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The Yellow House

by Patricia Falvey (Goodreads Author)

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 2,420 ratings · 374 reviews

THE YELLOW HOUSE delves into the passion and politics of Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 20 century. Eileen O'Neill's family is torn apart by religious intolerance and secrets from the past. Determined to reclaim her ancestral home and reunite her family, Eileen begins working at the local mill, saving her money and holding fast to her dream. As war is declared on...more

Kindle Edition, 343 pages

Published February 2010 by Center Street

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Sep 24, 2012 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: irish-authors, historical-fiction, irish-author

Great read, beautifully written (loved the Irish brogue!) This story is of a young Northern Irish woman who, inheriting a legacy of warriors, must come to terms with the burdens that legacy carries and find the strength within her that it brings. Spanning twenty years of her life, the book recounts Eileen O'Neill's struggles with the difficulties that come with war (both WWI; the Irish War of Independence) and poverty, including the loss of her family to murder, mental illness and hatred. In the...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Coconut Creek Book Club ❧ rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-stars

4th Pick, September 2012 pick ~ Chosen by Nadine. We enjoyed the setting of Northern Ireland in the early 1900s, and gaining insight into Ireland's bid for independence from England, but several members felt the writing style was elementary and predictable.

Meeting Highlights: Met for lunch at Scarfone's Coal Fired Pizza. One new member. In attendance: Pam, Robin, Nadine, Vicki, Kimber, Marilyn & Erika.

Nadine found the heroine Eileen O'Neill extremely annoying. Eileen's stubbornness and ange...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Angela rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didnt like any of the characters in this book. Eileen was annoying, Owen was a weasel, and James was a jerk. The writing wasnt that great either. I hated the way both of the men just kept running after Eileen when in real life she was such a jerk to everyone that she would've had no friends. She never said a kind word in the entire book. Also, there was too much nonsense about family pride and being a 'warrior O'Neill.' I will grant that I didnt know Ireland had gone through such turmoil and i...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Ricki Treleaven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This week I read The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey. I love reading books by Irish writers, especially those from Northern Ireland as I am from Scotch-Ulster descent.

This book chronicles the story of the O'Neill family and their home, the "yellow house," situated at the base of Slieve Guillon mountain in Ulster. Eileen O'Neill is a child when her Da brings home gallons of canary-yellow paint for the home's exterior. The O'Neills are celebrating the centennial of Warrior Hugh O'Neill's victory o...more This week I read The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey. I love reading books by Irish writers, especially those from Northern Ireland as I am from Scotch-Ulster descent.

This book chronicles the story of the O'Neill family and their home, the "yellow house," situated at the base of Slieve Guillon mountain in Ulster. Eileen O'Neill is a child when her Da brings home gallons of canary-yellow paint for the home's exterior. The O'Neills are celebrating the centennial of Warrior Hugh O'Neill's victory over the wealthy Sheridans: Hugh won the house in a card game and the family has called it home for 100 years. When Eileen climbs Slieve Guillon, she realizes the yellow house stands out above every structure for miles around. Eileen is a proud O'Neill, and her Da calls her his "little warrior" because she is an O'Neill through and through.

Shortly after the O'Neills' house painting party, a series of unfortunate events devastates the family and they lose the yellow house. Eileen is taken in by family friends and begins work in one of the local linen mills. She grows up during a time of change and civil unrest in Ireland-- World War I, which quickly segues into civil war. Eileen becomes involved with the IRA as she lives up to her little warrior legacy. She becomes involved with a handsome political activist, James Conlon, and a dashing and wealthy mill owner, Owen Sheridan. The Sheridans are Quakers and known for their fairness: They do not discriminate between Protestants and Catholics. This love triangle is one of the most dramatic I have read in a long time. There are many surprises in the plot, and it is a very well-written book.

