Spanning from Ireland during the potato famine to the end of the U.S. civil war, May The Road Rise Up to Meet You follows two storylines that eventually join together.
The story opens with Ethan McOwen with his mother and Aunt Em in Ireland, slowly starving to death. His sister had already died. Ethan works at a rich rancher’s with horse and he brings home what oats he can fit and sneak into his pockets for the three of them to eat. However, the ranchers tell all workers that they are moving and will no longer be needing them. That’s when they know it’s certain death if they stay.
Ethan’s father and brother Seanny already moved to the U.S. and having been sending what money they could. They have just enough for Ethan to get on a ship to the U.S. and for Ma and Aunt Em to go to England to work in a factory and save more money for their eventual trip.
The voyage for Ethan is not without its perils. Sickness plagued the ship and many died and were buried at sea. However, Ethan makes it and hooks up with Seanny and Pa. He works with his father fishing in the mornings and then is free to play ball with the neighborhood children and his favorite thing, read books, for the rest of the day. About a year later Ma and Aunt Em make the voyage and the family is reunited.
Meanwhile, Michah is a slave, sold off to a new owner. He is a great carpenter and his owner makes a lot of money off of his services. On one of his jobs he meets another slave, Mary who works as a seamstress in the family shop. For a slave, she has it pretty good. She is best friends with the family’s little girl and sews dresses everyday for the local white women. For Michah and Mary, it is almost love at first site. However, they are not free to hook up.
Eventually civil war breaks out and Ethan and his friends join the Irish Brigade to fight. He had become a photographer by then and shot photos near the battle field. He is wounded and sent home where later his mentor sets up an exhibition of Ethan’s work. That where Ethan and Marcella meet. They also fall fast for one and other.
This historical saga doesn’t let the reader relax for even a minute. From the first page you are transported to the 19th century, famine and war. I felt like I was there for every moment. I laughed and cried along the way. This book kept me awake late at night, so I had to read it quickly however, I was actually upset when it ended. I could have read this book forever! It I was shipwrecked on an Island with only one book, this would be the one I would want!
Also reviewed by:
BookHounds (Hint: She is having the same giveaway so go there and double your chances.)
Thanks to Joe Gallagher of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for setting me up with the eBook version and for authorizing me to giveaway two print copies to my U.S. readers!To enter to win, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. This giveaway ends on March 20, 2012.
