Set in Ireland and US in the 1970’-80’s and written by someone who has clearly lived through the period of history, this book gives just one family experience. There were 1000’s of people affected by the actions of government and intimidation just for living in a particular area or speaking with an accent. Really enjoyed the book and felt it portrays the world at that time. Thank you #NetGalley for the e-book to review.

(Here's the review I posted on Goodreads, Facebook, and Instagram on 7/12);

Terence Connolly is a peaceful farmer in Mullaghmore, County Sligo, Ireland, in the late 70s. He lives with his wife, Bridget, and teenage son, Tim. He’s the grandson of Brian Connolly, an octogenarian and longtime fighter for Irish independence in the North. When Terence and Brian clash with British soldiers at a routine checkpoint, both are sent to a Belfast prison. Hoping to give him a better future, Bridget then sends Tim to live with her sister in New York. There, Tim has a rough time adjusting to a Catholic high school with a stern headmaster, but it’s also there that he rediscovers a talent for middle-distance running.

I was intrigued by this because it’s a historical fiction novel taking place during “The Troubles,” a time of intense conflict between British forces and Irish revolutionaries from about the late 1960s until the end of the century. It also features running and Track and field quite prominently, especially on the cover. Good combination for me.

The beginning is just lovely. I liked reading about farm life on the Irish countryside. The incident that takes place just off the coast of their property was well-described and a good way to start the action. The plot is lightning-fast: took just a day to complete it.

The main characters are also very likeable. Very much just people trying to live a simple life, thrown into deadly circumstances. Tim was a no-nonsense kind of kid, and I rooted for him when he had difficulty with Cooper and Benson, the school bullies, and when his running career took off. I liked Bridget’s tough exterior and caring interior.

I also liked the twin story lines: Terence endures beatings and torture in prison but hangs on to see his family again, and Tim tries to enjoy his newfound success with running. On that front, it was a pleasant surprise to see Tim running in many of the places and meets where I did! There were a few other things going on as well: Bridget becomes a renowned speaker against prison abuses, and Brian plots revenge and possibly Terence’s escape. Those scenes were well-written and exciting at times. The resolution and ending are a little conventional, but satisfying and heartwarming.

That said, I perceived something of an identity crisis here: is this a novel about running, or about The Troubles? I picked this up expecting a running novel, with Irish history as a subplot. I might have liked the novel to be told exclusively from Tim’s point of view, but there seemed to be a need to develop so many other things (including a story about Tim’s coach) that the emotional connection between father and son is diluted. Or maybe just a parallel story of Tim and Terence, with everything else as background.

Also, Shaw employs an odd method for character development: inserting an italicized paragraph in the middle / end of a chapter. Like prior reviewers, that threw me off a bit, and made this seem much like a historical retelling. Finally, I thought the villains were a bit over the top. Trigger Warning: sexual assault (not too graphic) involving a Catholic priest.

In general, Shaw does a fine job bringing a dark period of Irish history to life. He references Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe in the Historical notes, so for me, this is a great way to tell a story about people from Keefe’s work that lived in those dangerous times. Runners will enjoy the excitement of training and competing in track and field.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kilkenney Press for my copy!

On the Run by William Shaw has to be in the running for best drama this year.
The backdrop to this story is the history of the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland, when families were torn apart and paramilitary groups were confronting British soldiers.
What follows is a great story of love, families, strong women, courageous fighters, Catholicism, and Maze Prison.
An independent review for NetGalley / Kilkenney Press

The combination of Ireland, The Troubles historical angle and running all lured me to 'On the Run'. William Shaw then does an excellent job of making sure that the story absolutely rattles along at a breathless pace between Ireland and America. It is a pacy, entertaining yarn that covers a multitude of issues without ever getting deep. Some of the dialogue is at times a little clichéd and the story at times too neatly rounded off. Special thank you to Kilkenney Press and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

I picked this up because I’ve been reading novels related to running, and I’m pleased that led me to this novel.

Tim Connolly is a quiet seventeen-year-old, living on a farm in rural Ireland in the early 1980s. But The Troubles means no one is safe, and when Tim’s father is arrested, Tim’s mother ships him off to her relatives in New York for safety. While back in Ireland, the situation deteriorates, across the pond, Tim puts all his anger and frustration into running – and emerges as a high school 800 meter runner.

The story is told through multiple POVs, including Time, his coach, his mother, father and his NY relatives. There are also numerous contributions from minor characters that round out the story. Together, these perspectives help capture a complicated period in Irish history and move the story along quickly. The sports angle was another engaging storyline.

This novel should have a broad appeal and casts light on a complicated time in Ireland, while illustrating how those directly affected find their inner strength and rise to meet seemingly impossible challenges, not unlike the world of sports.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

A decent read, but a little too predictable for me. It certainly covers the period well and is a good story line, but....

What a rollercoaster of a read which spans over decades and country’s.
Very poignant around the 80’s and the hunger strike. Innocent men caught up in a horrendous time being out in jail with hard line prisoners who had committed such atrocities.
Then a son who was sent to America and the hatred he escaped from to a different kind of hatred.
Very well written

This was a fantastic read. It felt very well researched and somehow managed to be a rather hopeful tale despite the very dark and distressing subject matter such as torture/child abuse and terrorism.
Tim was a great character and very believable as a young lad trying to make the best out of an awful situation and I loved spunky Gina!
Would definitely recommend, especially to anyone with an interest in Irish history and the Troubles.

This novel launches with the IRA bombing of Mountbatten’s fishing boat—a high profile act of IRA violence I’d seen dramatized in British shows like The Crown. But William Shaw takes us into Sligo County to imagine how Thatcher’s strongman response devastated communities and triggered police brutality and abuse against prisoners.
On the Run is an historical fiction profile of one Irish family in the 1980s, splintered by the violence of the IRA and the vengeful fist of the British government. The father, Terrence, is trapped in prison; the grandfather, Bryan, has rejoined his Fenian allies; the mother, Bridget, joins a woman’s group advocating against the human rights abuses leveled against her husband.
But seventeen-year-old Tim is exiled across the Atlantic, living in Queens with his aunt and uncle, seemingly too far to help his family. Bullied by schoolmates and teachers alike, he misses the open landscapes and clear air of Ireland. But when he goes out for track, Coach Quigley, a washed-up track star himself, glimpses genius in the young Irishmen.
Author William Shaw clearly put in a tremendous amount of research, and knows his subject matter very well. I gained a new understanding of the grassroots activism and media response that brought international attention to British atrocities. The book compels you to root for Tim, Terrence, Bridget, and Bryan, raising questions about who’s the good guy, and why.
The POV, changing between the four main characters and sometimes to Coach Quigley, was effective for moving the story forward at a quick clip, but I never found myself 100% identifying with the characters. They felt held at distance much of the time. The book also included multiple italicized profiles of other side characters, which tended to distract me. The descriptions were rich and multi-textured, but occasionally slowed down the plot momentum.
TW: one of the priests at Tim’s school committed gross abuse against his students. This storyline felt a bit rushed in context of the larger narrative, and I think the book would have been stronger had it stuck it with the main themes. In my opinion, such a sensitive subject should only be included if there is space to deal with it thoroughly.
Overall, an educational, quick-paced novel that opened a corner of history I knew little about previously. Congratulations, William Shaw, and thanks to NetGalley and Kilkenney Press for an ARC of this great book! Also, the cover is beautiful, and definitely attracted me to the book.