The Yellow House is chock-full of history, romance, drama (tons of it), family secrets, action, intrigue, and suspense. Eileen's prickly and defensive personality made me much less sympathetic toward her. I wanted to shake her for most of the book, and I had to constantly remind myself that she had been traumatized by violence and tragedy at a young age. However, the ending is very satisfying, and readers should appreciate Eileen's transformation.
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Aug 25, 2012 Vera Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

“The Troubles” Such a pedestrian word for such a lengthy disruption of safe and normal life in Ireland. The novel The Yellow House tells the story of an Irish woman born in 1888 in Northern Ireland, and her growing awareness of and involvement in politics.

With great skill, author Patricia Falvey layers what seems on the surface to be the story of a complex family with the complex history of a whole people. It is the story of a house that is a home and a country that is a home.

Whether you know a...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Denise Cuenin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is both a family saga and a personal history of the Irish revolution era in county Armaugh which becomes part of Northern Ireland after the establishment of the Free State. Eileen O'Neill is a strong but stubborn woman who is very driven by the ghost of her family spirit which was taken away when her younger sister dies, her mother loses her sanity and her father is shot by a Unionist gang. She dreams of restoring their family home which her father had painted a bright yellow, making it sta...more

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Mar 04, 2010 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Patricia Falvey's first novel, The Yellow House, has been described as firmly and unapologetically on the side of Republican/Nationalist perspective. I didn't feel that this point of view detracted from the novel. Eileen O'Neill is strong-willed, determined, and often excessively stubborn, but these same traits help keep her sane as she faces amazing personal tragedies. The events in Eileen's life are tied to the growing hostilities and political unrest in Ireland. Eileen faces the loss of both...more

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Mar 01, 2010 Corinne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For Eileen, Ireland is more than just a country. It's a home, a history - an heirloom to be defended and cherished. From the time she was a babe her Da taught her a fierce pride in her Irish-Catholic roots - and living in Ulster at the turn-of-the-century made Eileen witness to the sort of strife that was as much a part of Irish Catholic life as soda bread and music on a Saturday night. When she is still young, her family and their beloved Yellow House begin to fall apart as political unrest and...more
For Eileen, Ireland is more than just a country. It's a home, a history - an heirloom to be defended and cherished. From the time she was a babe her Da taught her a fierce pride in her Irish-Catholic roots - and living in Ulster at the turn-of-the-century made Eileen witness to the sort of strife that was as much a part of Irish Catholic life as soda bread and music on a Saturday night. When she is still young, her family and their beloved Yellow House begin to fall apart as political unrest and sickness leave no family unaffected.

The Yellow House follows Eileen's life as she grows and finds a warrior for Ireland inside herself. Much of this book is Eileen trying to figure out what role is going to take center stage in her life. Will she be a fighter? A spinner at the mill? A wife? A mother? And all the while, deep down, what she truly wants is to just see her family all together and happy again in the Yellow House - a dream that keeps slipping away, not only because of the violence in her world and the hard things that keep happening to her, but also because of her own bad choices and inability to truly know her own mind. Add to that a love triangle with an Irish Revolutionary and a wealthy Quaker landowner and poor Eileen is a mess of emotions a lot of the time, with so many good desires and so few paths to happiness.

I really liked this, for the most part (the language was a bit much for me). I like Eileen as a strong character, despite her flaring temper and crazy choices. The truth of it is - she WAS in a hard place in a hard time and I appreciate that the author tried to show us all the different aspects of Irish life during that period - both Catholic and (in a lesser way) Protestant. It was a shade predictable for me and the men in her life were painted as a bit too "good vs evil" for it to be completely believable, but I would be lying if I said I didn't get completely wrapped up in the story. If you are a fan of Irish history and coming of age books, then you should find this one.

also: if you are interested in knowing the content (graphic language, etc.) of what I've read, I post "rated reviews" on this website, so check it out! (less)

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Dec 02, 2009 Bridget rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-reads

This is another family story, which takes place during the Revolutionary Period in Ireland. The story begins in 1905 and ends in 1924, and centers around Eileen O'Neill and her family.

