Rating: 
Summary: I struggled to pick it up...
Review: Never have I been so bored by a novel set in Ireland. While I found the historical aspect to be informative, the story itself was tedious and silly, with the most contrived fictional characters. I struggled to pick this book up each night (rather than put it down). I would rather read a straight history book and visit Dublin for my facts, and leave the Irish fiction to Emma Donoghue and even Maeve Binchy.
Rating: 
Summary: I would like to give this 4.5, but I don't see the option
Review: Once again Morgan Llewelyn has proven the power the words in her works have. This book, 1916, is fantastic historical fiction, therefore if you are interested in this period of time in Irish History(which is a very important era if you ask me), pick it up, please, and satisfy your appetites with this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read!
Review: Once you get past the contrived beginning, this is a wonderful book. I would highly recommend it to all lovers of Irish history.
Rating: 
Summary: The best is saved for last.
Review: Readers who are expecting the major focus of Morgan Llywelyn's novel to be the Easter Rising of 1916 may be disappointed in their purchase of this book. The story follows the life of Ned Halloran, a young Irish boy, who finds himself enrolled in Saint Enda's Preparatory School, whose headmaster is none other than the famous Irish patriot Padraic Pearse.Ned is an observant young man who is on the outside looking in at the events that culminate in the Easter Rising of 1916. The best part of the book by far is the actual telling of the Rising. This comes at the end of a story, which wanders far and wide to no good purpose. For example, Ned's sister has moved to America and married a man who abuses her. What little interest we have in this peripheral story seems shared by the author who forgets she has ever introduced this material into the plot. We never find out what happens to Kathleen and we don't care much because it has so little bearing on the central events that give this book its title. We do care about Ned and we follow his movements carefully during the Rising. We know ahead of time, as does Pearse, that the chances for success are small, but it is the heroism and example of a few brave Irish patriots that counts and will act as an important catalyst for change in Ireland. Pearse, MacDonagh, Connolly, MacBride, and many other brave men are stood against a courtyard wall in Kilmainham Jail and shot to death and in this act "a terrible beauty is born," as Yeats says in his great poem, "Easter 1916." Readers are well advised to read this poem, which says more in two pages than Llywelyn accomplishes in her book. The last 25% of the novel, which tells the story of the rising, is well done and genuinely affecting. The reader may want to move quickly to this point in the story. Not much will be lost in terms of genuine understanding of the main events of this important event in Irish hisory.
Rating:
Summary: The best is saved for last.
Review: Readers who are expecting the major focus of Morgan Llywelyn's novel to be the Easter Rising of 1916 may be disappointed in their purchase of this book. The story follows the life of Ned Halloran, a young Irish boy, who finds himself enrolled in Saint Enda's Preparatory School, whose headmaster is none other than the famous Irish patriot Padraic Pearse. Ned is an observant young man who is on the outside looking in at the events that culminate in the Easter Rising of 1916. The best part of the book by far is the actual telling of the Rising. This comes at the end of a story, which wanders far and wide to no good purpose. For example, Ned's sister has moved to America and married a man who abuses her. What little interest we have in this peripheral story seems shared by the author who forgets she has ever introduced this material into the plot. We never find out what happens to Kathleen and we don't care much because it has so little bearing on the central events that give this book its title. We do care about Ned and we follow his movements carefully during the Rising. We know ahead of time, as does Pearse, that the chances for success are small, but it is the heroism and example of a few brave Irish patriots that counts and will act as an important catalyst for change in Ireland. Pearse, MacDonagh, Connolly, MacBride, and many other brave men are stood against a courtyard wall in Kilmainham Jail and shot to death and in this act "a terrible beauty is born," as Yeats says in his great poem, "Easter 1916." Readers are well advised to read this poem, which says more in two pages than Llywelyn accomplishes in her book. The last 25% of the novel, which tells the story of the rising, is well done and genuinely affecting. The reader may want to move quickly to this point in the story. Not much will be lost in terms of genuine understanding of the main events of this important event in Irish hisory.
Rating: 
Summary: A Delicate Spiderweb
Review: The windows to the past are many, and sometimes a hard clarity or a soft diffusion of light influences how we interpert the events. This complex time and place in history is very well woven by Morgan. You begin to understand that when one part of this story has motion, it impacts all of the characters. It is very much like a delicate spiderweb woven with such perfection that each strand interacts with every other strand. Morgan has woven Ned, as the focus point and as the strand of the woven words are pulled so Ned interacts with the multitude of both real and fictional persons. ...
Rating:
Summary: An engrossing and inspiring story.
Review: This book is a must read for anyone of Irish ancestry who wishes to learn about the 1916 Uprising. The characters are fascinating and inspiring. A refreshing read about people who are motivated by ideals and aspirations of freedom. I strongly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A well thought out trip taking the reader inside history.
Review: This book is probably one of Llywelyn's best. Taking the reader into history, it provides the emotional background and commitment of the characters found in the history books. The use of Ned Halloran as a vehicle to visit and get into the minds of the leaders of the uprising in 1916 was inspired. Anyone interested in the Irish independence movement, past or present, should read this book. By the end of the novel, I did not want to put the book down and hope that Ned's experiences will be continued. After all, the story of Irish independence did not end in 1916.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful trip into Irish History
Review: This book will make the reader feel that they are actually living during the 1916 rebellion. The book is very well written and makes people think about the struggle for Independence through the eyes of someone in Ireland. The reader will also find that because of the thick smattering of Gaelic they will be able to speak a little! Educational and Entertaining!
Rating:
Summary: Fiction and Fact colorfully brushed on a canvas of time
Review: This is a must for anyone studying history today, and watching the current events unfold as they are on a day to day basis. A book that transcends Irish History alone, a warm and tender love story wrapped within the confines of a cold harsh misunderstood conflict. The Human Drama that runs through the whole book gives it a readability beyond belief. Morgan has once again managed to provide the sights, sounds and smells of history on paper. The characterization of Precious is truly heart touching. It well be interesting to see her in the next two books that Morgan does, "1921" and "1948' I believe. The timing of the movie Titantic with the release of "1916" was a truly predictive sign of the success of this book.
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