I have a decent background with Ireland. I traveled there once, did my senior thesis for college on Irish literature and have read several different books on the island’s history. Still, I almost didn’t read Morgan Llyewen’s historical novel 1949.

Part of this was because I bought the book at a discount store a few months ago. I purchased another book which turned out to be quite possibly the worst published piece of fiction I have ever encountered. I don’t think I even made it halfway through before giving up.

So 1949 sat there, teasing me. Did it have discount bin quality like the other book or would I be reminded of why I have such a fascination for the Irish struggle. In the end, I gave in and discovered that the answer lay somewhere between those two extremes.

Not only did I get through the book, but I enjoyed it. The story takes place from the early 1920s through the creation of the Republic of Ireland in 1949. We follow Ursula Halloran as she displays the stereotypical Irish stubborness through the changes that sweep Europe during this time.

I did feel like the author merely invented Ursula and her family to frame a history lesson. Not being familiar with any of Llewelyn’s work, this may be her usual style. Even though it was a little bit trite, I learned a lot about what happened in Europe in the time between the two world wars and how Ireland found itself in such a unique place.

In the end, the book turned out to provide a fascinating read, although I think she occasionally skipped ahead a little too far at some points. Hitler seemed to be in power for only a few pages, it seemed. But the undeniable Irishness of the story and characters allowed me to overlook those things. Not bad for just $4.