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missfortune99's review against another edition
4.0
The Lowell Mills have always been a source of fascination for me. The book did a good job of portraying concepts like famine, immigration, and civil unrest in ways that are informative but not too dark for young readers. Overall, a compelling read!
llama_lord's review against another edition
4.0
This is definitely one of the most dreary entries in the Dear America series. So dreary, in fact, that they rewrote the ending of this one for the TV adaption to make it less depressing. I don't think that the protagonist Mary experiences any real moments of happiness or triumph in the story. Rather, her life seems to move from one tragedy to the next.
That's not to say that this isn't an interesting book. I thought that the information about the mills and the girls working there was really fascinating. I also thought that the book did a good job showing the interactions between the Irish and American mill workers and why the two groups are at odds, and does so in a way that makes it easy to empathize with both groups. This book also features one of the more gruesome deaths/implied deaths in the series.
I think that maybe the message that the author was trying to send here is that America does not always welcome its immigrants with open arms. Often, as in Mary's experience, they are actively resented. This is a problem that American immigrants have been experiencing for centuries and continue to experience today, and I think it's interesting for a Dear America book to go in that direction if that was indeed the author's intent. Or maybe the author didn't mean to send that message and just wrote an unusually depressing Dear America book for some other reason. In any case, although it isn't the best the series has to offer, I would still recommend this book.
That's not to say that this isn't an interesting book. I thought that the information about the mills and the girls working there was really fascinating. I also thought that the book did a good job showing the interactions between the Irish and American mill workers and why the two groups are at odds, and does so in a way that makes it easy to empathize with both groups. This book also features one of the more gruesome deaths/implied deaths in the series.
Spoiler
A girl who ignores the safety rule of wearing her hair up gets her loose hair caught in a machine and has her scalp ripped off.I think that maybe the message that the author was trying to send here is that America does not always welcome its immigrants with open arms. Often, as in Mary's experience, they are actively resented. This is a problem that American immigrants have been experiencing for centuries and continue to experience today, and I think it's interesting for a Dear America book to go in that direction if that was indeed the author's intent. Or maybe the author didn't mean to send that message and just wrote an unusually depressing Dear America book for some other reason. In any case, although it isn't the best the series has to offer, I would still recommend this book.
kmcneil's review against another edition
3.0
From School Library Journal 10/1/1997
Gr 5-8?The story of 14-year-old Mary Driscoll's escape from the famine in her native County Cork, Ireland, and her new life working in a textile mill in Lowell, MA, is presented in brief diary entries dated from April to November 1847. The purpose of using a diary format seems to be to allow enough white space on the page to keep readers from being daunted by the flat language and plodding plot. The author uses expressions and Irish-like syntax to give the effect of an Irish's girl's language. Unfortunately, the effort does not convey the rhythm of Irish speech. Despite the book's shortcomings, it is chock-full o' historical facts and background. Denenberg works in the natural and political causes of the Irish potato famine, the dangers and discomforts of overseas passage, and class differences in 1840s America, among other themes. An appendix includes more historical information, such as a popular song of the day and pictures of the architecture and fashions.?Rebecca O'Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Gr 5-8?The story of 14-year-old Mary Driscoll's escape from the famine in her native County Cork, Ireland, and her new life working in a textile mill in Lowell, MA, is presented in brief diary entries dated from April to November 1847. The purpose of using a diary format seems to be to allow enough white space on the page to keep readers from being daunted by the flat language and plodding plot. The author uses expressions and Irish-like syntax to give the effect of an Irish's girl's language. Unfortunately, the effort does not convey the rhythm of Irish speech. Despite the book's shortcomings, it is chock-full o' historical facts and background. Denenberg works in the natural and political causes of the Irish potato famine, the dangers and discomforts of overseas passage, and class differences in 1840s America, among other themes. An appendix includes more historical information, such as a popular song of the day and pictures of the architecture and fashions.?Rebecca O'Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
kaylaarnold's review against another edition
3.0
3.5*
the pacing was too quick and I couldn't get attached to or really learn about any character except Mary.
the pacing was too quick and I couldn't get attached to or really learn about any character except Mary.
oregon_small_fry's review
I think this is the first one I read.
This books are so AWESOME.
I think even now that I am 21 years old, I am going to go read the ones I haven't read yet!!!
This books are so AWESOME.
I think even now that I am 21 years old, I am going to go read the ones I haven't read yet!!!
zenithharpink's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars. This book was BRUTAL! So short that there was barely a story, and it was heartbreaking at every turn. While interesting in how life was in 3 keys phases of life in the mid-nineteenth century: 1) an Irish famine, 2) sea life in a hip bound for America, and 3) mill work as well as general life in America.
It's like the author hated his heroine, or at least during the course of his research decided there was nothing redeeming about the Irish migrant experience and wrote a depressing story to correspond.
I don't recommend this book.
It's like the author hated his heroine, or at least during the course of his research decided there was nothing redeeming about the Irish migrant experience and wrote a depressing story to correspond.
I don't recommend this book.