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ajreader's review against another edition
3.0
Read my full thoughts on this book and hundreds more over at Read.Write.Repeat.
The beauty of the Irish coast seeps off the pages as a nice contrast to the flawed, complex characters walking its paths.
The beauty of the Irish coast seeps off the pages as a nice contrast to the flawed, complex characters walking its paths.
100pagesaday's review against another edition
4.0
Annie Crowe is a recovering alcoholic and though it seems like her life should be coming together, it is falling apart at the seams. Annie's marriage has ended due to her actions while being an addict and now her prestigious job at a PR firm is at risk. In order to simultaneously escape her failed marriage and try to get her career on track, Annie takes a high-risk assignment in Ireland. On the shores of Ireland, in the remote Beara Peninsula, Annie is supposed to get the townspeople to agree that a copper mine in Ballycarog Cove would be the best choice for the economy and people there. However, once she arrives in Ireland and is given a tour by hiking guide Daniel Savage of the land that the mining would destroy and the bird that would be displaced, Annie seems starts to think that she might be on the wrong side. Daniel Savage is also haunted by his past mistakes and has closed himself off to getting close to anyone else, but when Annie Crowe arrives for his hiking tour, he feels a connection; and on the wind they both hear the disembodied call of Mise Éire calling them.
Before I was swept into Annie and Daniel's stories, I was entranced by the opening, the Hag of Beara in her glory, looking out over her beautiful land. I had to know more about this legend and how she would effect the story. Written in changing points of view between Annie and Daniel, I was thrown into their lives. Both characters are broken, recovering alcoholics. Annie wants to escape her past and start over. Daniel would rather wallow in his guilt, believing this is what he deserves. Through the writing and the voice on the wind, I was able to feel their immediate connection. The internal struggles in both Annie and Daniel were mirrored in the external struggles of the mining company and the environment. In addition to these strongly developed characters, I felt fully immersed in the beauty of Ireland and Ballycarog Cove. The red-billed chough also caught my attention, I too would surely be rooting to save the unique habitat of this special bird. The rise of fall of tension between Annie and Daniel kept me absorbed within the story and I almost forgot about the trouble of the mine and the birds. Overall, a charming story with a mix of redemption, love, folklore and environmental themes.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Before I was swept into Annie and Daniel's stories, I was entranced by the opening, the Hag of Beara in her glory, looking out over her beautiful land. I had to know more about this legend and how she would effect the story. Written in changing points of view between Annie and Daniel, I was thrown into their lives. Both characters are broken, recovering alcoholics. Annie wants to escape her past and start over. Daniel would rather wallow in his guilt, believing this is what he deserves. Through the writing and the voice on the wind, I was able to feel their immediate connection. The internal struggles in both Annie and Daniel were mirrored in the external struggles of the mining company and the environment. In addition to these strongly developed characters, I felt fully immersed in the beauty of Ireland and Ballycarog Cove. The red-billed chough also caught my attention, I too would surely be rooting to save the unique habitat of this special bird. The rise of fall of tension between Annie and Daniel kept me absorbed within the story and I almost forgot about the trouble of the mine and the birds. Overall, a charming story with a mix of redemption, love, folklore and environmental themes.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
shighley's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Strengths: The author's obvious adoration for Ireland. I have been in County Cork, but not this particular part. I really wondered about the support that alcoholics can give each other; no one else could understand as well. I also appreciated that Fiana and Annie could be civil and helpful to each other, even though at the time they were on opposite sides of an issue. I also enjoyed learning a bit of Irish history and Gaelic.
