On New Year’s Day 1925 Ivy Rose Murphy awakes to find her world changed forever. Her irresponsible Da is dead. She is grief-stricken and alone – but for the first time in her life free to please herself. After her mother deserted the family, Ivy became the sole provider for her da and three brothers. Pushing a pram around the well-to-do areas of Dublin every day, she begged for the discards of … discards of the wealthy which she then turned into items she could sell around Dublin’s markets.
As she visits the morgue to pay her respects to her Da, a chance meeting introduces Ivy to a new world of money and privilege, her mother’s world. Ivy is suddenly a woman on a mission to improve herself and her lot in life.
Jem Ryan is the owner of a livery near Ivy’s tenement. When an accident occurs in one of his carriages, leaving a young girl homeless, it is Ivy he turns to. With Jem and the people she meets in her travels around Dublin, Ivy begins to break out of the poverty-ridden world that is all she has ever known.
Through Streets Broad and Narrow is a story of strength and determination in the unrelenting world that was Dublin tenement life.
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I didn’t finish it, it was simplistic and didn’t draw me in, although the character could have been interesting, she wasn’t.
Lots of twists and fast moving. Strong independent women in real life settings.
This story gives a wonderful taste of the city in this time. The main character discovering, and learning to value herself, and realizing that she’s more savvy and astute that she knew is a wonderful story and you are immersed in her life and tribulations.
Enjoyed it.
Interesting story with historical insights.
Well written. Excellent portrayal of the conditions of the time. Good character development . Left me ready to read more!
Most of my recs are SF or fantasy of some sort, but THROUGH STREETS BROAD AND NARROW by Gemma Jackson is a simple tale of an intelligent lower class woman trying to make her way in turn of the century Dublin. Rose Murphy isn’t selling cockles and mussels (alive, alive-oh), but used and refurbished clothing. The death of her oppressive & abusive Da signals the beginning of big changes for Rose, and it’s a delight to see how Jackson takes her protagonist from victim to independent power. Great depiction of the setting, and vivid characters.
Loved the story and the historical setting. It seemed very real.
This is a great read. Love the main character. I do have to agree with one reviewer that the amount of tea, putting on the tea kettle and drinking of tea is a little too much in the story. We get it! They love their tea. I have to disagree with another reviewer that stated that Ivy’s higher class friend would have never friended a lower class person as Ivy. While this may have been true in reality, we must remember that this is a book of fiction. Maybe that reviewer is reading the wrong genre. This is after all a work to be enjoyed!
This was a surprise read. It was different from any other books I’ve read.Not sure why I even started it but I was not disappointed. I highly recommend this interesting and clever story. Cannot wait to read the next in the series.
Kept me interested and entertained. Was a quick read. Enjoyable
Interesting look at the how the poor in Dublin lived. In our classless society we forget how others lived before us.
A reminder of why our ancestors immigraed.
Sort of an overcoming adversity type of book, but interesting information on antiques and collectibles. Very easy to read.
This book is a riveting story set in a very poor area in Dublin, Ireland in 1925. It chronicles the daily life struggles for a resourceful young woman after the drunken drowning of her charming, but useless father. I wanted to read it in one sitting, enjoying it’s fresh story so much I am now engrossed in the third book in the series.
Wonderful story with believable characters an excellent read
Loved everything about the characters! Hoping to find the next one in the series posted soon.
Good picture of life in the slums of Ireland. Heroine a gutsy resourceful person,surviving -eventually thriving- in hard times. Already read 2nd book in series, also good.
I didn’t care for the way it was written although it’s trying to write like they talked but it wasn’t for me. I couldn’t read it fast and didn’t understand some of the culture. I was curious as to what happened to her but not enough to struggle through the book. I prefer easy reads.
I was especially pleased as this book did not go all dire. So many books of a poor woman in Ireland end up total gloom. This one had enough tension to keep you worrying, but everything worked out fine — whew!
I enjoyed the characters, especially Ivy and Ann Marie.
I’m looking forward to reading the sequel
I read this book over a year ago. I’ve read many books since this one, but still love this one. The characters are so real, I think of them often, wonder what they are doing..