The story opens with Eileen remembering a particular summer when she was 8 years old, and her father returns at the end of the day with yellow paint for their house. As the story progresses, and the family home is lost and the family is torn apart, Eileen holds the idea of the yellow house close to her heart, beli...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Meg rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First off, how could I not read a book called "The Yellow House?" Anyone who knows me knows how much I love yellow houses, and how I have painted both houses I have owned yellow first thing! This yellow house story however, is not how you would want your life to go! It is very sad until the last few pages, and it is very hard to root for the characters when they are so self destructive. I am all for a main character having flaws, but oh my goodness, I can't imagine a more prideful woman biting o...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Francine Larson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Patricia Falvey does a great job of giving her readers an education about Ulster, Ireland in early 20th century. At this time, all four provinces were under English rule and governed from Westminister in England.
Eileen, O'Niell, a Catholic struggled against the civil war between the Protestants and the Catholics. Catholics were made to leave their homes and land and also were killed.
Eileen and her family were broken when their home was taken from them. Her mother lost her mind; her father was...more

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Feb 25, 2010 Alayne Bushey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Occasionally an epic story comes along that makes the reader cry at the end of the novel. I am that reader, and The Yellow House is that novel. Spanning the early twentieth century, set in Northern Ireland during the time of the Irish revolution, we follow Eileen O’Neill, warrior, daughter, and sister as she slowly loses everything she loves but learns to rise again. Growing up at the base of her beloved mountain, Slieve Gullion, Eileen knows the terrors she dreams at night do not bode well for...more Occasionally an epic story comes along that makes the reader cry at the end of the novel. I am that reader, and The Yellow House is that novel. Spanning the early twentieth century, set in Northern Ireland during the time of the Irish revolution, we follow Eileen O’Neill, warrior, daughter, and sister as she slowly loses everything she loves but learns to rise again. Growing up at the base of her beloved mountain, Slieve Gullion, Eileen knows the terrors she dreams at night do not bode well for her family. When her younger sister dies of Scarlet Fever, her mother loses her mind in grief. When her Catholic father is killed defending their Yellow House from Protestant uprisers, Eileen must survive or perish in sadness. She stands upright as an O’Neill warrior and takes life by the horns.

Growing up in Ireland in the tumultuous 1900s, Eileen O’Neill joins the Cause for the rights of Catholics and all Irish citizens. In 1913 she takes a job working for the Quaker family, the Sheridan's, at their mill in Queensbrook; she also takes up the fiddle, following in her father’s footsteps, and it is through these two positions that she meets Owen Sheridan, handsome, privileged, charming, rakish, and safe. When Owen goes to fight in World War 1 Eileen is left confused about her burgeoning feelings, not having ever loved, she doesn’t know about Owen. And then she meets James; dark, dangerous, impassioned for the Cause, fighting for his beliefs, for freedom from persecution, for a better Ireland, and she falls for him.

Torn between her inner warrior and her outer womanhood, enveloped in a lost family and heritage, dreaming of the Yellow House and her beloved Slieve Gullion, Eileen is a girl who grows to a woman before our eyes, who marches from the ashes of her childhood and raises her arms in defiance. Trapped between two men, Eileen finds herself.

The Yellow House is a captivating debut, bountiful and beautifully written. The beginning trudges along, but Eileen will capture you quickly after. Her story will make you smile, make your heart pump, make your breath quicken, make you cry. You will hope for the best, and fear for the worst. You will laugh at Eileen and her anger and feistiness, she has a sailor’s mouth and the temper to go with it. You will feel her heartbreak and her desire, you will know her anguish and rapturous delight, you will relate to her because she is the warrior in all of us. You will love Eileen, and you will love The Yellow House.
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Oct 05, 2012 Christina White rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, literary-fiction, love-stories

A great read! I loved the way the story was told. Eileen narrated the story using a sharp Irish tongue that I found so charming I wanted to read it out loud. I love a good feisty heroine! The Yellow House is a story of a young Irish girl who faces many tragedies and hardships both close to her heart and in her homeland. She carries with her a warrior's spirit that was handed down to her through her father. She fights through all the challenges of her life with a dream that one day she will resto...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Mandolin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Yellow House is the story of a young Northern Irish woman who, inheriting a legacy of warriors, must come to terms with the burdens that legacy carries and find the strength within her that it brings. Spanning twenty years of her life, the book recounts Eileen O'Neill's struggles with the difficulties that come with war (both WWI and the Irish war of independence) and poverty, including the loss of her family to murder, mental illness and hatred. In the midst of this storm, she is torn betwe...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

This was a satisfactory read. I have a long-held fascination with the Troubles in Ireland. This book predictably made me hungry to learn more about my paternal lineage. My great grandmother, Eleanor, was born in Ireland and ended up in Wales sometime before the 1920s. I don't know much more than that, but I suspect her Protestant roots may have had something to do with her decision to leave Ireland and relocate to the UK.

