Customer Reviews

Torn Away

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I started to read this book, I first found it boring. The beginning was very difficult to read,because I speak German and in the book were so many new english words.But after a few chapters, when Declan was in Canada, it became more interesting for me. The book became better, when Matthew told Declan the truth about his family. The theme of the book is very real, but I `m not so interested in this story.

Representation of real political problems or just English shoddy?

The book „Torn Away" deals with a boy, called Declan who is an Irish Catholic and lives in Falls Road/Belfast. His mother and sister died in a bomb attack which was organised by the Brits. Left alone and filled with wrath and anger, Declan joins the terror group "Holy Terrors". There youngsters learn to build bombs and plan attacks against the British army. However, he shell be brought to his uncle who lives in Canada. Declan tries to refuse because he thinks his uncle Matthew is a coward and a traitor of the country because of immigrating to British Columbia. After a lot of attempts to escape, police manages to take him into his uncle's custody.
Although, his aunt, uncle and the both adopted kids Ana and Thomas are very friendly and caring, Declan still has the wish to return. First a bargain makes him remain: If he stays until after Christmas and joins school, Matthew won't stop Declan leaving and pays his journey home.
But whilst time passes, Declan starts to accept Ana and Thomas as a real brother and sister. He is departed between the family feelings and the so-called "fixer's world", as he calls his new home.
The book "Torn Away" has its focus on the Northern Irish conflicts between Protestants and Catholics. The main reasons of fighting with each other are shown very clearly in this book. It recovers the means which the IRA uses to damage or kill their enemies, the Brits. I like the representation of the strong will-power which is in the Catholic and Protestant mind in order to get through their aim for their country. However, the realisation of the difficult topic about the young terrorist Declan isn't so convincing. At the beginning of the story, the rough reality is shown clearly. But the more Declan is "caught" by the family's generosity and kindness, the more the ending is absolutely clear. To put it in a nutshell: The character of the almost innocent family is too unrealistic and invisible to regard the story as a realistic happening within a Catholic boy's life.
So, thank you James Heneghan, but the moral of "Torn Away" is clear: Violence is never a solution!

This book is about a thirteen-year-old boy, called Declan, who is torn away from Northern Ireland to Canada, to his uncle. Declan, who is a Catholic, thinks that his family has been killed by the Protestants. Therefore he hates all Protestants.
The author, James Heneghan, worked with several clichés. The poor boy with no family has to go to Canada. Then there is his new family who loves him so much but he doesn't like them. But fortunately after a while he does so. And finally there is an happy end.
On the whole it is a bit disappointing, because the title "Torn away" sounds exciting. Only until chapter 13 is it interesting and you can't stop reading, but then the plot is too boring and too easy to guess, especially the ending.
But of course the book does not only have bad sides. There are some advantages for unskilled reader.
It is written very simply. The vocabulary and the syntax are quite easy. Another positive aspect is that the book is quite short and that there is no unnecessary violence. It is also qualified for teenager to get informed roughly about the troubles in Northern Ireland because it is not very detailed but sufficient.

The book "Torn Away" was written by James Heneghan. The story deals with a 13 - year old boy from Northern Ireland whose parents and sister died because of a bomb attack caused by Protestants.
The boy's name is Declan Doyle who has to go to Canada, British Columbia, because there live his remained relatives, his uncle Matthew and his aunt Kate. He is forced to go to Canada although he doesn't want. In British Columbia he learns to enjoy his life which is full of nature experiences and without crime and civil wars like in Belfast.
I liked the book very much because it combines an interesting story with a politcal background. It shows two different worlds on earth, the world in British Columbia which is full of peacefulness, silence and great nature and the world in Belfast where bomb attacks, explosions and wars rule.
In the book you can follow Declan how he is developping from a child to a teenager and even to an adult although he is only 13 years old. He becomes more and more wise in his decisions.
The only thing I disliked was the end of the book. You can foresee the end and that is why there is no surprise at the end.

