Ireland is no promised land in 1846. It is wracked by a crippling potato blight, and people are dying. But Valentia McDowell doesn’t know that.
From her father’s prosperous farm in Ohio, young Valentia is haunted by tales of an abandoned family and a lost heirloom. She travels to her grandmother’s homeland with her brother, Conor, and two servants, to find both. Her delight in the exciting … exciting journey on one of the first steam ships to cross the Atlantic is shattered by a horrible tragedy.
What she encounters upon her arrival in Ireland is both more and less than she had hoped. Valentia finds both enemies and allies, amid horrors and delights, and a small bit of magic. She finds a richer heritage than she had ever imagined, but it comes with a price.
When she finally reaches her goal, a terrible price is demanded. She must pay or forfeit, and both decisions have strong consequences for her and her friends.
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Legacy of Hunger by Christy Nicholas has been my first ever experience by this author. And I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by what was offered in this storyline, as well as the characters.
We get to meet Valentina McDowell – and one hell of a journey that she has to experience while traveling to Ireland in the 1840’s while in search of something of meaning and value.
I love that not only do we get a historical book – story, but we also get some fantasy/magic intertwined into the storyline. I think that’s what drew me in and kept me hooked. The author did a great job of maintaining a good plot, and because of this, I consider this to be a 4 Star Book. I’m actually looking forward to reading more in the Druid’s Brooch Series.
Legacy of Hunger by Christy Nicholas is book one in the Druid’s Brooch series. I really enjoyed reading this moving historical fiction! The author was very descriptive, at times while reading this book I felt like I was in Ireland. I can’t wait to see what this series holds in store!
I give Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series: #1 by Christy Nicholas, 5 stars.
Valentia is a fairly well off woman living with her family in the mid 1840s. She should be settling down and finding a nice young man. But instead she has this need to travel to Ireland to find her family and an heirloom her grandmother always talked about. So she starts off on her adventure with her brother and their help. Excited at first, she will soon learn that it is not like the books she has always read. The journey is much more difficult and Ireland is much worse off than she could have ever imagined. Will she find what she was looking for? And at what cost?
This is a fantastic book full of Ireland myths and lore, along with the tragedies of what was really happening at that time. Valentia starts out as a fairly naive rich young woman who only really knows of society ways. But the growth of her throughout this book is amazing. She has a good heart and she never loses that. Her mother taught her to fight for what is right also, and she puts these believes to work in any way she can. She faces some horrible things, but yet she keeps going. The story and the history in this book is incredible, but the people are what make this book. Valencia course, but also the people she befriends along the way.
This is my first book by this author, but I was amazed at just how well this book was done. Every reader should know her name. I am also a lover of Irish and Celtic stories and legends and this book wove them in seamlessly. You cannot have a book set in Ireland without have at least a little of the infamous Irish stories of faeries and such.
For lovers of historical fiction, all things Irish, and those who love a strong women main character, I highly recommend this book.
Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series: #1
By: Christy Nicholas
5 out of 5 stars
The story Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series: #1 by Christy Nicholas is a historical fiction/fantasy book. It is a story that once I started reading had me turning pages to find out what happens next. It is the story of Valentia McDowell and the adventure that she in on to find long-lost relatives in Ireland and also a lost heirloom. Valentia is a woman who is loved by her parents and brother. She life has been a sheltered one so on her journey there is much that she learns. When I first read about Valentia I found her to be a bit spoiled. As she continues on her journey, I found that her character matures and begins to see things differently. The world is not the place that she thought it was. Valentia is a compassionate woman and cares for those she travels with, those who become her friends, and those that she meets along the way. Will Valentia’s journey be successful in finding the long-lost family and heirloom that she is searching for? I also enjoyed reading about the other characters that interact with Valentia. There are many that are kind and become her friends. There are also those whose actions are ugly and cruel. Valentia’s journey has her following leads to the answers that she seeks and even encountering a bit of magic. I enjoyed the attention to detail that is given to the places that she visits in Ireland. I often felt that I was right there with her in her travels. This is the first book I have ready by the author and the first story in a series. I enjoyed it so much I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Legacy of Hunger by Christy Nicholas is the first book within the Druid’s Brooch Series and although this is not normally a genre I read but I enjoyed the whole feeling of this story.
