Sensitively written

Loved the story, two stories about motherhood 200 years apart that couldn’t be more different yet were so intimately connected too. Both narrators were excellent. Told with great empathy, very moving.

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Strange but gripping.

A harrowing story of a family trying to survive during the Irish famine. Alternating chapters describe the author, a modern American woman, finding out this history of her family. She struggles with post natal stress. I found the Irish chapters compelling but the modern chapters not so interesting. I found I cared about the Irish woman but not really much about the modern one.

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Can’t wait to listen AGAIN.

I loved this book. The struggles of both women so very different, dramatically different. The famine story we Irish know of, of course, but perhaps the rest of the world are not aware of how devastating it was, and that it touched every working and lower class family. The politics behind the famine tragedy is not focused on in this book, and that is a good thing as it allows the personal struggle to be told.
The performances enhanced the experience for me, and thank you for having an actual Irish woman narrate Ginny’s part.....it matters (for an Irish listener anyway).
I am looking forward to listening again some time in the future.

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Enjoyable

I enjoyed the book, but the American narrators voice kinda annoyed me, like the way she said New York now. Can I just say that it’s a hurly stick or a hurl, we would never call it a hurly bat.

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Another cracker from Cummins

Cummins has captured the spirit of motherhood during the Irish genocide impeccably. This author is extremely talented. Having read American Dirt and finding it so authentic, I wasn't sure she could capture an entirely different culture in the same way. However I was impressed yet again and I particularly loved the Irish reader.

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Loved this audiobook

I bought this audiobook because I had previously read and really liked American Dirt, and these days I'm only listening to books. So I thought I'd try something by an author I'd previously enjoyed.

I found both stories very gripping in different ways. I note that other reviewers disliked the voice of one of the narrators. While I found it unusual at first, it didn't take me long to get used to her voice. I recommend listening to the sample to see if it bothers you. I'm glad it didn't put me off.

I found Majella's story so easy to identify with as a mother of two very young children. For anyone who's had a baby (especially their first baby) relatively recently there is a lot to identify with and chuckle at. And I felt so much sympathy for her struggles that to others, especially contrasted against Ginny's struggle to survive, may have seemed frivolous. But to me the contrast of them just showed two different ways to struggle as a mother no matter what time, place and circumstances you're born into. I'd highly recommend this book.

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A tale of two halves

After reading American Dirt and the equally compelling Outside Boy I looked forward to this novel. However whilst the Irish sections provided a great story brilliantly narrated by Aoife McMahon, the New York present day sections were really annoying and made me want to skip them.

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A read that will take you on such a journey!

Absolutely loved this split time line novel set in America & Ireland.
The story re the Irish potato famine in the mid 19C was harrowing & riveting. This concerned ancestors of the present day Magella who had just given birth & was finding it difficult to cope,
It was beautifully narrated. The author is a veritable wizard. Each of her novels so different. Her empathy for the struggling is palpable.
I am undone & put back together each time!

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Only ok

I loved the story line about Ireland but strained on the New York now sections I couldn’t wait for them to finish only to know how the Doyle’s finished up kept me listening.

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Disappointing

I found the historical elements very well written and well narrated. But the modern American parts jarred on me.
I was disappointed because both other books by this author were exceptional and gripping.

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