I fell in love with Ellis Island after finishing just the first chapter. In fact, I often had to remind myself that I was reading historical fiction and not a true account. Author Kate Kerrigan’s rich narration, as well as vibrant descriptions, brought this tale to life. Ellie proved to be a brave and realistic heroine and her love story with husband John was tender and beautiful. Readers will enjoy the quiet beauty of the Irish countryside and feel the hustle and bustle of New York City in the 1920’s. Reading Ellis Island is an adventure worth taking!
Ellis Island would make an excellent book club read as the plot easily lends itself to discussion. A Reading Group Guide is also included.
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by HarperCollins Publishing
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 5 religious exclamations; 7 mild obscenities; 6 derogatory names; 2 anatomical terms; 2 F-Word derivatives
Violence/Gore: A secondhand account reports a man dying and another man being beaten to death. Soldiers harass several citizens and hit them with rifles; a character is shot during battle and receives a life-threatening injury.
Sex/Nudity: Characters kiss many times; a man caresses a woman’s breast; a character has to undress her incapacitated boss, giving a non-sexual depiction of nudity; a character makes jokes/references having an affair; sexual activity occurs without explicit detail between adults a few times.
Mature Subject Matter:
Death of a family member, social and socioeconomic conflict, religion, poverty, war, serious illness and injury, love, relationships.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Most characters smoke or engage in social drinking. Speakeasys are visited.
