Clodagh was content to live out her days in Ireland with her friends and family. Her father, however, knows that Ireland is on the verge of war, and persecution and prejudice propagates by the day. By her father’s side, Clodagh travels to Amsterdam, the richest city in the world, hoping to negotiate a deal for a sought-after commodity, tulip bulbs. Born a farm girl in the green valleys of Ireland, she now must learn to navigate the largest city in the world, with all its vices and greed, in order to secure a better life for her family.
Excerpt one: “Where did you get such prowess, girl?” Édouard growled, frustrated with the struggle and worried about the outcome of his poor decision. Clodagh forced his hand loose and with proper positioning elbowed him in the eye, causing him to release her. She responded to Edouard’s comment, “I grew up in Éire.”
Excerpt two: Arthur, impressed by Clodagh’s negotiation skills, commented on how enthralled he was by the heated exchange. “You are a shrewd woman, not like any other women I have ever met.”
“No doubt,” the elderly man added, both insulting and revering while rolling his eyes, “I’m sure she could suck the blood from a flea.”
The Canary And The Tulips is a novel about the life of a young girl during the Irish emigration in the seventeenth century. Violence, religious persecution, and impending war caused many in Ireland to transplant themselves elsewhere in hopes of finding a better life. These circumstances led to the dissemination of Irish culture throughout the world. At the same time, Amsterdam was experiencing unprecedented economic growth, and an odd economic ‘bubble’ began to evolve due to the pursuit of a simple flower. Tulips were sought after, and were sometimes worth twenty years of a tradesman’s salary. The city was swollen with wealth and displays of affluence were strangely represented through the ownership of these humble flowers. By providing bulbs to the wealthy who hungered for tulips, many poor commoners joined the upper class. This story follows one Irish family as they search for a better life, facing adversity, violence, and prejudice in hopes of finding a new home. Influenced by the work Les Misérables, The Canary And The Tulips is an Irish historical fiction that describes the struggle many Irish families faced during this time period.
Excerpt one: “Where did you get such prowess, girl?” Édouard growled, frustrated with the struggle and worried about the outcome of his poor decision. Clodagh forced his hand loose and with proper positioning elbowed him in the eye, causing him to release her. She responded to Edouard’s comment, “I grew up in Éire.”
Excerpt two: Arthur, impressed by Clodagh’s negotiation skills, commented on how enthralled he was by the heated exchange. “You are a shrewd woman, not like any other women I have ever met.”
“No doubt,” the elderly man added, both insulting and revering while rolling his eyes, “I’m sure she could suck the blood from a flea.”
The Canary And The Tulips is a novel about the life of a young girl during the Irish emigration in the seventeenth century. Violence, religious persecution, and impending war caused many in Ireland to transplant themselves elsewhere in hopes of finding a better life. These circumstances led to the dissemination of Irish culture throughout the world. At the same time, Amsterdam was experiencing unprecedented economic growth, and an odd economic ‘bubble’ began to evolve due to the pursuit of a simple flower. Tulips were sought after, and were sometimes worth twenty years of a tradesman’s salary. The city was swollen with wealth and displays of affluence were strangely represented through the ownership of these humble flowers. By providing bulbs to the wealthy who hungered for tulips, many poor commoners joined the upper class. This story follows one Irish family as they search for a better life, facing adversity, violence, and prejudice in hopes of finding a new home. Influenced by the work Les Misérables, The Canary And The Tulips is an Irish historical fiction that describes the struggle many Irish families faced during this time period.
