Kilgorman
A Story of Ireland in 1798
By Talbot Baines Reed
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This was Reed's last book, written even as he lay dying, presumably from
cancer. It is a very well-written book, and is very interesting, even
though as in the works of Kingston and Collingwood there are a lot of
swimming episodes.
The time of the story is in the 1790s, during the French Revolution,
which we see at close quarters during our hero's time in France. We
also visit Rotterdam, in Holland. But most of the action, at least that
which takes place on dry land, takes place in Donegal, that long wild
part of Ireland that lies to its extreme north-west.
There are several lines of the story. One of these is the great love
that exists between the hero and his twin brother. Another is the
question, Are they brothers? For only one person actually knows, and
she is far away: the hint that there is a problem is given in a dying
note by the woman that passed as the boys' mother. The third theme is,
as always with Ireland, plotting for an uprising against English rule.
In this department nothing changes.
Yes, it is a brilliant book, complemented by an "In Memoriam" article
about the life of the author.
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KILGORMAN
A STORY OF IRELAND IN 1798