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Gone To Amerikay. Derek McCulloch, Colleen Doran (2012)

by Derek McCulloch(Favorite Author)

3.58 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

178116018X (ISBN13: 9781781160183)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Titan Publishing Company

review 1: Beautifully illustrated by Colleen Doran and written by Derek Mcculloch, it is the story of two Irish immigrants that come to New York City 90 years apart and how their intertwining lives influence the third character's life 50 years later. The central element that connects the three eras is an Irish song, which to me is the book's largest flaw. Well, maybe not the book's flaw but my own. As I read the book, I can imagine what the characters sound like when they talk but when they sing, I'm taken out of the story for a moment. I am not familiar at all with Irish folk music so I feel like I'm missing out. Perhaps if there was a soundtrack that came with the book? Maybe if the mcguffin was a painting instead of the song? So that is just my personal experience. Otherwise... more I was compelled to read the story to see how they were all connected to each other and I found the outcome satisfying. As a New Yorker I appreciated the historical aspects and the research put in to the illustrations. I would recommend this book to be included in school libraries. However it would be a PG-13 or even a light R rating for sexual situations ( implied promiscuous sex,) and violence (murder, women being assaulted) and language (a couple of f-bombs) however none of it is gratuitous.
review 2: Very enjoyable. The story mostly goes back and forth between 1870 and 1960 Irish immigrants learning to live in New York (the modern bits feels like an awkward and mostly unnecessary voiceover). I read this in one sitting, and loved the art - the characters all looked so distinctive, and had such vital expressions on their faces - and found the intertwined stories moving. Glad I tracked a copy down! less

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