Friday, August 10, 2012

"The Irish Healer" by Nancy Herriman: Book Review & GIVEAWAY ENDED

Hopefully, you have already read guest blogger, Nancy Herriman's "The Journey" in my other "Irish Healer" post.  If you haven't, I encourage you to do so. 

About the book:  In 1832, Rachel Dunne is an Irish healer accused of the death of a child under her care. Acquitted but shunned, she flees to England searching for a new life. She vows to never sit at another bedside again...or trust in a God who abandoned her when she needed Him most.

London physician James Edmunds is wearied by his failures, especially his inability to save his wife, who died from childbed fever. He has decided to abandon his practice and lose himself in the running of his family’s small country estate. Until a red-haired Irish servant girl with a deep and mysterious strength makes him think about living again. 

My thoughts:  This story is set in 1830s London and involves the gentry class - professional Dr. James Edmunds, his widowed sister-in-law, and others along with the servant class.  We see the main character, an Irish young lady who was a "healer" back in poverty stricken Ireland.  The lovely Rachel Dunne has come from Ireland to London with the financial and emotional support of her cousin, Clarice - another member of the gentry.

Rachel must leave Ireland because shame and ruination has been brought on her family because one of the sick that she was nursing dies and Rachel has been accused of murder in the situation.  Though a jury acquitted her of wrong doing, the rumors persist.  She and her mother have lost their means of livelihood.  Hence the move Rachel makes to London to seek employment.

Temporary work arrangements have been for Rachel with Dr. Edmunds through the good graces and recommendation of her cousin, Clarice.  Rachel is not accepted readily amongst the servants but graciously holds on to her position by working hard and being kind to others.

The story moves along revealing the definite class distinction and bias of London in the 1830s.  Nancy Herriman portrays these distinctions vividly through the actions and conversations of each of the characters.  Though the household of Dr. Edmunds is busy with preparations for a move to the country, the city of London is plagued with a break out of cholera. 

The scenes and conversations of the sick, the sick room, the odors, the sights are quite descriptive and your senses will feel the vivid descriptions very thoroughly.  The filthy streets and back alleys of London are also vividly portrayed which helps to understand the rapid spread of disease during the time.  Dr. Edmunds and his other physician friends practice medicine typical of that period with sweats, leeches, purges.  However, Dr. Edmunds tends toward a more gentle practice.  Rachel tries to keep her skills as a healer hidden because she fears her past being revealed and the consequences of such a revelation, nonetheless, her skills are needed from time to time and her secret does come out.

This is a gently told story of individuals with personal struggles of failure and fear of past and present.  It is a story of disappointment and a story of love and the need to be loved.  It is also a story of a bleak time in London's history when disease was rampant, filth and poverty abounded, and health care so inadequate.  It is a story of triumph and of faith.  It is a gently told story of rediscovering one's lost faith in God.
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GIVEAWAY:  Nancy Herriman is offering a copy to one of Chat With Vera's readers. Begins August 10 ENDS August 24 Noon EDT- USA only.  Email required for contacting winner (edit it as "myname at yahoo [dot][com]" )
  1. Mandatory entry:  Read The Journey, guest blog article by Nancy Herriman at http://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-journey-by-guest-blogger-nancy.html.  Return here and leave a comment telling me how many books Nancy wrote before The Irish Healer was accepted and published. Leave your email so I can contact you if you are the winner.
  2. Extra entry/s:  May be done DAILYTweet the review and/or The Journey blog post.  Each Tweet is a separate entry.  So you CAN do 2 tweets a day. 1 for The  Journey and 1 for the giveaway/review.  Separate comments must be left--leave the entry comments in the comments of this review post only. Use the Tweet button at the end of the post to Tweet & include the hashtags @Nancy_Herriman and #Giveaway. Each comment counts as an entry so leave a separate comment here for each which includes the Twitter URL for the Tweet (your email, too, please).
  3.  Extra entry/s:  Share both Nancy's "The Journey" link and this review link in separate Facebook posts.  Each comment counts as an entry so leave a separate comment here for each which includes the Facebook URL for the post (your email, too, please).
DISCLOSURE:  I was provided a complimentary copy of The Irish Healer by author, Nancy Herriman, in exchange for my honest review.

37 comments:

  1. She wrote three books before The Irish Healer.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  2. She wrote three books (two of which were resigned to the dark recesses of her desk, lol and one that just didn't get picked up for publishing even though it seemed promising!). :)

    Ladette
    ladettek[at]gmal[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I tweeted this post: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/233995911557165057

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I also tweeted The Journey post: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/234013546260865024

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I shared this blog post on FB but I'm not sure how to show that to you.

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I shared The Journey blog post on FB, but I'm not sure how to show that here.

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi, interesting how this author kept trying to do better and get published, three books got hid away before writing The Irish Healer, this sounds like a wonderful story and sure would like to win.
    thanks for sharing
    Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)

    ReplyDelete
  8. sharing on FB your post for extra to win..
    Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Forgot my email: librarybooks at religious dot com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Three books before the Irish Healer--sounds like a wonderful story! salt96 @ charter.net

    ReplyDelete
  11. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/234375782020030464

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  12. It appears that she wrote three books before. This one looks and sounds like a winner for sure. I'd love to win a copy. Blessings on both of you.

    Darlene Keith spangldlady@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I shared Chat with Vera link on my FB page

    Darlene Keith spangldlady@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I also shared "The Journey link on my FB page.

    Darlene Keith spangldlady@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nancy wrote 3 books (all sent to the drawer of doom) before writing "The Irish Healer"!!

    email: pocoauthor at gmail[dot][com]

    ReplyDelete
  16. Shared on twitter: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/234614184963371008

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/234984460003721216

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  18. In her case, the fourth time was the charm! I'd love to read this book!
    katsaddress AT gmail. DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I recall that this was the fourth book (Journey was the third). I emphasize with her. I cannot even get started on one. I entered both on facebook and tweeted.
    worley.la@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. She wrote three books before this one. Is the fourth time the new charm?

    laurelprincess12 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks everyone for sharing! And maybe the fourth time is the new charm! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Nancy wrote 3 books before getting published with The Irish Healer. Love to win a copy. Thank you, Nancy.
    patjeannedavis[at]verizon[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Shared the book review and give away on my FB page.
    patjeannedavis[at]verizon[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Vera, shared The Journey chat on my FB page, too. Happy to do so. This sounds like the kind of novel I'd enjoy.
    patjeannedavis[at]verizon[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  25. Tweeted today: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/235905408882069504

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Good review. Sounds like an interesting story of God at work in the midst of heartache.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Enjoyed The Journey post; inspiring as always.
    (Nancy wrote three books prior to The Iris Healer, by the way.)

    mastoll[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  28. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/236293597023059968

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/236619743635849216

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  30. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/236920156511666176

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/237545665297801219
    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/238102353335693312

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/238470317180321792

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  34. She wrote three.

    lanalbradstream(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/238819561435197440

    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/ladettek/status/239088704554156032

    ReplyDelete

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