Through the Barricades – Denise Deegan – Tags: 1913 Lockout, civil war, Easter Rising, Ireland, Irish history, unrest, WWI
Book Review: Driven by her promise to her dying father, Maggie fights for equality and accessibility of education in this powerful tale of love and war in early 20th century Dublin.
- Category: Fiction
- Genre: Historical
I relished this immersive tale of love and the struggle for a better future, set against the Irish turmoil, the call for the Irish Republic and the social inequality of Dublin’s inhabitants: from the well-to-do who send their children to private schools and university to those living in poverty dependent on food banks.
It’s impossible not to root for Maggie, the strong, stubborn protagonist whose goal in life is to fulfil her father’s dying wish. If anything, it shows us to be careful in imposing our (last) wishes upon others as we do not realise the impact of it. I wanted to shout out to the father for missing the obvious and underestimating his daughter’s determination. How difficult it must have been for Maggie’s mother to keep silent.
Set against the historical background of the 1913 Lockout, World War I, the social situation in Ireland, the political unrest, and the Easter Rising, Denise Deegan tells us a fascinating tale of love, courage, determination, and commitment. The author paints a vivid image of Dublin, its inhabitants, and we can envision Maggie cycling in the streets.
Maggie’s friends Daniel and Michael are well-developed characters. Both Daniel, whose father is a lawyer, and Michael, son of a policeman, are torn between their fathers’ beliefs and their own. When the tense situation in Dublin escalates, Daniel takes an important decision, aware of Maggie’s longing to be part of elevating the Irish and the Irish Independence Movement against the backdrop of World War I and a promise of Home Rule.
If you love (Irish) history and want to experience it almost true-to-life from the point of view of young people, Through the Barricades is the book for you. I highly recommend this remarkable tale of perseverance and commitment. Did you know the author’s daughter is the determined-looking beautiful woman on the cover?
THROUGH THE BARRICADES is available at (local) bookshops and on Amazon*.
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Thanks for reading!
Jon & Caz Cole