Lately I’ve had trouble appreciating the simple story told well. I’ve needed at least a little intrigue, if not full-on fantasy and escapism. When I picked up Keane’s debut-novel, The Walking People, I was so taken by the opening pages that I took it home despite its seemingly plain-Jane story of Irish immigrants in New York.
Though I loved the whole book, the first section in Ireland was my favorite. It is set both on the Cahill farm (they’re salmon poachers and one of the last families to still be working the land), and among a group of Tinkers. The youngest Cahill, Greta is the center of the story and I was happy to follow her through most of her life as she moves to New York, finds love and family, and struggles with the meaning of home. According to Greta, all Americans have an Irish Grandmother somewhere and I’m no different. It was wonderful to imagine her alternate life. ~Lillian
P.S. The jacket copy of this book is completely misleading. It’s not bad, but part gives too much away and part almost seems like it’s about some other book. Don’t read it, if you can resist.