In my opinion, this is an excellent book that teaches the reader about the difficulties of Irish immigrants and the difficulties that can exist several generations later as a result of the hardships of the first generation immigrants. The characters illustrated that point very clearly, allowing the reader to see how each of the characters have their own struggles that exist because of the first two characters. The book also pushes readers to think about how one's family and background shapes who they are, as is illustrated as Ellen (one of two central characters who came from Ireland), whose background and life experience makes her a bitter, passionate, and outspoken woman. SInce the book tells the stories of many different family members, the plot is fragmented and can be very hard to follow. Lastly, the message of this story is to show how the experiences and upbringing by one individual can shape the lives and development of all subsequent generations. ( )

De familie vergadert rond het bed van Ellen Macnamarra maar zij is zo boos dat ze weigert te sterven. Haar hele leven heeft ze gevochten: tegen Franklin Roosevelt, voor de vakbeweging, voor de weinige familieleden die ze toevallig respekteert. Onrecht dat haar is aangedaan toen ze als kind in Ierland woorden, zit haar nog altijd dwars samen met verdriet om een zoon.