Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: Ellis Island
Author: Kate Kerrigan
Publisher: Harper
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-207153-8
Release Date: June 2011
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Fiction
Year/Setting: 1908-1924/NYC & Ireland
Overall Rating: 4.5
Sexual Content Rating: None/Subtle
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: Mild/Moderate
Violent Content Rating: None/Minimal
Kate's Website/Blog: www.katekerrigan.ie
Dear Readers:
This writer has been enthralled for quite some time with the amazing feelings and sites of Ellis Island. I can only imagine what it was like, after so much time at sea embedded in, most likely, not the best conditions - to be able to stand on deck and see that amazing woman holding her torch in the air. After such fear and panic, to be welcomed to a destination that was sure to be better than what you were leaving behind; and, the amazement of knowing that you were about to step on the shores of a country who gave you the opportunity to be a "star."
In this lovely story, readers meet Ellie and John. These children live in the same area and attend the same school. While Ellie is quiet and seems to only attract really annoying children on the playground, John Hogan is king to everyone. He is way popular, has tons of friends, and he is also kind and loving. John and Ellie soon find one another on that playground, and Ellie finds herself wanting nothing more than to become a part of John’s world.
John is adopted, and his family is SO wonderful - they eat well, laugh, and support each other - while Ellie has to go from there back to her own house, where everything is cold and unfeeling - including her parents. These are people who preach, and Ellie hasn’t seen a smile since the day she was born. Soon, she will be going to the convent, as John heads to Dublin to begin his ‘working’ life.
As time goes on, Ellie finds out that John is a part of ‘The Volunteers’ - the rebels who are doing their best to rid Ireland of the English. When they see each other again, Ellie and John automatically know that the love they have for each other has simply grown from being apart. And the day before Ellie is supposed to head into the convent for good, she and John run off and get married.
Soon, life is beyond hard, as Ellie realizes that she must share the love of her life - not to mention her food and her home - with all of John’s ‘rebel’ friends. And when John is hurt, the only thing Ellie can do is take an invitation to come to NYC and work as a maid to a wealthy woman, so that she can send home the money for John’s operation.
NYC holds a tremendous amount for Ellie. Not only is she in a place with electricity, cars, showers, hairdos, elevators….everything that the American Dream says you can have - it also provides her a new ‘look’ at love. Ellie begins to lose her Irish roots and finds herself wanting to be an American.
This book is truly a fantastic study of life: The life we are born with versus the life we crave. Ellie is a mesmerizing character, and readers’ hearts will be full of pride, pain, and a bit of anger, as they watch this lovely girl come to the fork in the road and try desperately to figure out which way to go! Bravo! The locales, characters, plot - everything - is truly perfect.
Until next time,
Amy
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