Brockporter Book Of The Week - May The Road Rise Up To Meet You by Peter Troy

May The Road Rise Up To Meet You by Peter Troy is the book selection this year, 2013, of the A Tale For Three Counties program of the libraries of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming Counties. It is a tale of Ethan McOwen who leaves Ireland in 1847 at the time of The Hunger to come to New York City as a 12 year old boy. The story then moves into his involvement in the civil war as well as a subtext about the experience of people who were slaves and became free.

The creative tension is developed by twin themes of hardship due to war and family conflicts, and love in two compelling love stories about Ethan and Marcella, and two slaves, Micah and Mary.

Troy is a lyrical writer who uses Irish and slave dialects which make the text interesting without it being too difficult to read.

I liked May The Road Rise Up To Meet You and would give a 3.5 on a 5 point scale.

Editor's note: The Brockporter Book Of The Week is a regular feature of the Brockporter Online News Magazine which appears most Fridays. If you have a book review you would like to share with the readers of the Brockporter, please send it to davidgmarkham@gmail.com. My copy of May The Road Rise Up To Meet You is available, free, to the first person who requests it by sending an email of request with mailing information to davidgmarkham@gmail.com.