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Book Blurb:
Philadelphia, 1897—On the shores of the Delaware River, Italian Catholic Mary Paragano dreams of a happily ever after. However, when she defies her family and runs away to marry Jakob, a Jewish boy, her fairy tale takes an unexpected turn. Disowned by her father, abandoned by Jakob, and pursued by a jealous gangster, Mary's life spirals into tragedy, culminating in accusations of attempting to harm her own children and a harrowing end in an asylum.
Philadelphia, present day—Bella, Mary's great-great-granddaughter, grapples with the aftermath of her recent divorce. Amidst her pain, a mysterious stranger named Sophie enters her life, claiming to be related to Jakob, the man who left Mary to her devastating fate over a century ago. Together, Bella and Sophie unravel the layers of Mary's haunting past, question the stories they’ve been told, and uncover the impact of these historical secrets on their modern-day lives.
Based on the remarkable true story of the author's great-great-grandmother, The Oystercatcher of Southwark takes readers on a poignant journey through the immigrant neighborhoods of South Philadelphia. This deftly-woven novel explores the profound love of a mother for her children and the redemptive hope that transcends time.
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/odjWw
Author Bio:
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Erica Colahan is the award-winning author of The Oystercatcher of Southwark, the Historical Fiction Company's 2024 Wells Time Travel-Dual Timeline Category bronze medal winner. She lives in the Philadelphia region with her large family and relies on copious amounts of coffee to keep up with her busy offspring while working full-time and pursuing her hobbies. Erica loves to knit, walk in the woods, kayak on the lake, and repeatedly listen to her children say, "Mom."
You can find her stories of humor and hope on her website.
Editorial Review:
“Mary knew fear was a living thing. It had been walking alongside her now for days, like an old friend. Looking over her shoulder for the hundredth time, she pulled her oldest child close and stuff ed the red rosary into the girl’s chubby hands. “In case we get separated.” Mollie nodded, her solemn eyes locked on her mother’s, and pocketed the trinket. A pang of guilt ran through Mary’s heart. This experience had forced her five-year-old daughter to grow up too fast, but that was the least of her worries. They had to keep moving. Her knee buckled as she labored under the weight of her baby. “Augh!” Mollie and Sarah looked at their mother, and Mendel stirred in her arms. “Isn’t the monster far behind us, Muter? Can’t we rest awhile?””
Erica Colahan has written “The Oystercatcher of Southwark”, an absorbing novel centered around Mary, Colahan’s own great-great grandmother. Mary married Jakob in the face of family opposition and religious differences; a decision that was to have profound and tragic personal consequences. The book commences in the 1890s, and is initially set in Philadelphia, United States of America. But then this compelling historical story becomes (in this reviewer’s eyes, at least) the ultimate catnip – a dual timeline novel where the past echoes through to the present. Bella is the present day character, dealing with the aftermath of a difficult (aren’t they all?) divorce and researching her family history. You might be thinking, oh this sounds familiar, and you’ve read such a book before, where a character has a personal crisis and tries to make sense of old family stories to heal themselves. But you haven’t read this book, this interpretation, where everything is woven together so well and there is religion and estrangement and reconciliation and decisions that are made or not made, and are ultimately catastrophic.
Never has the stricture against revealing spoilers been so painful, but suffice to say the pages will keep turning and the symbolism will be revealed. “The Oystercatcher of Southwark” is not for the faint-hearted. Sometimes it is comforting to reconcile a troubling turn of events in a book as being “merely fiction”. But not here. Mary’s story of course contains elements of fiction, but is very much based on fact, and the facts are stark. While much of the storyline is about Mary, her somewhat flawed husband and their young children, Bella’s modern storyline is also highly readable, and readers will identify with both. Colahan also presents Jakob in a relatively sympathetic manner, while not shying away from the impact of adult decisions on children. The secondary characters, including the villain, are also well-crafted and authentic, and the extent of the author’s research is clear. Due to Mary’s Italian heritage, the first-generation immigrant experience in the United States of America is also an important theme. Those of us with a similar background will find that the book particularly resonates.
““Home,” he repeated in a strange voice. Jakob stretched to his full height. “Mary, I’m not a cruel man, and I won’t forbid you from keeping this…this symbol of your past.” He gave the beads a disdainful look. “I am, however, disappointed you hid this from me. I’m annoyed—no, that’s not the word. I am irate that I found this bauble on our bedstand. I can’t believe you’d be so brazen about displaying this in our kosher home!” He walked toward the dining table. “Today of all days, Mary?” He pounded his fist on the table. “You know I am having my comrades here to discuss the next steps with our issue in town. The men will be here soon. You were prudent enough to make plans for the girls. You tidied up the house.” He pointed around the room. “You have the pot ready for tea. Yet you overlooked this little necklace, lying out for anyone to see? I don’t believe it. This was intentional. You mean to discredit me before my peers—to embarrass me in front of my friends. This hurts, Mary. It’s a betrayal of the worst sort.””
Colahan has successfully navigated the temptation to fall down the rabbit hole of family history and include “too much detail” about her great-great grandmother. Instead, she has highlighted Mary’s relatable persona and her individual challenges that will have wide appeal to all readers, regardless of any family tie. Nevertheless, some readers may find the style of writing style quite detailed, and there is, on occasion, instances where the reader is both shown and told what is happening.
“Dr. Henderson leaned against the examination table and crossed her arms as if defending her position. “Mary, you’ve transformed the ward.” She waved her arms as if taking in the cavernous space upstairs. “I’ve seen the drawings you’ve done for your roommates. I’ve seen the renderings of their loved ones—some in great detail, down to the scars and warts! I’ve enjoyed the landscapes with vast skies, sloping hills, and wide rivers. I know you draw every night after lights out. The warden knows about Dot’s contraband candles.” At Mary’s look of alarm, the doctor chuckled. “Don’t worry, at our monthly meeting, he declared, ‘Watching that girl sketch is the only form of entertainment the lunatics at Blockley can expect in life.’”
“The Oystercatcher of Southwark” by Erica Colahan is a totally immersive read. The plot is relatively complex, however the story flows well and it’s the sort of book that will be hard to put down once the reader has settled into the story. The serious themes and bleak aspects are balanced by the central themes of family, individual determination and the author’s authentic style of writing.
*****
“The Oystercatcher of Southwark” by Erica Colahan receives 4 ½ stars from The Historical Fiction Company
To have your historical novel editorially reviewed and/or enter the HFC Book of the Year contest, please visit www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission
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