I always love when the writer weaves an emotional story around a place in a book and Ireland is a romantic, beautiful back drop for this story, although set in the most devastating era in Irish history but the story was fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time.
Ireland is in a economic crisis, the crops are failing, their is no food and the farmers are either sent to the workhouse or worse things happen to them as they can’t pay their rent. Thousand of miles away there is a young american girl who is fascinated with a story of her ancestry involving a brooch. Valentina has heard the stories regarding her family and decides to make the voyage over the sea to Ireland is in search of that adventure.
Although the voyage across the sea is not to good for Valentina but by the time she arrives in Ireland she is devastated at what tragedy she sees the country is in. As the story goes on you get to see the true destiny that Valentina is in stall for.
I loved the story and the writing flowed through each chapter, as I said at the beginning it is always a great thrill when the place becomes part of the story and Christy Nicholas describes Ireland with glorious writing which is becomes a character of the story. This is the first story I have read by this author and it evoked my imagination with the words written. I can’t wait to read more stories in the this series or other stories by this author.
I enjoyed the traditionalism in this novel. The ports. The ships. The carriages. The dress shopping. Illnesses striking like plagues. The fight of running out of medicine and using quarantine as a means to keep in control from spreading and wiping out an entire fleet. There is immigration issues, farming, language barriers and the search for livelihood, as in rumors of good jobs. I liked the name Valencia. It sounded Italian to me or perhaps Spanish. Really placed the story in a colonial land, in Ireland and England. It set my European heart a sail. This was just a good story, sort of a wholesome quality, like a Little House On The Prairie story.
Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series 1
Christy Nicholas
4 star read
To be honest I was drawn to the book by it’s beautiful cover and intrigued by it’s synopsis but I thoroughly enjoyed Druid’s Brooch Series 1, Legacy of Hunger. Historical fiction is a genre I don’t frequently delve into so this story was different than my norm. I really enjoyed Christy Nicholas’ style of writing, the imagery and sense of Ireland truly made for a captivating storyline.
I also really enjoyed the addition of famous quotes throughout.
Overall, Legacy of Hunger has exceeded my expectations and I would definitely recommend.
Christy Nicholas is a new author for me and Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series book 1 does not disappoint. Nicholas’s writing style is excellent. She has well developed characters and the setting paint a beautiful to envision. She writes that the words are just jumping off the page which makes you want to be a part of the story. The main setting of the book is in Ireland. Valentia is the main character and she is off to find out information about her family. She is looking for a family heirloom. She also was finding about stories that were disturbing for her family. Will Valentia learn what she was set off what she was looking? Are there going to be consequences to her heritage hunt be worth the price she will have to pay?
Legacy of Hunger
By Christy Nicholas
4 stars
I really love historical stories, they are amongst some of my favourite to read but I haven’t read a historical story with a fantasy/magical twist and I absolutely loved it! This is also my first read of anything by this author and I was really took with her imaginative writing and also it was clear that she knew about the place and time period that she was writing about – it really was such great book to read!!
I liked the characters and whilst I couldn’t particularly connect with them they were well thought out and developed well over the story. I liked Valencia, I thought she was a strong minded female lead and I admired her especially considering the time period the story is set in. I really enjoyed seeing her grow over the story.
I really think that Christy Nicholas did a great job with this story, she did well with the descriptions of Ireland and making sure things were historically accurate for that time. I would definitely like to read more from her in the future.
Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series: #1 by Christy Nicholas is the first book in her Druid’s Brooch series. This is my first time reading anything by this author and I was impressed.
I was a little skeptical about reading this book, but the cover pulled me in and I am glad that I took a chance with this author and this book. Christy writes with such creativity and the story just flowed. I am not a huge fan of geography, but this book made me really appreciated the time it took the author to paint the storyline. I do however love stories about our ancestors and our heritage, so this had me excited. My husband’s family is from Ireland and it just makes me want to explore this country even more.
Valentina is going to Ireland not for vacation, but to find something that belongs to her family for generations. She also learns that there are stories that haunt her family. Will Valentina find what she is looking for? How much will she have to give up claiming what belongs to her family? This book pulled me in from the first page and kept me entertained all the way through. The characters were wonderful, and I love how Valentina’s character grew throughout the book. I cannot say how much I love characters that are not flat and add so much to the story. This is a great book if you love traveling back in time, learning about new places, and heritage.
