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As they have since birth, Joseph Brennan and his sister, Breege, are living on the Irish farm of their ancestors when Mick Bugler arrives from Australia to claim his late uncle's farm next door. The inevitable happens. Joseph initially befriends him, Breege falls in love with him, there is a battle over land, there's a murder and some madness. This is not, however, a book of cliches written by a professional Irishman. With her inimitable gift for describing the occasions of heartbreak, O'Brien brings Joseph's love for his land to the level of his sister's love for both him and his rival, Bugler. A classic drama ensues, involving the full range of human bonds and betrayals, leavened by the human comedy.
"A mood akin to that of WUTHERING HEIGHTS - and indeed the spirit of Emily Bronte seems to hover over this novel..." (Irish Times)