Things that bothered me: How many times is Annie going to run/hike and fall down somewhere? Why does she always have to be rescued from a bad situation by Daniel? The corruption and the part with the American golfers was a bit much, too. And, in the spring, Ireland would be going to daylight time, not standard time, when clocks are shifted ahead.(minor annoyance, but editors should catch these things)
Things that bothered me: How many times is Annie going to run/hike and fall down somewhere? Why does she always have to be rescued from a bad situation by Daniel? The corruption and the part with the American golfers was a bit much, too. And, in the spring, Ireland would be going to daylight time, not standard time, when clocks are shifted ahead.(minor annoyance, but editors should catch these things)
stevenlink17's review against another edition
4.0
Such a good read, from plot to descriptions to location. An expertly woven story.
rickijill's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this book quite a bit because there's so much thought-provoking conflict: Man v. Nature, in the dilemma of copper mining and community jobs versus the destruction of a specific habitat of an endangered bird; Man v. Man (several examples of this one) mostly in the guise of business men Annie had already slept with during her binge drinking days; and finally Man v. Himself as Annie has so many demons and fights her alcoholism every waking moment. I do love Annie's name (Crowe) because the little chough (pronounced "chuff") is a type of crow. Because of this coincidence I assumed when I started the book that she'd be on the side of the chough.
I also adored the setting: This book has quite the sense of place. Julie Christine Johnson's lyrical portrayal of Ireland makes me want to pack my bags and go! She does a remarkable job in her descriptions of the breath-taking scenery, and she also adds Irish lore to the narrative as Daniel and Annie hear lines from an Irish poem throughout the story spoken by a sad woman. Annie doesn't understand the words because they're spoken in Irish Gaelic, but she has the phrases translated. She eventually relates the poem to the legend of the Chailleach Bhéarra (the old woman), a stone that was once a lady. She represents all seven phases of a women's life, and Annie encounters all seven while in Ireland. I like how Annie gets these connections and becomes interested in the creative process again.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is spoken by Daniel, who ironically is an artist who uses copper as his medium. It appeals to the artist in me:
"But in my own way, maybe I can show that the earth's resources aren't ours for the taking wherever, whenever we want. Art is a way to connect people with their environment without polarizing, without politicizing. It can be used to that purpose, but it belongs to everyone. I want my art to show nature as a cultural artifact. I made a very deliberate decision to use what's already been taken from the earth -- what has been stripped from Beara's earth more than a century ago."
The Crows of Beara, pp. 155 - 56
If you enjoy environmental literature, stories with an Irish setting, magical realism, and a little romance, you will enjoy The Crows of Beara.
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Crows of Beara from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I also adored the setting: This book has quite the sense of place. Julie Christine Johnson's lyrical portrayal of Ireland makes me want to pack my bags and go! She does a remarkable job in her descriptions of the breath-taking scenery, and she also adds Irish lore to the narrative as Daniel and Annie hear lines from an Irish poem throughout the story spoken by a sad woman. Annie doesn't understand the words because they're spoken in Irish Gaelic, but she has the phrases translated. She eventually relates the poem to the legend of the Chailleach Bhéarra (the old woman), a stone that was once a lady. She represents all seven phases of a women's life, and Annie encounters all seven while in Ireland. I like how Annie gets these connections and becomes interested in the creative process again.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is spoken by Daniel, who ironically is an artist who uses copper as his medium. It appeals to the artist in me:
"But in my own way, maybe I can show that the earth's resources aren't ours for the taking wherever, whenever we want. Art is a way to connect people with their environment without polarizing, without politicizing. It can be used to that purpose, but it belongs to everyone. I want my art to show nature as a cultural artifact. I made a very deliberate decision to use what's already been taken from the earth -- what has been stripped from Beara's earth more than a century ago."
The Crows of Beara, pp. 155 - 56
If you enjoy environmental literature, stories with an Irish setting, magical realism, and a little romance, you will enjoy The Crows of Beara.
