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A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel
J.D.'s Rating: 3.75 out of 5 bookmarks
I have to start by saying that this book is outside of my normal reading, but I have been trying to branch out more lately, and after meeting the author at an event recently, I decided to give this a try. Having been a media critic for about two decades now, I am able to look past my personal tastes and objectively assess a work. So let's jump into it!
Summary:
All of her life, Irish-American Moira Doherty has relished her mother's descriptions of Ireland. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira decides to fulfill her mother's wish that she become the teacher in Ballymann, her home village in Donegal, Ireland.After an arduous voyage, Moira arrives to a new home and a new job in an ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion. Rumors about Moira's mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she's journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends--and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced--as she seeks to navigate a life she'd never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.
As someone who is fascinated by the cultures and landscapes of the British Isles, the setting of this story was one of the main factors to entice me to check out the book. The author has actually lived in Ireland, and though I have no firsthand experience by which to judge, it seems as though the people, customs, and overall feel of the story environment are accurate representations of life in a small Irish village. In fact, in some notes we received from the publisher, Deibel suggests that some of the elements of the story are loosely drawn from her own personal experiences to an extent. All of that to say, the setting felt very genuine and immersive, which I really enjoyed.
Our main character, Moira, is a delight to follow through this story. She's got insecurities, just like everyone, that make her relatable, and her demeanor endears her to the reader. We sympathize with her struggle to adjust to life in rural Ireland after growing up in Boston, which was already a bustling metropolitan center even in 1920. The supporting cast around her is made up of equally well-formed characters for the most part, though a few are not as well-developed. On the whole, I found the characters quite realistic and enjoyed getting to know them.
This is a debut novel, and while the plot and characters were solid, the prose is not perfect. The dialogue could be a tad predictable at times, and there was a little more telling of how characters felt as opposed to letting it show through their actions and dialogue than I would have preferred. In my mind, there seemed to be a high frequency of similes, which is not a bad thing in and of itself, but many were fairly middling, in my opinion. For example, there was one reference to something along the lines of a "cat in a room full of rocking chairs." The writing is not strictly utilitarian, though. It had moments that had a nice cadence and musicality to them, but on the whole, it leans toward the more straightforward end of the spectrum.
As for the story itself, there is an interesting mystery angle, in addition to the main plot of Moira dealing with culture shock and her desire to follow the will of God for her life. I found the mystery subplot to be intriguing even though it is a smaller component of the overall story. The romance element is far more pronounced than the mystery, and while it was not difficult to guess how it would play out, it was still sweet, and I was down for the ride. I should also mention that themes of faith and reliance on God are present throughout the story, and not in a forced way. They feel very natural, which I appreciated.
So to sum it all up, I did enjoy this book and will likely try another Jennifer Deibel book at some point. Despite a few shortcomings and personal preference things, I think it's a solid first novel that I'm sure most historical romance readers will enjoy. Especially those who enjoy learning about other cultures and customs. I would recommend it for anyone from early teens and up who enjoys this genre and is looking for a breezy read. Though at the risk of stereotyping, I'd guess that it's women who will enjoy it the most.
Content Notes:
This is a very clean read, with no coarse language or overt sexual content. It does, however, contain a scene of a man assaulting a woman, but it is not graphic in any way. There are also deaths that occur, but as with the other scene, it is not graphic either.
Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links.
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