Land by Maggie O"Farrell

Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026--San Antonio

Land by Maggie O'Farrell has been praised by many others.  It is a novel set in Ireland from before and great potato famine to the rumblings of the war beginning against British rule.  It begins with two young characters who have been sent to the workhouse for children because everyone else in their families have died due to the famine.  It follows their travails in the work house and on through their lives and those of their children.  There is one adventure and misadventure after another over the decades.  The story involves so much of what was happening during those times:  The leavings by those who can to the Americas (and by those who are sold off to go there as indentured servants with no choice).  The great opportunities that some "unfortunates" accidentally get because it is discovered that they have unexpected skills (such as being able to read, write, or do mathematics).  The hardships that most families face because the feudal system of land still belonging to the aristocrats who lease parcels to farmers who can barely make the rent payments and often cannot and face expulsion.  The children of the artistocrats feeling entitled and that they can take advantage those poorer than them.  The priests who hold so much power over the people that their actions cannot be questioned even though they may not be aligned with the teachings of their religion and can create havoc for the people).  Superstitions related to the history of the druids is still a big part of people's daily lives.  The story follows those two original characters as they establish a family on a narrow peninsula of western Ireland, and it continues to cover the lives of the family members as the years pass.  It is a sweeping novel that will hold the reader's attention throughout.  My only concern is that the story of the last years covered seemed to be rushed in comparison to the rest of the novel.  I gave the book 4 1/2 stars out of 5.