Ashes of Fiery Weather

Kathleen Donohue has written a novel about NYC firefighters, and the intricate connections between their families. She focuses on Brooklyn firefighters in particular, and begins with a family tree of her Irish main characters found in the novel. Each chapter is written from a different female perspective; all seven are relatives of Sean O’Reilly, the central character upon whom the novel is centered. Bits and pieces of the Gaelic language are scattered throughout the story, and the events of 9/11 are brought in as well. This is the first novel penned by the author, and I found it an enjoyable read. Fans of novels with in-depth characterization will take pleasure in it also.