Sisters of Belfast: A Novel
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Description
In the spirit of Heather Morris, Kate Quinn, and Pam Jenoff, an enthralling and deeply moving story that begins during World War II, about orphaned twin sisters in Ireland whose lives diverge for decades, until fate—and faith—reunite them in the twilight of their lives.
Orphaned during the Second World War, Aelish and Isabel McGuire—known as the twins of Belfast—are given over to the austere care of the Sisters of Bethlehem. Though they are each all the other has, the girls are propelled in opposite directions as they grow up. Rebellious Isabel turns her back on the church and Ireland, traveling to Newfoundland where she pursues a perilous yet independent life. Devout Aelish chooses to remain in Northern Ireland and takes the veil, burying painful truths beneath years of silence. For decades the two are separated, each unaware of the other’s life. But after years of isolation Aelish is unexpectedly summoned to Newfoundland, where she and her estranged sister begin to bridge the chasm between them.
Reunion brings to light the painful secrets and seismic deceptions that have kept these sisters apart, leaving the McGuire twins to begin reconstructing their understanding about themselves as women and as family–what they know of love, hope, and above all, forgiveness.
A story of faith—in religion, in the world, and in one another—Sisters of Belfast is a heartbreaking, tragic, and deeply moving novel about survival and the enduring power of sisterhood.
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Booklist Review
Twins Aelish and Isabel were raised at Belfast's Sisters of Bethlehem Orphanage after their parents were killed in the 1941 bombing of Belfast. As a teenager, Isabel flees the abbey, leaving only a note for her sister, who is preparing to take her vows. When Isabel becomes ill, her husband sends for Aelish, who journeys to Newfoundland to care for Isabel and her two children. Isabel recovers, and the sisters grow close again, then tragedy strikes, bringing both women back to Ireland. Staying at the abbey brings back devastating memories for Isabel, who gradually begins to share the reason she left Belfast, unraveling decades' worth of hidden secrets that involve the abbey's spiritual leaders as well as the sisters themselves. Maure's heart-wrenching debut draws from the recent investigations into Ireland's mother and baby homes, where pregnant women were treated with cruelty. The use of multiple points of view adds perspective as well as emotional heft, and the hopeful ending points to a better way forward for all. Readers of Lisa Wingate's novels will appreciate Maure's skill at putting a personal spin on a tragic historical event.
Booklist Reviews
Twins Aelish and Isabel were raised at Belfast's Sisters of Bethlehem Orphanage after their parents were killed in the 1941 bombing of Belfast. As a teenager, Isabel flees the abbey, leaving only a note for her sister, who is preparing to take her vows. When Isabel becomes ill, her husband sends for Aelish, who journeys to Newfoundland to care for Isabel and her two children. Isabel recovers, and the sisters grow close again, then tragedy strikes, bringing both women back to Ireland. Staying at the abbey brings back devastating memories for Isabel, who gradually begins to share the reason she left Belfast, unraveling decades' worth of hidden secrets that involve the abbey's spiritual leaders as well as the sisters themselves. Maure's heart-wrenching debut draws from the recent investigations into Ireland's mother and baby homes, where pregnant women were treated with cruelty. The use of multiple points of view adds perspective as well as emotional heft, and the hopeful ending points to a better way forward for all. Readers of Lisa Wingate's novels will appreciate Maure's skill at putting a personal spin on a tragic historical event. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.
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Citations
Maure, M. (2024). Sisters of Belfast: A Novel . HarperCollins.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Maure, Melanie. 2024. Sisters of Belfast: A Novel. HarperCollins.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Maure, Melanie. Sisters of Belfast: A Novel HarperCollins, 2024.
Harvard Citation (style guide)Maure, M. (2024). Sisters of belfast: a novel. HarperCollins.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Maure, Melanie. Sisters of Belfast: A Novel HarperCollins, 2024.
Copy Details
| Collection | Owned | Available | Number of Holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Libby | 3 | 3 | 0 |