The sins of the mothers

by Frank Delaney

Ellen Morris is confident, beautiful, bright and educated. Early in 1925, she accepts a teaching post in a rural, misty village. There the young city girl meets two men who will radically transform her. One is the handsome and respected Thomas Kane, a former gunman hero of the Troubles; the other a poor and brutal cottage-dweller, a shadowy and menacing presence. Ellen soons finds that she must conform to the traditions of the local community and toe the rural Irish line, live by the local codes. Beset by violence and turbulent emotion, Ellen rejects the hypocrisy of her religion and plunges into natural instinct, avenging what she sees as the sins of Mother Ireland and Holy Mother Church.

Genres: Fiction

496 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Frank Delaney was an author, a broadcaster on both television and radio, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, lecturer, and a judge of many literary prizes. Delaney interviewed more than 3,500 of the world's most important writers. NPR called him 'The Most Eloquent Man in the World'. Delaney was born and raised in County Tipperary, Ireland, spent more than twenty-five years in England before moving to the United States in 2002. He lived in Litchfield County, Connecticut, with his wife, writer and marketer, Diane Meier.

Reviews

[Bernie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story.

[Shannon Quirke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice story but very dragged out and boring at times

[Diane Meier · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Frank's earliest books, it has, at its heart, a great story about a woman who simply will not give up on her wounded husband.

It's not his most sophisticated book, but there is a lot to love about it.

Again - I re-read these books over and over - in part or whole, so I won't note a 'finished' date.

[Salitha Kaweendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book

[Barry Worth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brilliantly written!