What Becomes of Us
Published on 2. April 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-4447-9410-6 (ISBN)
Description
Dublin, 1965. A city on the cusp of change. A country preparing to commemorate the 1916 Rising.
Maria Mills arrives from London with only a suitcase and her young daughter. Scared but hopeful, she is intent on a new life, one in which she can hide from her past. She has carefully constructed a story, based on a lie that even her daughter believes is true.
When she gets a job in the fledgling broadcaster Telifis Eireann, she finds herself working on a 1916 Rising commemoration programme. Maria meets Tess McDermott, a former member of Cumann na mBan, the Irish republican women's paramilitary group. Tess saw active service in the Rising yet angrily refuses to admit her involvement. Maria realises that Tess too is hiding a secret that must be told.
Set against the backdrop of stifling social and religious mores, alongside a defiant new wave of women's liberation, What Becomes of Us is a beautifully told story of the struggle to carve out a new identity when the past refuses to let go. And for one young mother and widow, who has caught a fleeting glimpse of what her life, and love, might one day be, the past lurks closer than she knows.
Maria Mills arrives from London with only a suitcase and her young daughter. Scared but hopeful, she is intent on a new life, one in which she can hide from her past. She has carefully constructed a story, based on a lie that even her daughter believes is true.
When she gets a job in the fledgling broadcaster Telifis Eireann, she finds herself working on a 1916 Rising commemoration programme. Maria meets Tess McDermott, a former member of Cumann na mBan, the Irish republican women's paramilitary group. Tess saw active service in the Rising yet angrily refuses to admit her involvement. Maria realises that Tess too is hiding a secret that must be told.
Set against the backdrop of stifling social and religious mores, alongside a defiant new wave of women's liberation, What Becomes of Us is a beautifully told story of the struggle to carve out a new identity when the past refuses to let go. And for one young mother and widow, who has caught a fleeting glimpse of what her life, and love, might one day be, the past lurks closer than she knows.
Reviews / Votes
A thoughtful, poignant and insightful novel ... there's a hint of Binchy in McKervey's ability to tell a complex, entertaining story with intelligence and wit * Irish Times * A beautifully written account of a time when women, still subjugated, were determined to fight for their rights. It's also a story of friendship, neighbourliness, what family really means, and where it can be found ... All of the characters are superbly drawn * Irish Examiner * An impressive debut ... There is plenty to admire and contemplate in this enjoyable portrait of Ireland's many-layered past * Sunday Business Post * An assured debut * RTE Guide * A timely debut ... [What Becomes of Us] features strong women, is culturally topical and it explores a fascinating era for women's lives both in the past and the novel's present -- Sinead Gleeson * Image magazine * A fascinating read that deals with big questions about female activism and solidarity ... McKervey's lean writing, light historical touch and engaging narrative never falter, and this impressive debut marks the writer out as a talent able to tell a complex story with intelligence and humour * Sunday Times * Engaging ... This is an atmospheric debut and the writing is crisp * Sunday Independent *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Castleknock
Ireland
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Dimensions
Height: 233 mm
Width: 166 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
424 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4447-9410-6 (9781444794106)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Henrietta McKervey was born in Belfast and now lives in Dublin with her husband and two young children. Having worked as an advertising and design copywriter for several years, she completed an MFA in Creative Writing in UCD, and was the winner of the inaugural Maeve Binchy Travel Award in 2014.
What Becomes of Us is her first novel.
@hmckervey
www.henriettamckervey.com
What Becomes of Us is her first novel.
@hmckervey
www.henriettamckervey.com