Reviews from

Ireland Dear Ireland

An exile returns to the land of his birth

33 total reviews 
Comment from Lance S. Loria
Excellent
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I enjoyed the writing style and level of description you provided. Sounds like a good story developing. Keep writing! I also noticed in the artwork a yellow cottage.

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 25-Mar-2019
    Haha well done spotting that yellow cottage.

    A cousin of mine painted that landscape so I decided to write a short story based on what I saw.

    Glad you enjoyed it. Maybe I will expand on this one day but I never planned to when I penned it.

    I appreciate the review.

    Best
    John
Comment from Ulla
Excellent
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Hi John, yes I liked this story. it has some great description and the scene with the bus finally braking down is very good. I would pay attention to all the paragraphs starting with 'Michael'. A variation would be welcome. Great story and I hope there will be more. All the best. Ulla:))

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 25-Mar-2019
    Thank you Ulla for your great revire. Yes Michael leads the charge in too many paragraphs. Lol you are the second person to point this out so I will go back and rework them

    Thank you so much

    John
Comment from Caveman1
Excellent
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Very descriptive, maybe a bit over-the-top? Regardless a very good read. Thank you for posting and sharing. Very memorable and a great tribute to the land and people of Ireland.

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 25-Mar-2019
    Thanks Caveman.

    Maybe over the top. :) Are you referring to the death of the bus? I tried set and underlying sense, maybe too subtlely, that strange magic is at work.

    I do appreciate and do welcome your honest comments.

    Best
    John
Comment from LIJ Red
Excellent
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A gentle and hopeful story, in spite of the bus driver's less than satisfactory shift.
A man who loses a wife will revert to his life before her, hopefully to bachelor years and barracks dwelling when he was on his own...excellent post.

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 25-Mar-2019
    Thanks Red. So glad you enjoyed this.

    Best
    John
Comment from Mrs. KT
Excellent
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Hello!
Oh! I so enjoyed your story. And this is just a chapter...yes? More to come? I surely hope so.
Our son and daughter-in-law just returned yesterday from a week long trip to Ireland. Both fell in love with the country. Not so much the Guinness or the "Irish Breakfast," however. :)

As to your writing, it is well-paced, filled with interesting and entertaing character development and dialogue. A very enjoyable read.

Looking forward to reading more of your work...

diane

 Comment Written 24-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 24-Mar-2019
    Oh thank you so very much Diane. Your kind comments mean a lot.

    This piece was offered as a short story but I have a feeling I cannot leave it there. I have written one chapter of a novel called Widow Glynn and I really need to make time for it. Sadly I work many hours in my job and have to squeeze my writing in.

    Take care
    Best
    John
Comment from Wabigoon
Excellent
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Lordinajamjar
Very well done. The death of the bus, well described. Michael certainly must be glad to be home. I have been reading about Brexit but haven't quite been able to get the feelings of various Irish factions about it straight -- as well as Wales and Scotland.

Thanks
Wabigoon

 Comment Written 24-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 24-Mar-2019
    Oh thank you Wabigoon for your lovely review.

    Brexit. Well what a mess. Scotland pretty much voted to stay in, Wales voted out, England is split, Northern Ireland just edged in. Overall it all added up to NO for staying in. London majority said stay.

    The sad thing is when David Cameron agreed to hold a referendum it was a political ploy. His party was under pressure from the far right. He never expected in his wildest dreams that the people would vote to leave. So he stepped down and poor old Theresa May was left holding the baby. The country is now so polarized over it. Leaving is such a crazy choice.. nothing economically positive for Britain at all.

    Best
    John
Comment from Randa Dayle
Good
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I enjoyed your story. I loved the accents, I think they came across nicely. I felt bad for the him after the crow did his business on him...You know...it happens!!

 Comment Written 23-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 24-Mar-2019
    Thank you.
Comment from Ben Colder
Excellent
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I have always wished to go to my grandmother's home in Ireland.O'Kelly was her name but someone removed the O and she lived in America as Kelly. I can see that old bus move down the Airport road on it's last leg. Well done, thanks for sharing.

 Comment Written 23-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 24-Mar-2019
    Thanks a lot Ben. I hope you get a chance to visit the "old sod". You will be renergised, I guarantee.
    Best
    John
Comment from Artasylum
Excellent
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In my dreams LORDINAJAMJAR... I will have the opportunity to visit the Emerald Isles... Until then I will live vicariously through your eyes... thanks so much and looking forward... yours, diana

 Comment Written 23-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 24-Mar-2019
    Oh Art. :) You really are too kind.

    Please do go to visit Ireland as soon as you can. It will uplift you, recharge you and inspire you.

    My writing can never do it justice.

    Best
    John
Comment from Gail Denham
Excellent
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I hope you got my first review - I wandered off to become a fan. you claim this is a supernatural fiction - but I hope you'll continue to write in this vein. The descriptions are marvelous. Laughed out loud at the bus driver being pelted by the bus. (he should have kept it in better share).
I do like this story.

 Comment Written 22-Mar-2019


reply by the author on 25-Mar-2019
    Gail. LOL Is this dejavu?

    I am sure I replied to this post earlier. But just in case you did not get my reply let me tell you that I am honoured that you decided to become a fan of my work. Try delighted in fact. :) I hope I do not let you down.

    Thank you for a very special review.

    Best
    John

reply by Gail Denham on 25-Mar-2019
    yes, a fan - so far I've only notched two on my fan list - but I have several too - which is kind of fun. I did like the Keats one - in fact I'm sending a copy to a couple writer and reader friends of mine who will appreciate it. And now I've just won a third in the "Faith" category. And it gives me more points. How about that? Kind of neat. I'm wishing to place in the April Fool one. Blessings.