Historical Fiction Review #1

Reilly Giff, Patricia. 2000. NORY RYAN’S SONG. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0-439-31674-X

PLOT SUMMARY

Twleve-year-old Nory Ryan, her family, and neighbors face the huge struggle of making ends meet financially when the potato crops they depend on fail. This began the Great Hunger in 1845 where Nory sees the tragic loss of many people because they have no food to eat. Scaling dangerous cliffs to find bird eggs to eat, sneaking to the seaside to catch anything that moves without being caught by the British constable and having to slaughter and eat the animals that provide fresh eggs and milk because they are mal-nourished an incapable of producing screams out survival mode.

The best case scenario for everyone is to leave Ireland and catch a boat to America where freedom exists, but boat tickets cost money that no one has. On the contrary, the British Government isn’t the least bit helpful in providing assistance to the Irish who are suffering with nothing to eat because they have their own selfish motives at stake.

Through it all, Nory realizes a new compassion for a neighbor lady she once was scared of, an appreciation for the earth and its natural resources, to cherish family always, and that strength and perseverance can pay off. After assuming that her father is dead because he never returned from working his job, an unknown man delivers tickets that he says are from Nory’s dad to take the boat across the ocean. She immediately realizes her dad is alive and that this is her chance to overcome the adversities she has faced and be able to reunite with her family.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a very sad time in Irish history to become familiar with, but is thoughtfully shared through the twelve-year-old eyes of the protagonist, Nory. Similarly paired readers will be able to put themselves in Nory’s shoes and understand what a stressful and scary time in her life this was. The raw details included in the story maximize the real effects of what people living in Ireland during this decade went through. Giff clearly recreates the time and place of the story and shares its details throughout the novel.

Staying strong and persevering no matter the circumstance, and realizing the power of family love and commitment are two very strong themes represented in the book. Being a family unit, scattering apart in different directions, and finding each other again demonstrate the value of loyalty and the thickness of blood. The gift of life was sustained for Nory and her family because they were determined to not let the famine get them.

The Irish dialect included in the novel was authentically written and clearly explained in the glossary before chapter one. However, I found it difficult for the reading of the novel to flow when stumped often on this unfamiliar dialect. Having to stop and refresh my memory by referring to the glossary caused interference with the cadence Giff was trying to assume. A note to the reader is offered by Giff at the end of the book explaining her vested interest to know as much as she could about the Great Hunger of 1845-1852 in Ireland.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Booklist starred: “The finely paced novel balances the physical and emotional horrors of famine--described in visceral detail. Giff brings the landscape and the cultural particulars of the era vividly to life and creates in Nory a heroine to cheer for. A beautiful, heart-wrenching novel that makes a devastating event understandable.”

Reading Teacher: “Nory's courage, resourcefulness, and the bonds of family and neighbors show readers another side of this tragic time--the story of resilience. CU:This book would contribute to studies of immigration and family history.”

Horn Book: “Reflective in tone rather than suspenseful, the novel is structured in short chapters that match the age and experience of the central character, allowing the reader to become an eyewitness to history. This is not a pretty story but rather an account of raw courage that ends hopefully if not happily.”

New York Times: “Giff covers the major issues: emigration and the dissolution of families; deprivation; the British appropriation of Irish property and indifference to the plight ravaging Ireland's largely agricultural population. . . . {She} renders Ireland's western countryside and the hardships of rural home life vividly and with minimal sentiment.”

Publishers Weekly: "Giff meticulously re-creates the Great Hunger as she traces a 19th-century Irish girl's struggle to survive.”

School Library Journal: “Today's readers will appreciate this compelling story with a wonderful female protagonist who is spirited and resourceful, and has a song in her heart.”

CONNECTIONS

*Have students think about the importance of always having a back-up plan. Looking in from the outside, what is some advice you could share to keep history from repeating itself?

*Find out what life in the 1850’s was like in New York.

*Is Ireland still dependent on the agriculture of potatoes?

*Potatoes can be prepared in many different ways. Locate as many recipes as you can find that use potatoes. Can you figure out how to order their nutrition value from best to worst?

*Encourage students to read other historical novels written by Giff such as: WATER STREET, WILLOW RUN, ALL THE WAY HOME, LILLY’S CROSSING.

*Read Giff’s sequel to NORY RYAN’S SONG called MAGGIE’S DOOR

*Brainstorm ways you would sacrifice if there started to be a famine where you lived.

*Think of what it means to be courageous. Who do you know that is courageous and what do they do that makes them this way?