The Tide Between Us

By Olive Collins

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I am a lover of historical fiction and I especially love fiction that focuses on lesser-known historical facts. I was well aware of the enmity between Britain and Ireland. I have read other novels about England transporting petty criminals to the Americas and Australia to serve as indentured servants. However, until reading this novel I did not know that citizens of Ireland, including children, were transported to Jamaica. This is the story of one such Irish child who grew up in Jamaica, working on a sugar plantation, and mingling with African slaves. The families of the IrishAfrican slaves and the plantation owner are intrinsically linked for generations. The injustices are cruel and punctuated with racism, bigotry, and classism. Though a very compelling story and I could hardly put it down, it is also a very sad story.