Customer Reviews

Torn Away

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4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

To be torn is to be ripped, severed, shredded, or the surface of an object can be torn, like jeans for instance. Declan was torn away physically when he was taken away from Ireland. His wrists were torn from the cruelties of the metallic handcuffs, just as his mind was torn from the separation, the loss, and the sudden gain of a new family. They say that if a starving man eats a meal after not eating in days, he will die. I believe that almost the same thing happened to Declan when he came to Otter Harbor. He was overcome with the love they granted him. But he was not going to except their " Snotty English Charity" and perhaps because of this he would die of loneliness. After moving to Otter Harbor, Declan slowly but surely began to meliorate. Yet buried deep inside of himself he was torn. In a way no one could explain. He was lost inside of himself trying to find his family and friends, the way things were before their deaths. Alas, they were torn so far apart. There would be no chance of finding them. Heaven and earth are too very different places. To move on would be hard, to stay in place would be to difficult. To go behind, into the past, impossible. Declan was torn in many ways, however, to be torn can be to be mended.

"Torn away" was quite interesting. The book was easy to read, among other things because of the annotations an the easy English language that the author used.
But the book is written with typical clichés, a bit like a feri-tale or a Hollywood film. The plot and especially the end was very simple to guess. While reading the book, I knew that Declan will stay in Canada. But If had written the book, I would not haven done it that way, because it's absolutely not Declan's character. His most important aim is to take revenge for the death of his family. And the fact that his father was killed by his own people changes his opinion about him and the Protestants, but I can't imagine that Declan changes completely after he knows that. His stay in Canada is not convincible for me. So the plot was too superficial and especially in the last chapters, you get the impression that Heneghan wants to finish the book; lots of events, but with no explanations.
Further more this kind of story does not please me. A point is missing, perhaps a love story or something like that. The whole book is about nature, a nice family and a boy who is so bitter, but in spite of, he finds a wonderful family. The moral: the world is fair.

Juliane

The novel „Torn away" describes the situation an Irish 13-year-old boy is in.
Declan has lost his family by IRA attacks and is now forced to live with his uncle Matthew in Canada.
At the end of the novel he is torn between his wish to return to Northern Ireland to revenge his family's death on the one hand and thoughts about his new life and of evantually staying in Canada on the other hand.
In fact, this book is not only about a person changing, but also about a mind changing!

„Torn away" describes detailly all thoughts, feelings and the conflict Declan is in. It is written very emotional and sometimes even deeply moving. For example chapter sixteen; there is described the last time Declan sees his mother and sister alive. This is so sad and honestly goes to heart.
In contrast to this lovely written chapter, the reader also gets to know cruelty.

The religious war in Northern Ireland is approached to the reader. So you get to know another view over the fights than from the news. But besides all these awful things happening, nevertheless it is understandable why Declan wants to return. He hates his new family, has no friends and is treated worse at school. In addition to that he misses his family and wants to fight the "dirty Prots" (Protestants).
But there is a process noticeable. Declan changes during his time in Canada, but in spite of that till the end of the novel he has to think of going back to Northern Ireland.

But I myself can't understand the end! For me it is too trashy. There is no introduction to this end, it comes really suddenly and abruptly. It seems, that James Heneghan absolutely wanted to have a happy end.

I read this book because it was one theme in my English-profile course at 11th grade. But it is not on my list of my favorite books.
In spite of that I would recommend this novel if someone was interested in this story. It has something for everybody, it is cruel but also sad.
The novel helps you to understand the cruelty and fights going on in Northern Ireland.
And you have the opportunity to get to know a young boy changing, who had to experience so much sorrow!

Kerstin Dathe

sentences:
Declan is thirteen year old boy,who was forced by the police to leave Ireland and to go to Canada.In Canada his uncle's family wants him to stay but he often tries to escape.

I like that Declans feelings were discirbed very good so I can understandhim better.Also there is a good describtion of nature so anyone can imagine Ireland better.

The book Torn away by James Heneghan is about Declan Doyle , a 13 years old boy from Belfast , who loses his family in the troubles of Northern Ireland . His uncle forces him to come to Canada to live there but Declan doesn't plan to live there .

I think that the story was interesting . Also the writer described the nature very good . On the other hand the book was sometimes boaring and unreal . My oppinion is that the ending is nice and emotzional . I had a lot of fun with the book and recommend it to all the others pupils !!!

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.