Ashes Of Fiery Weather
by Kathleen Donohoe
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Pub Date Aug 30 2016 | Archive Date Sep 30 2016
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | Mariner Books
Description
A debut novel about the passionate loves and tragic losses of six generations of women in a family of firefighters, spanning from famine-era Ireland to Brooklyn a decade after 9/11
"There isn’t anything in the world that hurts like a burn.” No one knows the pain of a fire more than the women of the Keegan/O’Reilly clan. Kathleen Donohoe’s stunning debut novel brings to life seven unsentimental, wry, and evocative portraits of women from a family of firefighters. When we meet Norah — the first member of her family to move from Ireland to New York — she is a mother of three, contemplating her husband’s casket as his men give him a full fireman’s funeral, and faced with a terrible choice. Norah's mother-in-law, Delia, is stoic and self-preserving. Her early losses have made her keep her children close and her secrets closer. Eileen, Delia’s daughter, adopted from Ireland and tough-as-nails, yet desperate for a sense of belonging, is one of the first women firefighters in New York. It is through her eyes that we experience 9/11, blindsided by the events of that terrible day along with her. Poignant, wise, and immersive, Ashes of Fiery Weather is a tour de force in the tradition of Let the Great World Spin, one that explores the emotional wounds and ultimate resilience of those drawn to fire, as well as the many ways we search for each other, and the many ways we hope to be rescued.
"There isn’t anything in the world that hurts like a burn.” No one knows the pain of a fire more than the women of the Keegan/O’Reilly clan. Kathleen Donohoe’s stunning debut novel brings to life seven unsentimental, wry, and evocative portraits of women from a family of firefighters. When we meet Norah — the first member of her family to move from Ireland to New York — she is a mother of three, contemplating her husband’s casket as his men give him a full fireman’s funeral, and faced with a terrible choice. Norah's mother-in-law, Delia, is stoic and self-preserving. Her early losses have made her keep her children close and her secrets closer. Eileen, Delia’s daughter, adopted from Ireland and tough-as-nails, yet desperate for a sense of belonging, is one of the first women firefighters in New York. It is through her eyes that we experience 9/11, blindsided by the events of that terrible day along with her. Poignant, wise, and immersive, Ashes of Fiery Weather is a tour de force in the tradition of Let the Great World Spin, one that explores the emotional wounds and ultimate resilience of those drawn to fire, as well as the many ways we search for each other, and the many ways we hope to be rescued.
Advance Praise
“Ashes of Fiery Weather is a remarkably authentic portrait, rich in memorable detail, with characters that come so vividly to life one forgets one is reading a novel. For a book to cover wide swathes of time and still feel vital at every point on its timeline is an impressive feat. Anyone Irish will face an uncanny recognition in these pages; everyone else will be enthralled meeting such captivating figures. Prepare to settle in."—Matthew Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves
"Riveting...Entrancing story line. Adding to the book's power are the authentic Brooklyn details, making the borough a compelling character in itself. That the author grew up in such a family makes her work that much more realized with strongly developed supporting characters, gritty realism, and a non-Hollywood-style ending. VERDICT Admirers of Pete Hamill and Kate Atkinson will appreciate this gripping and intimate novel, as well as those who want an absorbing multigenerational read."—Library Journal, starred review
"Breathtaking...[Donohoe's] depiction of 9/11 is by far one of the best fictional accounts by that terrible day in which 343 members of the FDNY perished. In the end, her novel is a moving testament to the men and women who risk their lives every day."—Publishers Weekly
"Riveting...Entrancing story line. Adding to the book's power are the authentic Brooklyn details, making the borough a compelling character in itself. That the author grew up in such a family makes her work that much more realized with strongly developed supporting characters, gritty realism, and a non-Hollywood-style ending. VERDICT Admirers of Pete Hamill and Kate Atkinson will appreciate this gripping and intimate novel, as well as those who want an absorbing multigenerational read."—Library Journal, starred review
"Breathtaking...[Donohoe's] depiction of 9/11 is by far one of the best fictional accounts by that terrible day in which 343 members of the FDNY perished. In the end, her novel is a moving testament to the men and women who risk their lives every day."—Publishers Weekly
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780544464056 |
| PRICE | $26.00 (USD) |
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