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Overview
In the summer of 1922, Robert Shannon, a Marine chaplain and a young American hero of the Great War, lands in Ireland. He still suffers from shell shock, and his mentor hopes that a journey Robert had always wanted to make—to find his family roots along the banks of the River Shannon—will restore his equilibrium and his vocation. But there is more to the story: On his return from the war, Robert had witnessed startling corruption in the Archdiocese of Boston. He has been sent to Ireland to secure his silence—permanently. As Robert faces the dangers of a strife-torn Ireland roiling in civil war, the nation’s myths and people, its beliefs and traditions, unfurl healingly before him. And the River Shannon gives comfort to the young man who is inspired by the words of his mentor: “Find your soul and you’ll live.”
Synopsis
In the summer of 1922, Robert Shannon, a Marine chaplain and a young American hero of the Great War, lands in Ireland. He still suffers from shell shock, and his mentor hopes that a journey Robert had always wanted to make—to find his family roots along the banks of the River Shannon—will restore his equilibrium and his vocation. But there is more to the story: On his return from the war, Robert had witnessed startling corruption in the Archdiocese of Boston. He has been sent to Ireland to secure his silence—permanently. As Robert faces the dangers of a strife-torn Ireland roiling in civil war, the nation’s myths and people, its beliefs and traditions, unfurl healingly before him. And the River Shannon gives comfort to the young man who is inspired by the words of his mentor: “Find your soul and you’ll live.”
The Washington Post - Bill Sheehan
Delaney handles Shannon's therapeutic journey with sympathy and skill, introducing a diverse cast of Irish characters and layering the narrative with the sort of arcane native lore—historical, cultural and geographic—that adds a welcome depth of background to the central story. His descriptions of the condition once known as shell shock are detailed and convincing
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Battle of Belleau Wood ended four years before, but former American Marine chaplain Robert Shannon is still suffering from shell shock incurred in the fight. Finally, in the summer of 1922, he travels to the Ireland to find his family roots and some personal tranquility. What this fragile, gentle man does not know is that his trip to the Emerald Isle was facilitated by agents of the Archdiocese of Boston who know that his testimony could ruin them. As Ireland struggles through its own civil war, Shannon moves towards healing even as he grapples with terrors he can never quite leave behind. A smoothly plotted, well-researched historical novel by the author of Ireland.Bill Sheehan
Delaney handles Shannon's therapeutic journey with sympathy and skill, introducing a diverse cast of Irish characters and layering the narrative with the sort of arcane native lore—historical, cultural and geographic—that adds a welcome depth of background to the central story. His descriptions of the condition once known as shell shock are detailed and convincing—The Washington Post
Publishers Weekly
Delaney's meandering novel follows an American priest as he travels along Ireland's Shannon River in search of his family roots, and while it's peace he seeks, trouble has a way of finding him. After witnessing the atrocities of WWI, Father Robert Shannon returns to the United States shell-shocked, and the church eventually sends him to Ireland to restore himself and seek out his origins along the famed Shannon River. Along the way, he gets by through the kindness of strangers and witnesses Ireland's descent into civil war. With leads to his family history few and far between, Robert finds comfort in the home of a nurse he knew while serving as a chaplain during the war in France. Meanwhile, there's a hired killer from the states hot on his tail, and an unknowing Robert could make for a very easy target. The narrative is slow and thoughtful, spiritual though not overbearing and rounded out with a nice vein of intrigue. Though the family roots/hired gun mix may sound bizarre, Delaney handles the disparate thematic elements with a sure hand. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Library Journal
In 1922, Robert Shannon, a young American priest, is sent to Ireland to recover from shell shock he received as a marine chaplain on the front lines in Normandy. Pained by the tragedy he experienced in the trenches and demoralized by the corruption he encountered when he returned to the Boston archdiocese, Shannon is searching for his soul as much as for his family's Irish roots. His religious mentor, sensing Shannon's torment, has arranged for a network of priests, teachers, and friends to watch over and shelter him during his travels. From them, Shannon learns Irish myths, legends, and history as well as the politics of the recently fought rebellion. He also reunites with a nurse with whom he served in France, which causes him to rethink his future as a priest. Delaney's latest Irish saga (after, e.g., Tipperary) is filled with the warmth and richness of the Irish character found in his previous books as well as a satisfying dose of romance. A hit man hired by the archdiocese of Boston is the only minor irritation in an otherwise compelling and thoroughly entertaining read. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/08.]
—Susan Clifford Braun