Although Eileen, the narrator and main character of The Yellow House, was...more This was a satisfactory read. I have a long-held fascination with the Troubles in Ireland. This book predictably made me hungry to learn more about my paternal lineage. My great grandmother, Eleanor, was born in Ireland and ended up in Wales sometime before the 1920s. I don't know much more than that, but I suspect her Protestant roots may have had something to do with her decision to leave Ireland and relocate to the UK.

Although Eileen, the narrator and main character of The Yellow House, was a Catholic girl, I suspect the tensions and hardships she experienced during the early 20th century were common among the Irish. Conditions were volatile, and many families were torn apart by divided loyalties. Maybe my ancestor experienced this, too.

There are several things I didn't like about this book: the pace was very fast, and the author skipped ahead in time as it was convenient for her. The story skipped from one momentous event to the next and Eileen's story never, in my opinion, took root. Rather than allowing Eileen to grow into the feisty, independent, stubborn woman that she was, the author was constantly saying it. The words of my creative writing professor constantly echoed in my mind: "Show it, don't tell it." The author may have benefitted from that entry-level advice.

The book was also quite predictable. Aside from the surprise regarding Lizzie, I predicted every single outcome. There was nothing new, no essential element of the story that really shocked me.

Last, I believe the author is a deeply religious woman. I know that Eileen's Catholic faith was essential to her life, but I got the impression that God was mentioned over and over again because the author felt some allegiance, rather than the importance to character or story development. Especially toward the sugar-coated ending of this book--God was thick. I found it annoying.

At the end of the day, it's rare that historical fiction is ever truly satisfying. It will always lack that certain credibility; indeed, I recognize that it's nearly impossible to perfect it. This was a good attempt. I love Ireland and its history, and I did learn something from this book. For that, it deserves four stars, not the three I nearly awarded.(less)

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Jun 06, 2010 Linda Day rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I started this book because I loved the genre ... Irish novel. It is timed in the first World War, and the beginnings of the on-going civil war in Ireland between the Catholica and the Protestants. But, let me say, it was even less than OK (which is the 2* definition). This was no Maeve Binchey, I will tell you that ! I quit reading before I had finished the book.

And sadly, because it began well with a feisty red-headed heroine, but the roof just kept falling on her head; the language became mo...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Dick Edwards rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The following comments reveal some of the book, and can therefore be considered spoilers. The book is written in the first person by the main character, Eileen O’Neill. She lives with her family in the town of Glenlea in County Armagh in the southern part of Ulster (Northern Ireland). She grows up in a Catholic family and begins the book reflecting that point of view vs. the Protestants. Her mother is the dominant figure in the family, and over-rules the father (“Da”) by selling land (rather tha...more The following comments reveal some of the book, and can therefore be considered spoilers. The book is written in the first person by the main character, Eileen O’Neill. She lives with her family in the town of Glenlea in County Armagh in the southern part of Ulster (Northern Ireland). She grows up in a Catholic family and begins the book reflecting that point of view vs. the Protestants. Her mother is the dominant figure in the family, and over-rules the father (“Da”) by selling land (rather than taking out a mortgage on the house) after Da hurts his hands and is unable to work. One day her Da decides to paint the house yellow. Later, when they fall on hard times and lose the house, Eileen has as her goal to re-purchase the house and paint it yellow again. The mother has become mentally ill and is put in a home, and hardly recognizes her children after that. The story follows Eileen as she grows up and loves first James Conlon and then Owen Sheridan. James is a hot head and a Catholic, and is heavily involved in the Irish Republican movement for a free Ireland. Owen is the son of the mill owner where Eileen gets a job working. Eileen marries James and becomes actively involved in armed activities of the freedom fighters. She has a daughter by James in 1920. When she tries to name the child an Irish name “Aoife,” James and his family have her named Mary Margaret against Eileen’s wishes. Eventually James becomes a hunted man and leaves Eileen for long stretches of time, and even stealing the money she has worked to save over 8 years of labor in the mill. Through all this time, Ms. Falvey introduces us to the history of the conflict between England and Ireland, and even includes a meeting between Eileen and the leader of the movement, Michael Collins. Falvey portrays Eileen as a vivid character with a salty tongue who does not take any guff from any one. By the end of the book, I had a great respect for her character and a greater understanding of the political conflict of the time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and give it an enthusiastic 8 out of 10 points.(less)