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Crows of Beara from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
juliechristinejohnson's review
5.0
Darlings, this is my novel. Second novel. It's really happening. Oh my goodness. September 2017. Cannot wait to share with everyone!
abookishaffair's review
5.0
4.5 stars. "The Crows of Beara" is the story of Annie and Daniel, two damaged souls brought together in Ireland on the Beara Peninsula, a gorgeous wilderness. They will be thrown together in ways that they cannot begin to imagine in the beginning and each of them will be called to define what recovery looks like to each of them. This book had great characters and a fantastic setting and made for a great read.
I am drawn to imperfect characters. They feel more real and they are certainly more interesting. In this book, we have two characters who are incredibly damaged. Both are addicts. Both have hurt their families and friends through their addictions. Both of them are seeking redemption and seeking how to make new lives for themselves. Even with having these issues in common, they deal with things very differently, which is part of the interest of this book.
I loved these characters! Annie is an alcoholic and is seeking to get back on her feet again. She knows recovery is important but she thinks there may be something to getting herself into a new environment and throwing herself into a huge work project: making a mining company look good in the beautiful setting of Beara. Daniel has spent time in jail for a crime he deeply regrets and he wrestles with the idea that he will never be able to make up for what he has done yet he still must go on and find a way to make a life with a major black mark on his name.
The other story in the book about Annie's project to improve the PR for a business who will majorly disrupt the ecosystem and beauty of the Beara Peninsula. This added a really interesting factor to the story. It's war between the business and the people of the small Irish village. Both feel strongly about what should be done with the land and what prospects their actions will have for the villagers. I loved seeing how this played out and the drama that this added to the book!
This is the kind of book that you get lost in. It's also the kind of book where you wonder about what became of the characters after the book is over, always a good sign!
I am drawn to imperfect characters. They feel more real and they are certainly more interesting. In this book, we have two characters who are incredibly damaged. Both are addicts. Both have hurt their families and friends through their addictions. Both of them are seeking redemption and seeking how to make new lives for themselves. Even with having these issues in common, they deal with things very differently, which is part of the interest of this book.
I loved these characters! Annie is an alcoholic and is seeking to get back on her feet again. She knows recovery is important but she thinks there may be something to getting herself into a new environment and throwing herself into a huge work project: making a mining company look good in the beautiful setting of Beara. Daniel has spent time in jail for a crime he deeply regrets and he wrestles with the idea that he will never be able to make up for what he has done yet he still must go on and find a way to make a life with a major black mark on his name.
The other story in the book about Annie's project to improve the PR for a business who will majorly disrupt the ecosystem and beauty of the Beara Peninsula. This added a really interesting factor to the story. It's war between the business and the people of the small Irish village. Both feel strongly about what should be done with the land and what prospects their actions will have for the villagers. I loved seeing how this played out and the drama that this added to the book!
This is the kind of book that you get lost in. It's also the kind of book where you wonder about what became of the characters after the book is over, always a good sign!
heatherr's review
I was excited to try The Crows of Beara from the description of magical realism and environmental activism but I wasn't immediately grabbed by the story. I put it aside for a while. Honestly, I probably would have DNFed it if it wasn't for the fact that this is a book tour book for me and I had to read it. I knuckled down to read it and found myself drawn into the world. I finished it in two sittings. I'm glad that I didn't pass on this one based on a snap judgement on a day when I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it.
This is a quiet character-based story. Daniel and Annie are both recovering alcoholics. Daniel has been sober for nine years but Annie is just recently out of rehab. Both are still dealing with the serious repercussions of the issues that drinking caused in their lives.
I appreciated the fact that the author showed them both still struggling. You see this from Annie's point of view most. She is working hard to find AA meetings to attend while in Ireland. She is trying to avoid pub culture and alcohol during business meetings even though she really wants to drink.
The story of the mine versus the community takes a backseat to the story of two people trying to rebuild their lives after they ruined them while drinking. The story summons the quiet of a rural, mystical part of Ireland. The author does a wonderful job of evoking mist-covered cliffs and coastlines. Read this one on a rainy day while snuggled in a blanket with a mugful of hot chocolate.
This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
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