As an amateur historian I'm very particular about my historical fiction. The Killing Snows met and exceeded my expectations of the genre.
The author effectively uses the varied experiences of the extended Ryan family to give us a believable and deeply personal portrayal of the events of 1845-1847. From tenant farmer to workhouse to railroad we experience the famine, disease and emigration prevalent during the worst years of the potato blight. I can't recommend Charles Egan's novel highly enough.