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Jan 18, 2012 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book had great potential and is a good, ambitious, first novel. I believe it was well researched and did a good job of simplifying the very confusing conflict in North Ireland. Long ago I read "Gone the Rainbow, Gone the Dove" about the more current history (60's? 70's?) and as I remember, it was very heart-wrenching and dramatic. This book is probably more personalized, limiting the main conflict to a woman torn between two men. The conflict is a part of the story, but not THE story.

I coul...more This book had great potential and is a good, ambitious, first novel. I believe it was well researched and did a good job of simplifying the very confusing conflict in North Ireland. Long ago I read "Gone the Rainbow, Gone the Dove" about the more current history (60's? 70's?) and as I remember, it was very heart-wrenching and dramatic. This book is probably more personalized, limiting the main conflict to a woman torn between two men. The conflict is a part of the story, but not THE story.

I could not help noticing that the author's poetic style makes use of posture and body parts, especially hands. It was a very effective way to describe not only emotions, but character. I got very tired of reading that the men "put his hand on the small of my back" though.

I think the "Yellow House" as theme might have been a little weak. It's importance seemed obvious in the beginning, but lessened as the book worked its way to conclusion. To say any more might spoil it for some. Lame and unsatisfactory I thought.

The author missed making the mountain Slieve Gullion more important than it was. She began with beautiful descriptions "wrapping herself in her evening shawl as the light grew dim." although it seems that "summer robe of bracken...in tatters" was used often enough that it grew tiresome. The mountain would draw me home more than a yellow house.

This book is probably more 3 1/2 stars than 3. I just couldn't give it 4 stars though. Too much information: love scenes. More than I want to know. One place where obsession with body parts was too much. Thankfully, there were only two VERY descriptive enoucounters. That may disappoint some--but if you are in to that kind of thing, it may be enough. For me, it was too much.

This book had a strong beginning and a strong ending. The middle seemed slow at times. A long wait in an airport and an airflight kept me reading; I don't know if I would have been that patient otherwise.

I have many high-lighted sections, not just to keep track of all the literary descriptions of hands & posture, but of the lyrical prose. This author is capable of 4-5 stars and will probably get them from others. I just know there were times that I became impatient for the story to get moving again. And the TMI moments...

4 stars for presenting a good, basic understanding of the origins of the conflict in Ireland.(less)

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Sep 24, 2012 Susan Barlow rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 26, 2011 Holly Weiss rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fictionistas, 2010-release

There’s never a dull moment in Patricia Falvey’s debut novel, The Yellow House. Northern Ireland in the revolutionary period of the early 1900s almost becomes a character in this novel weaving intrigue, romance, politics and family love. The reader will feel a part of this tiny Irish village within a few pages. Ms. Falvey’s narrative and dialogue deftly fill in the history and back stories to her plot. The novel is so well constructed that the reader not only feels almost a part of the story, bu...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey is another Irish historical novel.This one takes place 1905-1925 in Ireland and recounts the advent of the Irish War for Independence and the beginnings of Sein Fein and the IRA. The main character is a young Catholic woman living outside Ulster. Her husband is a revolutionary and she works in a Quaker mill and she sees first hand the discrimination of Catholics by the Protestants at the mill.

