Rating: 
Summary: Read this Book --FEEL history - worth more than 5 stars!!!!
Review: This is a powerful novel of the events surrounding the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin Ireland. The book opens in 1912 as Ned Halloran and his parents are on a journey from Ireland to America to visit Ned's sister Kathleen. Fate has intervened and they make their voyage on the Titanic. Ned survives the sinking, however his parents as well as new friend Dan Breen, are all lost to the sea. Kathleen and her fiancé, Alexander Campbell, urge Ned to stay in New York but his heart is in Ireland and he returns to County Clare and his family farm where his older brother and two younger sisters are left to mourn the loss of their parents. Meanwhile, Lord Inchpin of nearby Dromoland Castle, to make up for what young Ned has been through, has offered him a rare opportunity for a farm lad from County Clare - further education at a private school in Dublin. The school chosen turns out to be St. Enda's, the school run by Padraig (Patrick) Pearse, south of downtown. Pearse, as those familiar with early 20th C. Irish history know, is one of the heroes of the 1916 Easter Rising. This is a fictionalized account of events leading up to that fateful week. Ned interacts with many historical figures during this time including all the principals of the Irish Rebellion in which he becomes a courier for the eventual heroes. During this time, too, he runs into Sile (prounced "Sheila") Breen, Dan's sister, who has run off to Dublin and is how working in the world's oldest profession. The naïve Ned isn't aware of this at first and is, instead, stunned by her beauty although he is side-tracked by another woman he clearly has a crush on. Important too, is secondary character Henry Mooney, the young journalist from county Limerick Ned meets on the train on his way to Dublin. Even though the reader may already be aware of the events of April and May 1916 in Ireland, the emotions evoked by this novel, become very real - as if they happened yesterday instead of 85 years ago. Llywelyn portrays the Pearse brothers, Joseph Mary Plunkett, Thomas Clark, James Connolly, Sean MacDermott, Thomas MacDonagh, and others in such away as the reader feels the same love for Ireland and has the same desires as they do. In the sequel to this book, 1921, Morgan Llywelyn has one character say to another "History tells what happened; literature tells what it felt like." This is exactly how I feel about 1916. Despite reading history books relating the events, reading this novel has made this very personal. I could feel the pain of these characters, I could feel their fervor and enthusiasm for the cause they believed in, and in the end I could feel the need to keep the memory of these brave people alive as the country fights for home rule and freedom from British oppression. When you are finished reading this book, and I highly recommend that you do, pick up the sequel 1921, which relates the events of the next six years in Ireland's struggle for independence and although it is Henry Mooney's story, it does feature Ned in a very big way. There's no better compliment I can give a novel than to say it not only made me think, made me want to read everything I can get my hands on, and wish to visit the historical sites in Ireland including the GPO, Kilmainham Gaol, and other locales mentioned in the book. Llywelyn has made this very easy with the maps in front of the book showing the locations of these places. Also helpful is the list of characters, both fictional and historical, in the front of the book. She adds several pages of notes and a selected bibliography at the end. Read this book - FEEL history.
Rating:
Summary: Read this Book --FEEL history - worth more than 5 stars!!!!
Review: This is a powerful novel of the events surrounding the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin Ireland. The book opens in 1912 as Ned Halloran and his parents are on a journey from Ireland to America to visit Ned's sister Kathleen. Fate has intervened and they make their voyage on the Titanic. Ned survives the sinking, however his parents as well as new friend Dan Breen, are all lost to the sea. Kathleen and her fiancé, Alexander Campbell, urge Ned to stay in New York but his heart is in Ireland and he returns to County Clare and his family farm where his older brother and two younger sisters are left to mourn the loss of their parents. Meanwhile, Lord Inchpin of nearby Dromoland Castle, to make up for what young Ned has been through, has offered him a rare opportunity for a farm lad from County Clare - further education at a private school in Dublin. The school chosen turns out to be St. Enda's, the school run by Padraig (Patrick) Pearse, south of downtown. Pearse, as those familiar with early 20th C. Irish history know, is one of the heroes of the 1916 Easter Rising. This is a fictionalized account of events leading up to that fateful week. Ned interacts with many historical figures during this time including all the principals of the Irish Rebellion in which he becomes a courier for the eventual heroes. During this time, too, he runs into Sile (prounced "Sheila") Breen, Dan's sister, who has run off to Dublin and is how working in the world's oldest profession. The naïve Ned isn't aware of this at first and is, instead, stunned by her beauty although he is side-tracked by another woman he clearly has a crush on. Important too, is secondary character Henry Mooney, the young journalist from county Limerick Ned meets on the train on his way to Dublin. Even though the reader may already be aware of the events of April and May 1916 in Ireland, the emotions evoked by this novel, become