Molly Roe

Much like the Dear America series, as the synopsis mentions above, this book is a fictional look into our past history. It's gritty, it's realistic, but it is written so perfectly that readers will fall in love. I personally fell in love with Kate's spunky demeanor and was committed to her struggle from the beginning. In fact, I felt for her whole town. Molly Roe is an expert at writing characters that come to life on the page.

I vaguely remember learning about how the Civil War affected Irish immigrants. Sadly those types of things tend to fade into the background in school, as they are skimmed over and before you know it the text has moved on. However when I started reading this book it all came rushing back to me. The research that went into this story is apparent on every page, from the descriptions of outfits, to the Irish words that are thrown back and forth between family members. Although it seems like it would be difficult to understand these terms, there is a very handy glossary in the back! I was pleasantly surprised!

What really struck me most about Call Me Kate was the fire behind Kate's actions, and the way her people worked together to help those who struggled. It was a look at how people can bond when trouble strikes them all. It actually made me a bit nostalgic for that "for the good of all" mentality. I think any readers that come into this book willing to learn and get lost in Kate's life will have a great read. I definitely recommend this to high school readers and teachers.

To wrap things up, Call Me Kate was a fascinating read. The learning aspect of it was simply a bonus, buried under the rich storytelling and characters. I am happy to say that I throughly enjoyed this book and am proud to recommend it to you!… (més)

If you’re a woman around my age, or have a sister, then you probably owned or knew someone who owned an American Girl doll. Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe felt very reminiscent of an American Girl book to me. While I’m not the target audience for this book, I think young girls who read middle grade books would thoroughly enjoy this story.At first, I really didn’t think I’d like Katie because initially, she was a bit of a goody two shoes, and that doesn’t make for a particular dynamic or interesting. However, it was also clear that she was passionate, and her personality quickly changed and became much more interesting. It was excellent to see a character stand up for what she believes in, and still see some lighter moments incorporated into this turn of events.I thought the plot of this story was very well thought out. I’ve never seen a book that deals with Irish immigrants in America around the time of the Civil War, and I appreciated that originality. In the midst of this plotline, Call Me Kate was a book which successfully confronted bigotry and prejudice, and I applaud Roe for that.Call Me Kate may have been a bit young for my taste, but it was nonetheless a swift and enjoyable read. It’s also fun because at the end of the book there are a few educational activities and a vocabulary list. With all of these elements combined, I wouldn’t hesitate to pass this book on to a young reader.… (més)

This review first appeared on my blog: http://jewelknits.blogspot.com/2010/10/call-me-kate-meeting-molly-maguires-by.ht...

I'm a big fan of historical fiction. I especially enjoy reading about American history that isn't covered in regular school curriculum.

In this story, Kate, a young Irish citizen raised among the coal fields, finds herself helping to provide for her family after a tragic accident in the coal fields. She quits school to become a domestic, and finds herself caught up in the labor unrest of the time. Mine owners gave up their employee lists for the Civil War draft, and Irish workers, whether citizens or not, were conscripted into the Civil War unless they could come up with a $300 fee to avoid the draft.

Coal miners worked in dangerous, unsanitary, conditions, and if one lost his life or limb due to an accident, or was otherwise unable to work in the mines, their families had no way to earn their own keep. In these days, one had to rely on the charity of one's neighbors and friends, and when EVERYone around you isn't making enough to live on, charity could only stretch so far.

When Kate finds that her friend Con has become allied with a group labelled "The Molly Maguires", a band of men resistant to the draft, to the labor conditions, and to the greed of the mine owners, she sets out to warn him of the danger he is in because the owners know of his involvement and have targeted him and his grandmother. She dresses as a boy and infiltrates the group. Along the way, she learns of their plans to stop a train full of conscripted men and 'free' them from their conscription.

I enjoyed this book because it gave me a better understanding of some events that I previously had vague knowledge of. It is a quick read, and quite aptly illustrates the day-to-day struggles of the time among the Irish.

At places, however, I was reminded that I was reading a book. Although this is told from the viewpoint of a poor, under-educated, young Irish girl, there were sentences and sometimes passages that let me know that this was a story being told by someone else. For example, "I embroiled poor Patrick in this again his will, and I'd be devastated if something happened to him...". That's quite a few big words, and it jarred a little and pulled me out of the story. I realize that this is the first in a series, but the ending for me just wasn't great ... it felt as though the writer simply said, "OK; I'm done for now", and as I turned the page expecting more story, there wasn't any more.

This would be a good book for a teen or even an adult who wants to know a bit more about Irish-American history and the history of labor unrest during the Civil War.

QUOTES:

"The Mistress is like all her kind, unwilling to bother remembering a servant's name. All the parlor maids are Bridget. It keeps us in our lowly places to deny us even our given names. After all, your name, Catharine, and my real name, Margaret, are both royal names. High falutin' names are too good for the likes of us, Katie, my dear!" said Daisy.

Maybe if I had started working sooner we would have had the medicine Father needed. The money I sent home was never sufficient! Even if I were a lady's maid I could not have made enough to support the family. Only men's jobs paid adequately, and not all of those did. My grief changed to anger. The unfair cost of being poor and female infuriated me.

Book Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars… (més)