Very gripping story with a lot of drama and story twists. I gasped...more

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May 09, 2013 Deb rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had no idea how powerful this book would be when I opened it's cover. I choose it at a book sale for it's cover and title alone. Before reading it I checked out a few reviews online and found many readers were disappointed...I didn't find any of their disappointments however. The characters were strongly drawn and if ever you felt frustrated with them for a moment you could see that what you might have perceived as a lack of worldliness they more than made up for with perception and strength o...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Karla rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, wwi-era, historical, mourning, ireland, favorites

This is why I love historical fiction, two stories bleeding together to make a real conection to the characters, place and during a tragic true time. This is a family torn by WWI and religous discrimination in Ireland and their story that felt sharp and went straight to my heart. I love strong characters that emerge with a chip on their shoulder like I found Eileen to be, a passionate, sharp tounged, born and breed Irish Catholic in a setting of uprising. She has lost everything she holds deares...more

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Feb 21, 2011 Holly (2 Kids and Tired) rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Irish stories have always fascinated me and this one certainly sounded promising. The premise is good and the political history is interesting, although it got a bit laborious in parts. Some will argue that politics is inherent to Ireland and while they are correct, I didn't pick this book up for the history lesson, I wanted a people story. Unfortunately, the characters simply weren't people I cared about. Eileen, in particular, wasn't at all likeable. James' family, and his mother in particular...more

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Apr 11, 2010 Kristi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Kristi by: Bookworm With a View

I was brought up surrounded by family who spoke of our Irish heritage. One of my most treasured possessions is a shamrock charm that my grandfather picked out for me when I was a teenager - I still make sure to wear it proudly every St. Patrick's Day and on days when I'm feeling especially sentimental. The Yellow House offered a spectacular view of Northern Ireland in the early 1900's, while the country was in the midst of The Troubles: when Catholics and Protestants were divided between a desir...more I was brought up surrounded by family who spoke of our Irish heritage. One of my most treasured possessions is a shamrock charm that my grandfather picked out for me when I was a teenager - I still make sure to wear it proudly every St. Patrick's Day and on days when I'm feeling especially sentimental. The Yellow House offered a spectacular view of Northern Ireland in the early 1900's, while the country was in the midst of The Troubles: when Catholics and Protestants were divided between a desire for an independent Ireland and British rule. I feel as if I have a little more insight into the history of my family after having read the book.

Eileen O'Neill was brought up by her father to be a warrior, having been instilled with the stories of how her great-grandfather took back their home from the Sheridan family. The book described horrible circumstances under which Eileen had to pick herself up and ensure that the family that remained was able to stay together and was provided for. Her strength and spirit wer admirable - I loved the character that Falvey created.

The Yellow House was a story of love, perseverance and fighting for what you believe in, regardless of how others may speak of you, or of risks to your life. I was impressed how Falvey successfully wove Irish history into such a personal family story. Eileen O'Neill Conlon was a warrior in her own family, but she also symbolized many warriors throughout Ireland.

The contrasts between characters Owen Sheridan and James Conlon were remarkable. Each was on the opposite side of the political spectrum, each chose a different way to fight for what they believed in, and most importantly each man pulled Eileen's heart and soul in a different direction. I enjoyed the love triangle that was created between Eileen and the two men, but I believe more importantly that the historical backdrop of the novel would not have been successful had it not been for the ideological struggle between the men.

The Yellow House was a well-written novel - from the first page I could hear the lilt of the Irish brogue ringing through the dialogue. I highly recommend the book to lovers of historical fiction, lovers of Ireland, and lovers of strong women characters.
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Oct 17, 2012 Irene rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here is the challenge; write a full-length novel exclusively in clichés. Patricia Falvey has accepted this challenge and succeeded with The Yellow House: clichéd characters, clichéd plot, clichéd dialogue, clichéd descriptions, clichéd faux Irish expressions. Set in Ulster during the first 2 decades of the 20th century, young Eileen O’Neil experiences more losses during the first 15 years of her life (35 pages of the book) than any country western singer does on an entire album. But Eileen is no...more

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Feb 18, 2010 Kathleen Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As I am a fanatic about anything Irish, when I was approached to receive a copy The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey, I was delighted. I read the reviews and I couldn't wait to get my copy.

