If you like historical fiction and a mystery in a dual timeline, this book is for you.

The protagonist set off in a search for the history of why the events in her family are as they are and discovers a mystery beyond her imagination. This allows the reader to delve into the events of the past, through the eyes of a family saga and learn about life in this time period,

This is a riveting and thought-provoking book and is a page-turner. I am looking forward to book two.

Solid read.

#NetGalley

In After the Rising by Orna Ross we see the Irish rebellion for independence through the eyes of three generations of the stoutly Independent, devout Catholic women of the Parle family of Mucknamore, on Coolanagh Island. Owners of a general store and pub, the Parle women sit at the hub of life in County Wexford.

Third generation rebel 'Jo', Siobhan (ShiVAWN), 38 and single and living for the last 20 years a journalist self-isolated in San Francisco is called home at the death of her estranged mother, Mairin (Maureen or Mary) in 1995. After the funeral Jo is handed a letter from the grave, and a large, very heavy suitcase containing every piece of paper ever collected by the Parle women over the years. We have the stories and the diaries of Granny Peg from before the Easter Rising in 1916 until her death in the early 1990's, relating the parts played by Peg and her best friend Norah, and Peg's hero brother Barney. We have notes and letters, memos, memories and obituaries and newspaper clippings from the many scrimmages between the English and the Irish during the lifetime of Peg and her daughter Mairin, and personal memories, family members' tales, newspaper clippings and research done by Jo as she watches Mucknamore grow into the world of 1995 as she compiles, translates, organises and writes the family history in memory of her Gran, and Mammie.

This is an excellent tale, bringing to life the trials and tribulations of the Irish Republicans over the 20th century, their silenced voice, lack of choices, the inequality in the press and of the system. The many times treaties were drawn in the sand and English troops marched over them. It makes more understandable the position of rebellion that was nurtured in Irish Catholic towns and villages. It is a book I can heartily recommend to friends and family, especially those of us who have a distant umbilical to Erin. The stand-alone first of a trilogy, I can't wait for the next installment

I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel on December 3, 2018 from Netgalley, Orna Ross, and Font Publications, Kobo Writing Life in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.