The Butterfly Legacy

A multi-generational tale of tragedy and circumstance such as only the Irish could endure. The Butterfly Legacy spans time from the great potato famine of the 1840s to the terrorism of the 1970s. Because the Irish are natural story-tellers, the story strings are passed from generation to generation, with select documentation being preserved. At times this device becomes burdensome, but it also provides a variety of voices. The Irish penchant for a very few given names sometimes makes for confusion.

It is impossible to offer any detail without giving away the ending. Pay more attention to the slow beginning if you want to say "aha!" a bit earlier than the average reader. There is a great deal of detail on historical events that have been show more fictionalized, and the author paints colorful word pictures of sites in Ireland, Canada, Scotland, England, New England across the centuries depicted. The genealogical material provided at the end is helpful, but difficult to access in e-book format. The Butterfly Legacy is an enjoyable and worthwhile read. show less

A family saga of Ireland, spanning more than a century filled with murder, blackmail, political intrigue and revenge. There are family members who were wronged and forced to leave Ireland, in part due to the potato famine, in equal part because of a love affair with an English soldier.

It appeared to be well-researched but not an area of interest for me, at this time, and the author didn’t make me a convert. I just don’t enjoy family sagas generally, well not including The Outlander series, which is a favorite.

Good murder mystery, starting with the potato famine of Ireland. You travel through time and place following two families from Ireland to Boston, MA.