The Wild Geese
by Bridget Boland
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The Wild Geese is a novel of the mid-eighteenth century Ireland in letters, describing the struggles and adventures of the Catholic Kinross family and their Protestant Ahearne cousins. In Ireland, Catholics were not allowed to own land or do pretty much anything, which means that they are dependent on the good will of their Protestant friends and family to get by. Which is all well and good until someone gets greedy. Which is exactly what happens here. The author does a good job of expressing the kind of pressure that the British laws extracted on the Catholic population, even if the plot itself is a bit of a soap opera.
Recommended for those with an interest in Irish historical fiction, Irish history, or epistolary novels.
Recommended for those with an interest in Irish historical fiction, Irish history, or epistolary novels.
The plotline put me slightly in mind of Poldark- with a worthy pair of brothers and a scheming but oh-so-correct relative, determined to get all they have.
Enjoyable read.
Enjoyable read.
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Favourite Virago Modern Classics
183 works; 38 members
Best Family Stories
241 works; 22 members
Epistolary Books
105 works; 25 members
History novels (not too romancey)
37 works; 5 members
Set in the 18th century
13 works; 4 members
Author Information
11+ Works 737 Members
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Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Virago Modern Classics (285)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Wild Geese
- Original publication date
- 1938
- People/Characters
- Brandan Kinross; Maurice Kinross; Catherine Kinross; Roderick O'Byrne; Thomas Ahearne; Daniel Ahearne (show all 8); Malachy Sugrue; Mary Mallory
- Important places
- Rossmore; County Kerry, Ireland
- First words
- With a feeling that I am looking over dead men's shoulders, I have selected from collections of letters at the houses of Rossmore and Larne in County Kerry those which seem to tell most vividly the story of one generation of ... (show all)the family of Kinross. (Introduction)
Dear Cousin, I have determined to send the boys overseas. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The Brigade continued in the French service till it was disbanded at the Revolution in 1789; many of its members then joined the French Princes at Coblenz, and its last Colonel subsequently commanded a regiment in the English service. (Introduction)
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Well, a very good health to France, and may she and I be the better for my sword - and as for what I leave in Ireland, if our hearts broke easily we should all die young in Kerry.
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Statistics
- Members
- 71
- Popularity
- 440,741
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.50)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 1
