VVMBookBlog

Ashes of Roses by Mary Jan Auch

Margaret Rose and her family make the trip from Ireland to the United States in 1911. This is a life dream for them. As the family enters the United States, they learn that the father (Da) and baby will have to go back to Ireland. The decision is made that Ma will stay with the two girls until the family can be reunited. Da plans on returning to the United States. Through a series of unforseen circumstances, the two girls are left on their own to survive in this new country. Many have said the U.S. streets are “paved with gold.” The truth shows finding work is extremely difficult, and people are unkind.

This book is a historical fiction novel that talks about the horrible working conditions many men, women, and children faced every day trying to survive in a new country. The sisters work at the Triangle Shirtwaist, a real factory from 1911 in New York. As with historical fiction, the story is fictional, but the events of the story are real. Immigrants have come to America for better living and working conditions for over 100 years. This story depicts the struggles one family faced. Many families face struggles every day trying to find a better life in America.