Rating: 
Summary: A ¿fixer¿s world
Review: 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!
Rating:
Summary: A ¿fixer¿s world
Review: 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!
Rating: 
Summary: Ripped from the Headlines!
Review: Ripped from the Headlines! Two of my teenage novels began with magazine pictures. Torn Away was inspired by a picture in Time magazine ( Jan 11, 1982) of a funeral. A boy had lost his father, gunned down by terrorists. The picture shows the coffin, a crowd of mourners, flowers, and the sad and bitter face of a 13 year-old boy. I knew immediately that I would have to tell that story. Promises to Come started with a picture in Maclean's magazine (April 29, 1985) of a tiny fishing boat crowded with Vietnamese refugees. The novel tells the story of Kim, a 16 year-old girl, how she struggles to survive against bombs and napalm, slow starvation in an orphanage, capture and abuse by pirates.
Rating: 
Summary: title
Review: The book "Torn away" was interesting to read. The beginning was a bit too long, it was a little bit boring to read how Declan tries to escape again and again. But the following chapters were better to read. You could easily identify with the persons in the book and understand their thoughts and feelings.
A big compliment to James Heneghan!
Rating:
Summary: Torn away
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: review
Review: The book "Torn Away" written by James Heneghan describes the feelings of a young Irish boy called Declan who lives in Belfast in Northern Ireland where his family has been killed. Because of this the stubborn youngster wants to take revenge to the murderers, who according to his opinion are the Protestants. Declan's aim is
interrupted by a flight to Canada where his relatives live. The young boy is forced to leave his native land and to go unwillingly to Canada but his stay there makes him experience another side of life. Declan is not faced with the cruelty of Belfast anymore. The peaceful life in Canada and its beautiful countryside are absolutely new to him. Nevertheless Declan has serious problems in joining his "new" family and he refuses to stay in Canada with all means. Even his attempt to escape by boat fails. Desperately he agrees to a deal, to stay in Otter Harbour (Canada) until Christmas and to go to school. But soon he makes new friends and gets used to the life there.
Now Declan is really torn between staying in Canada and going back to Belfast.
This book was my first English one and I must admit that I liked it much. The realistic description of the boy's mood and his trades of character are very well done. Personally I was really able to participate in his feelings and to follow his thoughts. But his stubborn and one-sided point of view on things was sometimes a bit
annoying for me. Overall it's worth reading this book. From the beginning up to the end it is full of tension, especially the beginning, the flight of Declan, is very impressive. Once you begin to read this book you can hardly stop. "Torn away" is really a very interesting book. I was deeply impressed of the book. Stanislav
Rating:
Summary: review
Review: The book "Torn away" written by James Heneghan is about a young Irish boy called Declan whose parents have been killed by a bomb explosion in Belfast.
Without having time for realizing what really happened Declan is torn away from his native land and brought unwillingly to Canada where his relatives live. Now the young boy is in conflict with two worlds, the cruel and violent streets of Belfast and the beautiful landscape of Canada. Declan doesn't get along well with his "new family". His "new family" only wants the best for him without really understanding the tragic situation he's in. Furthermore Declan can hardly get used to the new life conditions he's faced with and therefore he plans an escape that fails. As Declan's flight is not successful he makes a deal with his parents to stay until Christmas but also to go to school. During this time he even manages to make new friends but he has to experiences prejudices concerning his nationality. When it comes about to leave Canada he's in a struggle of emotions which finally makes him stay with his relatives he already got used to. I liked this book because it's full of tension and it lets you participate in the boy's emotions and situation during the whole novel. The given problem is very realistic and sometimes you really feel sorry for the poor boy. I liked the development of the relationship between Declan and his "new family" very much. But sometimes Declan's attitude towards his "new family" was a bit overdone, especially his escape with the truck.
Although I don't prefer reading many books I have to admit honestly that I was really impressed by this book. It's absolutely amazing.
Jozef Paulovic
Rating:
Summary: Torn away
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Torn away
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: review for miss aulmann
Review: The novel "Torn Away" written by James Heneghan is focused on the life of a thirteen year old boy who lost his family during a terrorist attack and is deported to his only relative left, his uncle Matthew in Canada.
Being involved in a youngsters terrorist group in Belfast, fighting against the Prods(Protestants,the British and the authorities he is forced to leave Ireland, starting a new live in Canada. After his arrival he acts in a very rude, reserved and aggressive way against all attempts to include him in the family. Although he still insists on his opinion, that he wants to leave Canada as soon as possible to take a revenge his family he starts to notice, that he will miss his new family. We had to read the book in our English-class and so at the beginnig we were not very pleased. But after reading the first chapter which made a strong impact on us, our interest was caught and we enjoyed the novel more and more.
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