Lives Apart: an immigrant story from Ireland to America

Lives Apart by Anne McLoughlin is the first book in the Lives series. It’s a story of emigration from Ireland to America after the potato famine. At 17 years old, Johanna McNamara left her quiet life on her family’s farm and emigrated to America to join her brother, Hugh. Full of hope and dreams of success, Johanna has great expectations. When tragedy strikes, she finds herself caring for others and putting her hopes and dreams aside. Back in Ireland, her brother Art is struggling with the family farm and his troubled son, Declan. He makes the decision to send Declan to America; however, his arrival brings an act of betrayal that threatens to tear the family apart. Will America be the promised land for Johanna? Will Declan find himself in this new world? 

Set in Ireland, Boston, San Francisco and Nova Scotia, Lives Apart explores the experience of the immigrant as they arrive in a new country and the family they leave behind. I was really interested in this story as a descendant of Irish immigrants, the experiences and stories of immigrants have always fascinated me. However, Lives Apart is very mundane with little action and a bit confusing as the story switches time, place and between siblings. Rather than focusing on Johanna’s story, Declan’s story seems forced and probably could have been its own book as the story tries to do too much in one book and the ending was less than satisfying. Overall, the story was okay but not enjoyable enough to continue this series.. I do not recommend Lives Apart. 

Lives Apart is available in paperback and eBook