Legacy of Hunger is the first book in the Druid’s Brooch Series. This book can be read as a standalone.
The author does a wonderful job of mixing history with fiction and it really grounds the story. There were a couple parts in the story that I wished had gone differently, but I can’t go into detail about which parts because then it would give away how it turns out. Even with those parts not going as I would have liked, the story is excellent.
Valentia has a driving, yet unexplained, need to seek out her family in Ireland. She remembers her grandmother’s stories and the family lore about a special heirloom. Determined to set out on the journey, she finally convinces her father to let her go. The one condition her father insists on is that her brother, Conor, go with her. Valentia reluctantly agrees, but soon sees the value in having her brother along.
As she and Conor set out across the ocean, an illness spreads through the passengers and crew. Being from a wealthy family, this is the first true hardship Valentia has experienced and she begins to understand what life is like outside of the shelter of the family property. After a great loss at sea, Valentia sets out on the larger part of her journey in search of any remaining relatives. Her lessons in hardship continue as she witnesses the struggle being experienced by the local people due to hunger and oppression. She begins to seek ways that she can help, which are not always well received.
Throughout her adventures, Valentia meets friends and enemies that will shape her view of the future. She also learns the secret that her family has been carrying for generations.
Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series: #1 by Christy Nicholas is an interesting take on the magic and mystery of Ireland. This story is set in 1846 and follows Valentia McDowell as she travels from the U.S. to her mother’s homeland in search of a lost talisman and a history that has been a mystery to her, her entire life. What she finds is both more, and less than what she expected. Finding a land in the middle of economic stress but also rich in history Valentia embarks on a journey that will test her in ways she never thought possible, and come out the other side the woman she was always meant to be. This story was full of magic and wonder, of love and loss, adventure and danger. Nothing worth having comes free especially when the Fair Folk are involved. A tantalizing four star read that kept me invested until the very last word.
Legacy of Hunger by Christy Nicholas is the first book in the Druid’s Brooch series. A great example of a historical drama this book will take you back through the years to experience the hardships felt all round.
Valentia has always known about her family in Ireland and the hidden heirloom. Growing up in the tales it is all she can think of. Determined to learn more she travels to Ireland herself, expecting to start the journey of a lifetime.
Only when Valentia reaches her destination it is straight into a nightmare. Plagued by a potato shortage, with many going hungry, Valentia finds herself struggling to cope in a strange new land. And then, when she finds the treasure she has been searching for it might be that the price to pay is simply too high.
I found this to be an interesting read. Not a book I would usually go for I did find myself falling into the story. The writing made it easy to imagine everything happening and the emotions the characters must have been feeling. Although I probably wouldn’t read this book again – only because of the genre – I did enjoy this authors writing style and thought the book was very well written. For those that enjoy this genre it is a must read.
Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series: #1 by Christy Nicholas is a period piece set back in the days of steamships carriages and proper etiquette between the classes. Unless you are a forward thinking woman from the McDowell family from Ohio. A well to do farmers daughter sets sail for Ireland with her brother and their two servants after her family loses everything in a hotel fire before they could all set sail on the voyage. Should they have read that as a sign? The trip across the ocean is tragic and almost fatal to Valentia herself but not as tragic as what she finds as she travels the Irish countryside. She becomes the voice for the people she meets and in the end is faced with a decision that might destroy her friendships forged along this journey.
Being an Irish girl from Ohio it wasn’t difficult to place myself in Valentia’s shoes in this story, my only wish was that the story moved at a faster pace. I know it was meant to simulate the long journey they faced but at times it lost my interest. The book though was well written and an enjoyable read. The characters were likeable and well developed. I will definitely seek out more of these books in the future.
a great read about adventure. when Valentia is haunted by dreams of her grandmothers blue brooch, she sets off to Ireland to find it with her brother and servants. crossing the oceans, she faces danger and finds new friends on her way. arriving in Ireland , she sets off to find the brooch with help from her new friends. on her quest, she finds that not everything is as she expected and there is more to her heritage than she thought. when dangers arise, will she be able to face them and get what she desires?
a great read. well developed plot with twists and turns that I just couldn’t put down. I loved the sense of adventure for Valentia over the seas in a quest narrative.
well developed characters such as Valentia going for what she wants whilst struggling with her feelings or Maggie trying to care of Valentia while still trying to keep to her status. great supporting cast of fun characters like Conor or O’Brien. the sense of a busy boat with lots of travellers was brilliantly written gave a great sense of the time period aswell and that things aren’t all perfect. I also loved the sense of family and heritage throughout the novel which was perfectly written.
