Wonderfully written, with strong, compelling characters, it is a deeply satisfying combination of sweeping historical saga and modern family drama, a gentle reminder of the ever-reaching influence of family, both near and far.

The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins | Waterstones

This extraordinary novel reminds us how motherhood can make us feel as though we are coming undone while also being remade.To what degree is it possible for a woman to overcome poor examples of parenting and create her own path as a mother? Trying to better understand her extraordinary feelings of 'differential otherness', Majella understands that no matter how much they may love her, her family just can't help her in this particular situation; so she seeks out professional help. Cummins’ luminous prose, and that feeling we’re all hoping to find when we sit down to read: ‘This is it—a book I’m going to love. When they first meet at Springhill House, are Seán’s flirtations harmless, or does he really have romantic motives toward Ginny? She has written four books: a memoir titled A Rip in Heaven and three novels, The Outside Boy, The Crooked Branch, and American Dirt.

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I learned so much about the 19th century famine in Ireland that I didn't know before; crop failure alone didn't cause the rampant starvation. Both Ginny's and Majella's stories were equally compelling for me to read, despite the centuries that separated both women. It really grabbed me and, after finishing, I spent way too much time googling the Irish potato famine. I could remember having some of the same thoughts as Majella when I was a new mom, but I bet I would have enjoyed her story line even more if I’d read it 12 years ago! Determined to uncover the truth of her heritage and her own identity, Majella sets out to explore Ginny's past - and discovers surprising truths about her family and ultimately, herself.

With the ravages of the famine upon her, a terrified and distraught Ginny Doyle fled from Ireland to America. In 1993 Cummins was a finalist in the Rose of Tralee festival, an international event that is celebrated among Irish communities all over the world; at each festival in Tralee, Ireland, a woman is crowned the Rose. Back in 1846, Ginny Doyle is living a happy existence with her husband, Raymond, and their brood, Maire, Michael, Maggie, and Poppy, when the blight suddenly descends upon their farm and ruins their potato crop. And they spend their whole life doing jazz-hands so that nobody will notice the gushing wound of pain behind the curtain.