I read the book "Torn away" and now you will get some information to know if it is necessary to buy the book.
The story is about a young boy,Declan,who is thirteen years old and who is already alone.
His parents and his sister died because of the cruelty in Northern Ireland.
By the authorities he is sent to Canada to his relatives although he wants revenge for his family.
In almost the whole story he is against his new family and he wants to go back but in the end he finds friends and stays in Canada.
At the beginning it is a little bit boring because they explain the whole escape when he has to go to Canada. I have also read a lot about the conflict in Northern Ireland and I thought it would be nothing new but while I read the book I noticed that it is interesting and exciting. In the book there is a lot of tension but it has no open end and I hate books with an open end. It is not very dramatic although you will find said moments. There is one scene where they save a seal and it reminds you of "Free Willy".But all in all it is a book with a lot of information. I think it is not wrong to read this book. After the first pages I liked the book.

The book 'Torn away' tells the story of a 13-year-old boy named Declan. Declan is forced by his uncle Matthew to move to Canada with him after Declan's whole family got killed in Northern Ireland.
James Heneghan's book is about growing up and changing. Changing ones mind and changing ones attitude. While the book goes on Declan changes his attitude about Canada and his family living there. He also changes his mind about Northern Ireland. He changes his mind towards all the fighting and killing going on over there.
The author let's his main character Declan discovers Canada's beautiful countryside, which the author impressively describes. He names the countryside as one reason for Declan's change. But I think that Declan changes too much. Although he gets a second chance in his life which he uses it well. Declan was eager to go home to Northern Ireland from the very first step he took to Canada. He wanted to go home from the very first moment he met his new family. He also tried to escape once, although it failed. And when he finally gets a real and serious chance to go home to Northern Ireland he does not take it. He does not use his chance; his uncle Matthew is willing to pay Declan's way home, that was part of a deal the two of them had. So Declan wants to go home, but when he sits on the airplane, with a ticket in his hands ready to go home, he decides that he wants to stay in Canada. He runs off the airplane to his family in Canada.
That is the only thing I do not like about the whole book, the ending. I admit that this was a very good decision for a 13-year-old, but still it is too much of a clichee. This little boy from Northern Ireland changes his mind about everything in his entire life within only a few months about 180 degrees.
Besides the ending I liked the book. It is easy to understand and it is a well-written closer look at the lives of children in Northern Ireland, at least partly. The story itself is quite interesting.

The well written book "Torn away" is interesting, exciting and you can think about the problems which the main character Declan has. The book deals with the actually problems of the world.
You identify yourself with Declan and think about what you would do, if you were in his situation.First we thought that Declan's fight against the protestants, which has killed his mum and his sister, was wrong, but we can't say it, how people think, who grow up in war.

I read the book, because we had to read it in school.
First the title meant nothing to me.
After the first chapters, I thought that it will be a boring book. But later on, I enjoyed reading it more and more.
I think it's easy to identify with Declan and other protagonists of this book. It's a story which is explained realistically with real problems of the modern life.
I liked the contrast of the two "worlds", on the one hand, the world full of violence and hate, and on the other hand the peaceful and friendly world.
It was nice to work with this book, because there were so many possiblities.

Our class read this book in the Ninth class. It was a topic in our English lesson. We also wrote a test on it, so we had to read it very carefully.
Sometimes it was very interesting, but sometimes some of us also wished to throw it away, because it got very boring in some parts.In some situations the characters don`t behave realistically, that`s a shame.
The book could be really nice, because the story shows something real, whith what you can identify.

I read the book, because we had to read it in school.
First the title meant nothing to me.
After the first chapters, I thought that it will be a boring book. But later on, I enjoyed reading it more and more.
I think it's easy to identify with Declan and other protagonists of this book. It's a story which is explained realistically with real problems of the modern life.
I liked the contrast of the two "worlds", on the one hand, the world full of violence and hate, and on the other hand the peaceful and friendly world.
It was nice to work with this book, because there were so many possibilities!