advanced digital review copy!
December 11, 2018
Review posted on blog.
January 24, 2019
I liked the history, but the characters were strangely unengaging. Might have been that the last third of the book felt rushed and like it skipped from generation to generation with little connection. It should have stayed focused on the 2 main characters (the biological and the adoptive mothers) instead of trying to cover 3 extra generations.
June 15, 2019
Round up to 4.5 stars.
January 8, 2019
Juxtaposing past and present, “The Latecomers” by Helen Klein Ross follows Bridey, an Irish immigrant, who worked as hired help in the Hollingworth family home for many years during the early 1900's. Located in the lower east side of New York City, Hollingwood hosted the monumental social and technological changes of the twentieth century. I loved Bridey, Dorothy, Vincent and the other characters and I appreciated how authentically--and without melodrama--their lives spun out. Secrets were secreted, and everyday objects became their clues. Ross’s pacing was ever so precise, with generations passing first slowly and then swiftly with the storyteller's eye never leaving the secrets of the past. Perhaps the story line that included 9/11 felt a bit artificial, but overall it was minor distraction. This is the sort of book that one would like to race through even as it begs to be savored.
December 13, 2019
I had very high hopes for this book, and though it was a quick read, it just didn't wow me. The writing was okay and the storyline was okay. At the beginning it was dramatic and gripped me, but that slowly fell away. And though the plotline flew quickly, for the most part the book dragged a bit. But, when something dramatic happened, things were quickly run over. I felt like so many things that could have been deeply explored; some things were even only briefly mentioned and I had to go back and think - wait when did that happen?! I did enjoy that multiple generations were included and how we got different POVs.
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My other disappointment with this book were my lack of connection with the characters. The only characters I liked was Bridey. I wanted to like Vincent, but really felt like he lacked enough depth to connect with him. Some of the characters were just downright frustrating in the way they treated others, even if they didn't show outright prejudice POV, they definitely were.
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The descriptions of losing a child in this book were very poignant and I appreciated how they were shown in different ways for the different women. However, I felt like we were going to get a glimpse of how that brought the two women together; but alas station and class were too strong and kept them apart instead of bonding and understanding each other. The interactions between Bridey and Sarah were strained and had me frustrated; and they way things abruptly ended had me so angry.
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Overall this was all alright book. Not bad, but just didn't outstand me. Others may really enjoy this book, but it missed the mark for me. Thank you to the publishers for a copy of this book; I was happy to give my honest thoughts.
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My other disappointment with this book were my lack of connection with the characters. The only characters I liked was Bridey. I wanted to like Vincent, but really felt like he lacked enough depth to connect with him. Some of the characters were just downright frustrating in the way they treated others, even if they didn't show outright prejudice POV, they definitely were.
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The descriptions of losing a child in this book were very poignant and I appreciated how they were shown in different ways for the different women. However, I felt like we were going to get a glimpse of how that brought the two women together; but alas station and class were too strong and kept them apart instead of bonding and understanding each other. The interactions between Bridey and Sarah were strained and had me frustrated; and they way things abruptly ended had me so angry.
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Overall this was all alright book. Not bad, but just didn't outstand me. Others may really enjoy this book, but it missed the mark for me. Thank you to the publishers for a copy of this book; I was happy to give my honest thoughts.
September 3, 2018
I loved the premise of this book. I love stories that span generations and have secrets and lies and tragedy and heartache. That being said, I didn’t love the execution of the story.
To me, it seemed like the second half of the book was very rushed. The beginning was detailed and descriptive while the later chapters were brief and to the point with a large span of time in between.
I did think this was a good book but, think this could have been a great book if the second half was more developed.
To me, it seemed like the second half of the book was very rushed. The beginning was detailed and descriptive while the later chapters were brief and to the point with a large span of time in between.
I did think this was a good book but, think this could have been a great book if the second half was more developed.
January 1, 2019
It’s not often I find a historical fiction novel that truly holds me in its pages but there was something about The Latecomers that just entirely mesmerized me. Taking place not just in Connecticut and New York but also in the same county of Ireland My family migrated from. The connections I felt to this story and these characters ran deep. A magnificent piece of literature for the historical fiction and local history buff alike.
December 11, 2018
What a weird read! While on the one hand, it kept me engaged from start to finish, the last fourth of it felt very disjointed. I kept wondering, where is this going? How is this all going to tie together? And when it was over, I wondered what the point was. It lacked the oomph of an ending it needed to redeem the multiple perspectives and tie it all together.
December 9, 2018
Sweet Bridey, always trying to do the right thing for everyone in her life except herself at times. This was a wonderful family saga that came full circle over a century. Lots of heartbreak, sacrifice, and longing but beauty and love prevailed.
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