Book Review – Erin’s Ring

Erin’s Ring by Laura H. Pearl Presented in a story-within-a-story, Erin's Ring offers an historical novel set within the story of two contemporary teen-age friends from very different kinds of families. Both stories have elements of Catholicism offered as ordinary and important parts of life. The small town setting is appealing and the characters are multi-dimensional. Erin's Ring would appeal to younger teens and older ones looking for light reading. 2nd Place Catholic Press Awards 2015 Winner Category: Books for Teens and Young Adults    Review: This was such an enjoyable book! I really liked how the novel alternated between a modern-day story and the history of Irish immigrants that came to America in the 1800’s. It begins when Molly – a modern-day middle school girl, finds an engraved ring at her church. When she discovers it’s a traditional Irish ring, she decides to research the town’s rich Irish history for a school project. As she delves into her research, we are drawn into the world of the Irish immigrants that fled Ireland during the Potato famine to find a better life here in America. This book is set in Dover, New Hampshire where many young women journeyed to work in the textile industry. The town became a place where Irish Catholics found a home even though there was no Catholic church available. This story provides a fascinating look into the struggles of the Irish Catholic immigrants – many of which were single young men and women who came over to work and sent money back to support their families. The historical parts were interesting and thought-provoking and the storyline in the modern-day chapters was quite touching as well. Erin’s Ring is a really wonderful story about the importance of family, friendship, and faith. A Note From the Reviewer: As a…