I loved the visual detail throughout the novel in the detail of the blue sparkling brooch. or the landscape of aurora the sunset over the boat or the rose gardens in vivid colours. I also adored the sense of heritage with the use of oral tradition as tales of irish lore told by characters which was a lovely addition. the use of pronunciation at the start with the gaelic language which was a lovely addition. I also adored the use of mythological creatures like the sidhne or irish kings keeping true to their origins with a sense of respect. overall, a brilliant read and I would give it five stars.
Not my normal choice when it comes to books. However it was a good read for it’s type. Set in old time Ireland, the story of a young women who sets out to find some answers from her mothers family in Ireland makes you want to visit there as it tells of lush countryside and foreign shores. With the use of magic thrown into the mix, it was delightful fun read.
Legacy of Hunger: Druid’s Brooch Series #1 by Christy Nicholas
Historical fiction is not a book I would normally read, but I am glad i did. I truly enjoyed the journey this story takes you on. The description and details the author gave us of Ireland were so vivid you felt like you were there. I have always wanted to travel there, so it made it that much more intriguing for me.This story is very captivating and written so well. All things Valentia saw and had to go through, really matured her along this journey and thoroughly enjoyed watching her grow. There are some wonderful characters in this book that you won’t want to miss out on. The story flowed very nicely and kept you wanting to read more. This is my first book by this author and I am very happy I gave it a chance, I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the next book to come out.
This isn’t a novel i usually read but I’m really glad i did i learnt so much during this story and kept me captivated throughout. It’s well written with an engaging storyline and your able to visualise there surroundings and places they visit its a truly magical journey you embark on when reading this story. Its hard to write much without giving spoilers away but what i will say it’s definitely a novel you should give a go and even if it isn’t your usual genre it really is worth reading!
Legacy of Hunger by Christy Nicholas is the first book in the Druid’s Brooch series. It follows the young heroine, Valentia, as she follows the powerful call of an old family heirloom.
Valentia travels from Ohio to Ireland, a long and difficult journey that is fraught with danger and tragedy. But there is also beauty and intrigue. I found the descriptions of travelling fascinating – even with the fantasy elements this is very much historical fiction and it is clear that a huge amount of research has gone into it. I learnt so much and it all served to draw me further into the world and the drama. It feels so real because every detail is considered and explained, and this is done in a way that maintains the pace of the story.
As well as the historical side of things, there is a strong grounding in Celtic culture and folklore. There are even parts where folk tales and legends are included in the form of characters storytelling. The magic system is, naturally, based in this and fits in nicely with the world in which it is set.
I give this book five out of five stars. It’s a great read – probably best suited to people who are fans of both historical fiction and fantasy as it takes a long time for the fantasy side to really kick in. I haven’t read much historical fiction in ages but loved it as a child and this reminded me why I enjoy it so much!
Legacy of Hunger (Druid’s Brooch #1) by Christy Nicholas was an tale of finding yourself, finding family, and understanding that life isn’t about what we have.
The book was beautifully written, strong and engaging. It had this soft, pleasant tone that matched the journey that Valentia invokes on. The are so many up downs and moments where you have to put the book down just to process, this isn’t a bad thing. With so much, I can’t, no I won’t get into the story as anything will spoil this unique read.
I will tell you that this book is worth your time to pick up and read. The magic, the history and the path that’s opens to us, is otherworldly and special. Though there are sad bits, this book has a almost calming feeling that keeps you reading, and hooked. Before you know it, you’re at the last page wondering where the time went.
Take my high recommendation that you will be captured by this books spell, take my word that you will get lost and feel almost saddened that you had to leave.
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh