Stitch and Bear

A long-running Irish blog with reviews of the best restaurants in Dublin and throughout Ireland. Some wine and cocktails thrown in for good measure!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

The Pirate's Daughter - Margaret Cezair-Thompson


The pirate of the title refers to Errol Flynn, who finds himself washed up on the shores of Jamaica following a storm. He finds calmness and peace on the charming island, and seeks refuge there from the scandal that follows him in Hollywood. Ida, the daughter of a man who befriends Errol, develops a crush on him and their somewhat odd friendship develops over the years. As Errol lurches from relationship to relationship and scandal to scandal, he regularly returns to the island and renews his friendship with Ida.

Ida grows into a beautiful young woman, and one day the inevitable happens. Ida finds she is pregnant with Flynn's child, but raises it herself, isolated and abandoned by the man she loves. Her family falls on hard times, and she is forced to go abroad to seek work in order to support her beloved daughter, Margaret.

This charming tale follows both the lives of the mother and daughter. Ida never stops being in love with Errol, but fights to protect her child and give her every opportunity. Around them, politics and strife rear their ugly heads as Jamaica gains independence from Britain and racial tensions rise to the surface. Their lives are torn apart and changed forever by the events of one fateful night.

This is a forlorn love story brought vividly to life with enchanting descriptions of the island and rich characters. The span of the tale is thoroughly satisfying and the historical setting adds a menacing overtone to the tale. A page-turning, engrossing, intelligent read.
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