Weaving a Forlorn Tale of Cruelty and Isolation Into One of Optimism
MICHAEL: The sequel to Norah's Children
By Ann O'Farrell
ISBN 978-0-595-47935-1
Reviewed by Sharon Greer
Opening her latest novel in 1925 Bristol, England, Ann O'Farrell continues her admirable tale of the Kelly family. Michael, the sequel to Norah's Children, is a mournful but ultimately sanguine account of the perseverance of the human spirit.
Michael Kelly, whose clan in Ireland has been devastated by the death of their mother, finds himself at the age of three in the hands of the callous Porter family. Jim Porter has "adopted" two of the Kelly children but feels Michael is not as bright as he had hoped. Completely misunderstanding Michael's silence, Porter aims to rid himself of the boy.
Using the lame excuse that his wife Edith is incapable of rearing both children, he pawns Michael off on to his embittered and venomous sister, Wyn. He keeps Michael's sister, Sheelagh, feeling there is more potential in the girl's beauty.
Wyn Porter's oppressive and domineering personality lacks patience, tolerance and flexibility and fails to understand all the trauma in Michael's young life. He is raised in a heavy-handed and harsh environment where there is no margin for error. An atmosphere of isolation pervades this lonely, bleak household.
The fragile Michael manages to survive his gloomy surroundings with the help of his school friend Paul. Warmly welcomed into Paul's affectionate family circle, Michael begins to develop character and witness a healthy domestic situation.
In his kinship with his sister, Sheelagh, he discovers a rather nasty secret which eventually leads him back to his family in Ireland. Although awkward in the beginning, the family manages to salvage their familial connection, with Michael able to restore some sense of belonging.
The story begins in 1925 spanning nearly two decades in Michael's life. It ends in 1943 during the Second World War with Michael fighting in the capacity of a pilot while at the same time making arrangements for his marriage with Paul's sister, Beth.
Ann O'Farrell's strength as a writer lies in her ability as a storyteller. She weaves this forlorn tale of isolation and cruelty into one of optimism - leading the reader to the understanding that life goes on, no matter what happens to us.
O'Farrell has lived most of her life in Dublin. Her writing career began in the late 1990s after her retirement to Florida. Her first novel, Norah's Children, was published in 2006. She is currently working on her third novel, Kitty's Hive.
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