Book Reviews: Billy Gogan, American by Roger Higgins

Final review for the night! I’m covering another historical novel in this review, but this time, the book is about an Irish immigrant coming to America in the 1840s. This book is called Billy Gogan, American: A Novel by Roger Higgins.

Billy Gogan, only 15 years old, is sent to his cousin Seamas’s home after the death of his father and being dismissed from St. Patrick’s College in Ireland. While he is soon tracked down by Father O’Muirhily, one of his teachers from St. Patrick’s College, Billy is not headed back the familiar setting of the school. Instead, Seamas gives him a ticket for the Maryann, a ship headed to New York City. With no other family and nowhere to go, Billy has no choice but to make his way to the promising shores of America and new start where no one knows of him or his father.

Unfortunately for Billy, this fresh start brings him even more baggage than what he had in Ireland. From witnessing the murder of Father O’Muirhily by a man in black to befriending a fellow passenger of the Maryann and falling in love with a mulatto girl, Billy’s voyage to and arrival in the Great Melting Part is filled with adventure, scandal, voter fraud, love, and mystery. While wrapped up in the new life he is trying to build for himself, Billy does not realize that the man in black who killed Father O’Muirhily is hot on his trail. What does the man in black want? Why did he kill Father O’Muirhily? And exactly how much trouble will Billy get himself into in the slum that is Five Points?

The most fascinating part of this novel, I think, is the narrative voice and structure. Higgins could have easily fooled me into believing that it was a true memoir. With a forward by Niall Gogan, the grandson of Billy Gogan, and authentic-sounding nineteenth-century narration, Higgins went to great lengths to give the reader an immersive reading experience. Perhaps the most impressive feat, in my opinion, is Higgins’s use of truly Irish names. Of course, being British by birth himself, I suppose that Higgins should know better than to use Anglicized versions of Irish names unless the Irish characters are trying to seem less British, such as Billy’s second cousin Evelyn. Readers will probably stumble over the Irish names, but they enhance the authentic feel of the narrative established by the use of Irish colloquialisms (including swearing and ethnic slurs).

On a similar note, there is some language here that might not be considered politically correct today. In fact, the descendant of Billy Gogan says as much in the forward and argues not removing them because it would change the context of these situations. Really, the slurs aren’t too glaring, but some readers might still want to keep this in mind while they are going through this book.

Higgins’s research is truly impeccable. As a bit of a history nerd myself, I was impressed by how well he captured the Irish immigrant’s experience in the 1800s. The good, the bad, the very bad, all presented in a way in which the reader could empathize with Billy. He shows the deplorable condition of the slums which Irish immigrants and ex-slaves had to call home, as well as the divisive social hierarchy. However, Higgins ensures that there are enough positive points to keep the negatives palatable. In America, Billy completes his education, gets work, falls in love, and reunites with Mary Skidder, a fellow passenger of the Maryann, and forms a brother-sister bond with her. Unfortunately for poor Billy—and sensitive readers—the darkness might just overtake the bright points in his life.

Even as Billy does some questionable things, I couldn’t help but to feel for him and want everything to turn out all right for him. I even found it hard to fault him for something as serious as beaning another boy in the head during a game of cricket (the kid had it coming, if you ask me). I still wanted life to work out for Billy. Higgins doesn’t exactly give me that pleasure, but as this is only book one and he clearly ends up with a family eventually, I suppose I just have to be patient and read the next book.

While Billy’s experiences as an immigrant are a huge focal point for the book, much of the narrative centers on mystery and crime. From the man in black following him to the political corruption of Tammany Hall, the reader is never short on intrigue and tension. I even have to wonder about his father’s “death.” Billy had not been allowed to see him in jail for quite some time, and then his father dies of some illness just weeks before the Great Liberator is pardoned? And then an unknown man tells the Headmaster of St. Patrick’s College of Billy’s father’s death before disappearing? It’s all very suspect, and I deeply hope that Higgins returns to it in book two.

I noticed maybe one or two proofreading errors in the almost 400-page novel which could not be accounted for by the use of the Irish language. However, they are so minor and infrequent that they do not detract from the reading experience and are pretty much negligible.

Overall, I loved Billy Gogan by Roger Higgins. I’m simply floored by the depth of Higgins’s research and his ability to capture the speech and spirit of the Irish immigrant. If you aren’t a history nerd like I am, you might find this book a little tedious, although the mystery element could still be enough to pull you in. If you are a history nerd, I doubt I need to sell you on this book any further. Just get ready for a big time commitment. The book is long and not all of writing is easily acceptable to the average American reader. You’ll probably make good use of the glossary provided at the beginning as there’s naturally a lot of Irish slang used, but this book is worth the extra effort. Besides, it’s not every day that you get to learn a little Irish slang! I personally can’t wait to see where Billy’s story takes us next. Based on the sneak peek at the back of the book, it looks like we’re heading for the Mexican-American War!

You can buy Billy Gogan by Roger Higgins as an eBook and in print on Amazon.

Do you know of a book I should read?  E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!