very real - as if they happened yesterday instead of 85 years ago. Llywelyn portrays the Pearse brothers, Joseph Mary Plunkett, Thomas Clark, James Connolly, Sean MacDermott, Thomas MacDonagh, and others in such away as the reader feels the same love for Ireland and has the same desires as they do. In the sequel to this book, 1921, Morgan Llywelyn has one character say to another "History tells what happened; literature tells what it felt like." This is exactly how I feel about 1916. Despite reading history books relating the events, reading this novel has made this very personal. I could feel the pain of these characters, I could feel their fervor and enthusiasm for the cause they believed in, and in the end I could feel the need to keep the memory of these brave people alive as the country fights for home rule and freedom from British oppression. When you are finished reading this book, and I highly recommend that you do, pick up the sequel 1921, which relates the events of the next six years in Ireland's struggle for independence and although it is Henry Mooney's story, it does feature Ned in a very big way. There's no better compliment I can give a novel than to say it not only made me think, made me want to read everything I can get my hands on, and wish to visit the historical sites in Ireland including the GPO, Kilmainham Gaol, and other locales mentioned in the book. Llywelyn has made this very easy with the maps in front of the book showing the locations of these places. Also helpful is the list of characters, both fictional and historical, in the front of the book. She adds several pages of notes and a selected bibliography at the end. Read this book - FEEL history.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read for All!!
Review: This is a story that takes you through the 1916 Rising in Dublin like no other book can. The characters are so completely developed and enjoyable you just wish you could know them in real life. Pearse is a man who was truly dedicated to a cause - yet Ms Llywelyn brings out the humanist not forgetting to delve into his family life (a fact so often left out of the history books.) This is the stuff of good detailed history - with a love story beautifully permeating throughout. It is also available as an audio book (Brilliance Corporation) in authentic Irish accent. Now Who could resist that? However you decide to enjoy this marvellous piece; just make sure to do it soon!
Rating:
Summary: This s a wonderful book the
Review: This is the best book you cold ever read
Rating:
Summary: Top-notch Historical Fiction
Review: This was a first rate melding of an excellent fictional plot with the great non-fictional story of the 1916 Easter Rebellion. Her writing almost makes the reader feel they have stepped into this period -- it is that authentic. I do agree with a reviewer on one minor point, however. If we really needed the Kathleen story, which I don't think we did, it at least should have been wrapped up. This book definitely lends itself to a sequel, with the main characters being updated into the events of 1922, with the Collins/deValera split and the eventual realization of Pearce's dream -- sort of. No doubt there would also be a divergence of views among the main characters as to which 1922 faction to support, and that would make for a fascinating development of those events.
Rating:
Summary: Brought the revolution to life!
Review: This was an outstanding book which really brought to life this troubling time in Irish history. The book made you feel as if you were there.
Rating: 
Summary: 1916 - Watch For The Miniseries
Review: Want a good mini series? Start out on the decks of the Titanic, add a scandalous affair between a priest and an abused wife, force the hero to chose between the stuffy beauty and the golden hearted prostitute, add lots of arguments, and conclude with gunfire. Sound familiar? 1916 was a great concept. The poet warriors' futile battle with the British could have spun like Braveheart, but it became a very slow- moving Gun Fight At The OK Corral.
Rating: 
Summary: one of those books on which your mileage will vary greatly
Review: _1916_ has been justly praised for good historical coverage of a period that has always fascinated those, like myself, who enjoy seeing David eventually prevail against Goliath. While we don't get to that point during the book (whose timeframe begins with the Titanic and doesn't extend much past the Rising), we do see the birth of the 20th century Republican movement. If you're interested in the history of the times, the difference between this and a history book is sort of like the difference between a small-plane overflight and a walkabout on the actual ground. You don't see as much of the forest, but you see the trees very well, and that of course is the focus of the book. It's very outspokenly feminist (whether that's a positive or negative probably depends on your personal views). The use of contemporary headlines at the ends of chapters is a masterful touch that keeps the story in context; too bad some chapters have them and some don't. I did have some trouble imagining the main character as a credible human being, what with his propensity for always landing right in the midst of the action. For someone who's supposed to be so intelligent, he isn't especially introspective and doesn't really appear to foresee any consequences to his actions. Can't help but like him, though. The pace of action is generally pretty good even where the writing isn't that creative. The epitome of a mixed review: if you like its strengths, you'll like it. If its weaknesses are your pet peeves, you may not.
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