#Bookreview by @OlgaNM7 The Dolan Girls by S. R. Mallery (@SarahMallery1) The West and the Women who Won It.

REVIEWS FOR LITERARY WORLD REVIEWS

Title:   The Dolan Girls
Author:   S. R. Mallery
ISBN13:  978-1519695246
ASIN:  B018Y063XA
Published:  3 December 2015
Pages:  212
Genre:  Historical Romance, Victorian, Western

First the description:

Set in Nebraska during the 1800s, whorehouse madams, ladies of the night, a schoolmarm, a Pinkerton detective, a Shakespeare-quoting old coot, brutal outlaws, and a horse-wrangler fill out the cast of characters. Add to the mix are colorful descriptions of an 1856 land rush, Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show, Annie Oakley, bank/train robberies, small town local politics, and of course, romance. Two, in fact!

Body of review:

I was given a free copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read two of S. R. Mallery’s books before and I’ve always admired her ease in creating stories emotionally real and characters we care for set in historical eras and around historical events that add dimension and depth to the narration.  Most of her stories centre on female protagonists and we experience through them the travails and challenges these women had to face in different times in history, be it because of their class, race, gender, profession or their situation.

Cora and Minnie, the young girls arrived from Ireland with their parents, who plan to get some land in Nebraska but fail, end up alone and living in a brothel after tragedy strikes. Madam Ana treats them like her daughters and the brothel becomes their home and later their business. Cora’s love story is ruined by a terrible event, a baddie with no redeeming qualities (Wes’) rapes her and impregnates her, and she doesn’t trust men again. She focuses her life on the business and her family, and wants to ensure that her daughter will be respected and safe, even against her wishes.

The three Dolan girls, Cora, Minnie and Ellie embody different models of womanhood: Cora worries about society’s views and being respected, and is straight-laced and serious. Minnie is free, unconventional and only worries about doing what’s right and fun, no matter what anybody else might think. Ellie loves education, learning, and is passionate about enlightening the population and not taking no for an answer. Despite their differences, they all have in common their strength, their perseverance, and their determination to live life their own way, no matter what polite society might think.

 

Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill and Lola Montez make significant appearances and add to the historical interest but their appearance is not an exercise in hero worshiping. The author blends beautifully historical detail, language and décor without dumping information or appearing to quote from a textbook.

 

The bandits’ train-raid and later arrival at South Benton, Buffalo Bill’s first show, and the Pinkerton detective agency and their work add a good dose of adventure and make it a page turner even for people who wouldn’t consider reading a standard romantic novel.

The male protagonists are heroic but understanding and not overbearing. Their behaviour seemed to me somewhat idealised but well within the conventions of the genre.

The Dolan Girls shows us that winning the West wasn’t only a man’s endeavour, that not all immigrants were the same (Irish not being welcome with open arms), that gender violence is not new, and that women can be strong together.

In sum, a great read and a must for people who love historical romances. Ah, and don’t worry about the ending. You’ll love it!

What the book is about: A historical romance following a family, the Dolans, who have immigrated to the US from Ireland, in search of a better life. Unfortunately tragedy strikes hard and the two girls, Cora and Minnie, end up living at a brothel that becomes their home and their family. The two sisters, and later Ellie, Cora’s daughter, show enterprise, strength and exemplify how difficult it was to be a woman in the 1800s in the Wild West.

 Book Highlights: The relationships between the sisters and later with Ellie, the women’s community, including the Doves, the authentic historical feel without going overboard, a fantastic ending. Historical events and figures (like Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill) are brought to life in all their human greatness (or smallness).

 Challenges of the book: Although there are no explicit sexual scenes, some of the topics, like the rape, might be hard for some readers, as the emotional impact and the anxiety and anguish are vividly rendered.

 What do you get from it: A great story of strong women that provides an insight into a historical era, popular but misunderstood and often misrepresented.

 What I would have changed if anything: I was not sure the fragments of the story that are quoted again throughout, that seem to reflect internal thoughts or preoccupations of the characters, added much to the story.

 Who Would I recommend this book to?: To anybody who likes historical romances, particularly in that era, with great adventures and a terrific ending.

Ratings:
Realistic Characterization: 3.5/5
Made Me Think: 4/5
Overall enjoyment: 4.5/5
Readability: 5/5
Recommended: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 

Buy it at:  
Format & Pricing:
Paperback:  $ 8.50 
Kindle: $ 2.99

Olga Núñez Miret

@OlgaNM7

http://www.authortranslatorolga.com

http://www.OlgaNM.com