I first heard of What the Wind Knows from an Instagram account called @Meagansbookclub, that I really trust for recommendations. At first, I didn’t want to read this because I tend to avoid magical realism, but I’m so glad I took a chance on it! I read it a few weeks ago now and I can’t stop thinking about it.

Here’s the setup:

“In an unforgettable love story, a woman’s impossible journey through the ages could change everything  . . .

Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.

The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.

​As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?”

Discussing the famine, “‘The British government didn’t care. It’s easy enough to send their own labor over when we leave or starve. We were truly–are truly–replaceable.’ Thomas didn’t sound bitter. He sounded sad.

‘How do we fight them?’ Eoin asked, his face flushed by the seriousness of the story, the heartbreak of it all. ‘

We learn to read. We think. We learn. We become better and stronger, and we stand together and say, ‘No more. You can’t treat us this way.’”

Learning more about Ireland’s fight for independence was fascinating, but the love story that permeates throughout the book is the unforgettable part. There were also snippets of Keats’ poetry throughout the book which were lovely (poetry is something else I usually avoid). In short, I am surprised that I absolutely love What the Wind Knows (although I shouldn’t be since Amy Harmon wrote it).

Age Recommendation:

This book may be appropriate for mature high school students, although use your judgement knowing your specific child/ student.

What the Wind Knows is free on Kindle Unlimited right now! Kindle Unlimited is basically like a library card, where you can check out up to 10 ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines at a time. Here is a link for a free trial.

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