Review by Kaylee123 -- House of Eire by June Gillam

[Kaylee Elmer]

[Following is a volunteer review of "House of Eire" by June Gillam.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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House of Eire, by June Gillam, is a thrilling mystery novel set in Ireland. It centers around Hillary, a ghostwriter, and reporter. She is traveling to Ireland with her husband, Ed, as a late honeymoon and also to find out more about her Irish heritage. They are accompanied by their six-year-old daughter Claire, and Sarah, an older woman who is a mother figure to Claire.

The vacation doesn’t turn out to be all fun and games. In Ireland, a developer named Dermot Connolly is trying to build a theme park called Pot O’Gold. A man named Seamus works for him and is dating a woman named Bridget. Bridget if friends with Hillary and she also wants to build a memorial of the history of Irish suffering in the theme park. Connolly doesn’t like this and goes to great lengths to stop her. As Hillary’s family gets caught up in this drama, things take a tragic turn.

My favorite part of the book was definitely Claire. She was very smart for such a young girl, and it was endearing to see Ireland through a child’s eyes. She loved the ghost stories she heard about Ireland but always acted bravely. She referred to her Rapunzel doll as “Punzey,” which I found adorable. She also called Hillary “Maaa,” almost like a bleating goat. I like that the author included those cute little details about Claire.

I also enjoyed reading about the Irish history that was included. I had no idea the people of Ireland suffered so much in the past. Apparently, many of them starved to death, and some even resorted to cannibalism. I can see why Bridget wanted a memorial built.

The part I liked least about the book was actually Hillary. I didn’t find her to be a likable character at all. She was very obsessive. She was obsessed with her heritage, obsessed with being abandoned by her mother, obsessed with being a good mother to Claire, and she was constantly paranoid something bad would happen. It got old after a while. Also, for being so obsessive, she made some dumb choices. For instance, at one point, it becomes clear that it’s very dangerous to stay in Ireland. But instead of going home to California on schedule, Hillary and Claire stay in Ireland longer. If Hillary was so obsessed with being a good mother, wouldn’t she have taken Claire home to safety? It didn’t make sense.

I would rate House of Eire 4 out of 4 stars. I wouldn’t give it any lower because the plot moved along quickly, and I was eager to keep reading. Hillary may have been annoying, but there were plenty of other great characters to make up for that. The book was also exceptionally well-edited, and I didn’t find any errors while reading.

This book would appeal to anyone who loves a good mystery. It was a quick read, too. It’s best suited for adults or older teens, though. There is some strong language included and instances of death.

House of Eire is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone novel. I highly recommend it!

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House of Eire
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[alanajoseph2004]

I love the story because it shows me never ever forget where you come from.
where was the husband the whole trip he dropped out the story seeing that it was a late honeymoon trip to an island he never know of he should be there to protect has family.....

[Thehorselover]

I love a good story that intertwines history with fiction, it makes the history easier to remember in my opinion. I too don't know much about Irish history, but I love learning about different cultures, their traditions, and their past. Thanks!

[Manali_DC]

I read and reviewed this book recently. I liked the story but I was a bit surprised because it begins as a mystery and then you find out it isn't! Thanks for a great review.

[Jaco Du Plooy]

Thank you for the review. I do not look forward to meet Hillary, but I love history themed books. I will read it for sure.