Joseph OʼConnor, an Irish playwright, novelist and journalist born in 1963, walks in the glorious shadow of great world literature in each and every one of his novels. The Star of the Sea is a monumental work that became an international bestseller. Each novel is an extraordinary reading experience, but this particular one far excels the label of bestseller: it’s a masterpiece!

A very complex text, peppered with great humor and historical data, this marvelous novel reveals an almost hidden view of the terrible hardships the Irish people went through during this one voyage escaping from the so-called Potato Famine, which may easily be named “genocide” in view of accurate information.

Great intertextuality, playfulness in the naming of characters, inclusion of writers like Dickens and Emily Brönte, a variety of different narrators and styles, great suspense with various murders, making the main suspect a “monster” of depravity, build this superb novel a most attractive and enlightening narration. Interwoven in the text is the religious theme, anticipated by the title Stella Maris which brings liturgical Latin prayers.

Socially, this universe, talks about girls in service, aristocrats, whores, journalists, grown-ups and children. Description of prison-life, disease and developing cures, marriage, love and sex complete a most attractive picture. The ship as an emerging world with a most complete picture of the 1840’s in Ireland. The arrival in America is narrated in most harrowing terms!

This text was written by: Professor Nora Kreimer 💐 Many thanks for your contribution! We value each review made with love, such as this one youʼve shared with us 😍🙏