This is a novel about Ireland and takes place during the years 1900- 1924 during a time of strife and upheaval due to WWI and during the Home Rule in Ireland. The main character Eileen O'Neill is a very strong woman. After the birth of a baby brother her mother takes off and goes home to Eileens grandfather, b...more As I am a fanatic about anything Irish, when I was approached to receive a copy The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey, I was delighted. I read the reviews and I couldn't wait to get my copy.

This is a novel about Ireland and takes place during the years 1900- 1924 during a time of strife and upheaval due to WWI and during the Home Rule in Ireland. The main character Eileen O'Neill is a very strong woman. After the birth of a baby brother her mother takes off and goes home to Eileens grandfather, but has a breakdown and ends up in an asylum for the insane. Eileen, takes her infant brother and lives with a friend of the family and his wife after the family home (The Yellow House) burns down and they lose everything, including her father. She is forced by circumstances at a young age to be both a mother and father to her little brother. She promised herself that she will get The Yellow House back and reunite her family.

Eileen had a sister that died, and she also has an older brother Frank who goes to live with their grandfather.The grandfather had disowned their mother because of a scandal that ultimately changes every one's lives in the O'Neill household.

Eileen eventually goes to work in the mill owned by the Owen Sheridan, son of a well to do Quaker family. Eileen is very vocal on the working conditions at the mill. Owen is British and against violence of any kind but does eventually go to fight in WWI. Eileen finds that she has feelings for Owen, but ends up marrying James Conlin whom she met while she did her part in a movement proclaiming an independent Irish Republic in the south of Ireland.

The story is full of history during this famous time in Ireland's past that shaped the country to how it is today. It is a heartbreaking story of a family torn apart by secrets, war, religion and class distinctions. This book was thoroughly researched and maybe even a bit of the authors own past wound through the story. The characters are very well thought out. It tells the history of Ireland, but does not overwhelm you with the details. It tells about the anger and the hatred between the Catholics and the Protestants. Michael Collins, an Irish revolutionary leader and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations is part of the story.

I loved this book to say the least. It was an easy and fun read, when the families and neighbors would get together and have their music sessions, I could almost hear the sad songs of love and loss. Irish fiction at it's best.

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Aug 12, 2011 Agatha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although this book was perhaps overly dramatic/romantic in parts, and certainly did not have anything detached or overly intellectual about it, I just plain enjoyed reading this historical fiction about the time period in Ireland between World War I and the separation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Main character Eileen O’Neill watches as her family is torn apart by poverty, mental illness, disease, and the Troubles. She later must choose between fiery Republican leader Ja...more

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May 07, 2013 Celli rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another disappointing book! I love this time period and yet I didn't feel like we were in the 1910's-20's at all!!!!
I didn't like any of the characters, the "history" bored me so I skimmed through most of it and unusually LOVE the history, hence my love for HISTORICAL fiction!
I don't know... There was a lot of drama but it all tied up a little to nicely in the end.
Eileen was mouthy and annoying, it was hard for me to believe that Owen would fall in love with someone like her.
She was a terrible...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Lindsay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

Alright. I admit it. I ended up really enjoying this.
The beginning had such a slow build, that I had a hard time getting into it. I wasn't attached to the characters, and I had small hope of it getting better. I will eat those words, because it really turned into a great story, and I have grown so attached to the characters that I will actually miss them now that the book is over.

I liken this book to The Tea Rose, and not just because they are both romantic historical fiction. We have an excepti...more

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Ladies & Lite...: Official September 2012 Book Discussion: The Yellow House: A Novel	26	60	Jan 29, 2013 02:32am
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Quotes from The Yellow House

“Secrets are like the cancer of families. Like tumors, they grow ever larger, and if they are not removed, they suffocate the mind and spirit, and spawn madness. As long as they remain, they cast a shadow on every truth that is uttered, clouding it, constricting it, disporting it. Secrets hurt the secret keeper as much as the poor souls from whom the secret is kept. And even once the secret is out, its shadow echoes into the future, the remnants of its memory leaving us vigilant and fearful.” — 9 people liked it

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