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deirdremd's review
3.0
Listened to on audio.
This book was a great introduction to the lives of the Gifford sisters, who were brought up Protestant and privileged in a leafy part of Dublin. Grace is the most famous, she married Joseph Plunkett in Kilmainham Jail the night before he was executed for his part in the 1916 Rising. What is less known is that her sister Muriel was married to another signatory of the Proclamation, Thomas McDonagh, who was also executed. A third sister, Nellie, played an active role during the week of the Rising itself. It is written in a simple, accessible style and would be a good read for a teenager.
This could be 4 stars except for the unusual pronunciations of Irish place names (eg Howth, Ballsbridge) and last names (eg McDonagh, MacDiarmada), despite the narrator having an Irish accent. This took me out of the story as they were very jarring, but they would not bother an international reader.
This book was a great introduction to the lives of the Gifford sisters, who were brought up Protestant and privileged in a leafy part of Dublin. Grace is the most famous, she married Joseph Plunkett in Kilmainham Jail the night before he was executed for his part in the 1916 Rising. What is less known is that her sister Muriel was married to another signatory of the Proclamation, Thomas McDonagh, who was also executed. A third sister, Nellie, played an active role during the week of the Rising itself. It is written in a simple, accessible style and would be a good read for a teenager.
This could be 4 stars except for the unusual pronunciations of Irish place names (eg Howth, Ballsbridge) and last names (eg McDonagh, MacDiarmada), despite the narrator having an Irish accent. This took me out of the story as they were very jarring, but they would not bother an international reader.
hillarynicole's review
hopeful
slow-paced
3.0
This was a very long and pretty slow tale of an Irish family dealing with the changing political scene in Ireland in the early 1900s. It does not go into as much depth in the history as I thought and deals more with the daily life of the sisters. I did wish there was a closer lens on each of the girls as it remains pretty removed and so is difficult to tell them apart. I also wanted more history and passionate displays from the characters on this obviously charged issue.
clairefitz's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
jennbairos's review against another edition
3.0
My favourite genre of books is historical fiction, and Rebel Sisters by Marita Conlon-McKenna is exactly the reason why. While it is a novel, Rebel Sisters tells the very true and real story of the Gifford family, specifically three of the Gifford sisters: Muriel, Grace, and Nellie. Set in Ireland between 1901 and 1916, we follow the sisters as they come of age, each in their own, unique way.
During this time, there were four major conflicts happening simultaneously. Ireland was dealing with women’s suffrage, the industrial movement, the nationalist movement, and World War One. Muriel, Grace, and Nellie all became involved in these conflicts themselves and through the men with whom they fell in love.
I learned so much about Ireland’s history and especially their fight for independence while reading this book. The Giffords are a real family, and their tragic stories are still recounted in Ireland today. Rebel Sisters offers insight into the private lives of some of the key leaders of the rebellion. 2016 is especially significant as the year of publication for this book because it marks the 100 year anniversary of the Easter Rising.
I was a little unsure why the author was spending so much time early on giving a detailed history of each of the three sisters, but as I started googling more about Irish independence while I was reading, I learned that these women actually existed. These events, and places, and people were real, and I became so invested in learning their stories.
Rebel Sisters is also a great book for fans of Downton Abbey. There are elements from the love story of Sybil and Branson here, and we learn about the ideologies for which Branson is always so passionate.
If you're interested in learning more about Ireland and its history, absolutely pick up this book.
- See more at: http://www.asplendidmessylife.com/2016/05/rebel-sisters-book-review.html#sthash.0FDp17CX.dpuf
During this time, there were four major conflicts happening simultaneously. Ireland was dealing with women’s suffrage, the industrial movement, the nationalist movement, and World War One. Muriel, Grace, and Nellie all became involved in these conflicts themselves and through the men with whom they fell in love.
I learned so much about Ireland’s history and especially their fight for independence while reading this book. The Giffords are a real family, and their tragic stories are still recounted in Ireland today. Rebel Sisters offers insight into the private lives of some of the key leaders of the rebellion. 2016 is especially significant as the year of publication for this book because it marks the 100 year anniversary of the Easter Rising.
I was a little unsure why the author was spending so much time early on giving a detailed history of each of the three sisters, but as I started googling more about Irish independence while I was reading, I learned that these women actually existed. These events, and places, and people were real, and I became so invested in learning their stories.
Rebel Sisters is also a great book for fans of Downton Abbey. There are elements from the love story of Sybil and Branson here, and we learn about the ideologies for which Branson is always so passionate.
If you're interested in learning more about Ireland and its history, absolutely pick up this book.
- See more at: http://www.asplendidmessylife.com/2016/05/rebel-sisters-book-review.html#sthash.0FDp17CX.dpuf
benababy85's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Amazing story about the Gifford sisters and their place in Irish history
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