The Star of The Sea - By Joseph O'Connor

A thrilling, suspenseful new novel from one of Ireland's most talented young writers.

In the bitter winter of 1847, from an Ireland torn by injustice and natural disaster, the Star of the Sea sets sail for New York.

On board are a handful of first class passengers and a belly full of destitute Irish people fleeing the horrors of the Potato famine.

During the course of the voyage personal dramas of the most distressing kind take place. AS passengers die of starvation and disease in the decks below, a drama of adultery, incest, and inherited disease plays itself out in first class. Among the characters is a maid servant with a devastating secret, bankrupt Lord Merridith and his family, an aspiring novelist and a writer of revolutionary ballards.

The 26 day journey will see many lives end; others begin afresh in a spellbinding story of tragedy and mercy, love and healing. The closer the Star of the Sea sails to the promised land, the more the passengers see themselves moored to a past that will never let them go. Star of the sea is the enmeshed histories of England, Ireland and America, and a lesson in the evils of serfdom and exploitation.

A novel as urgently contemporary in its preoccupations as it is historically revealing, this gripping and compassionate tale builds with the pace of a thriller to an unforgettable conclusion.

Review:
A dramatic, intricate tale that draws you in with believable humane and ironic look at life. The author has a great sense of humour. A must read.