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Unrest
Brash, duplicitous women, murder and mayhem, and illicit love abound in this wild adventure for fans of Outlander and The Home for Unwanted Girls, announcing a major new talent in historical fiction.
Bytown, 1836: The lawless cesspool that will become the city of Ottawa is beginning to reek of more than just swamp water. Rife with squalor, corruption, and organized crime, class injustice divides the town more starkly than the canal that bisects it, cutting off its Irish poor—who are ready to fight back.
On a homestead in the woods near Bytown, a domestic drama is also reaching a fever pitch. Quiet, ungainly Mariah, her face scarred in a dog attack back home in Ireland, has been living on sufferance in her sister Biddy’s home since they sailed for a new life. She’s treated as the spinster aunt, a farmhand working alongside Biddy’s husband, Seamus. But the three of them are keeping a bitter Mariah, in love with Seamus, is the mother of Thomas, the family’s oldest child. And she’s about to burst under the strain of making herself small.
While Mariah plots to claim her rightful place in the world, Thomas keeps secrets of his own. Eager to escape the roiling tensions at home, he’s apprenticed himself to a blacksmith in Bytown, but soon falls into trouble too big for him to handle. To save himself, he’s made a deal with the one man colder than the devil—Peter Aylen, leader of a powerful Irish rebel gang. As danger mounts, both for Thomas and for the town, there’s only one way for Mariah to save her by becoming the hero of her own story, facing her deepest fears with a determination she never knew she had.
Bytown, 1836: The lawless cesspool that will become the city of Ottawa is beginning to reek of more than just swamp water. Rife with squalor, corruption, and organized crime, class injustice divides the town more starkly than the canal that bisects it, cutting off its Irish poor—who are ready to fight back.
On a homestead in the woods near Bytown, a domestic drama is also reaching a fever pitch. Quiet, ungainly Mariah, her face scarred in a dog attack back home in Ireland, has been living on sufferance in her sister Biddy’s home since they sailed for a new life. She’s treated as the spinster aunt, a farmhand working alongside Biddy’s husband, Seamus. But the three of them are keeping a bitter Mariah, in love with Seamus, is the mother of Thomas, the family’s oldest child. And she’s about to burst under the strain of making herself small.
While Mariah plots to claim her rightful place in the world, Thomas keeps secrets of his own. Eager to escape the roiling tensions at home, he’s apprenticed himself to a blacksmith in Bytown, but soon falls into trouble too big for him to handle. To save himself, he’s made a deal with the one man colder than the devil—Peter Aylen, leader of a powerful Irish rebel gang. As danger mounts, both for Thomas and for the town, there’s only one way for Mariah to save her by becoming the hero of her own story, facing her deepest fears with a determination she never knew she had.
440 pages, Hardcover
Published May 7, 2024
11 people are currently reading
1,266 people want to read
About the author
Gwen Tuinman
6books37followersGwen Tuinman is descended from Irish tenant farmers and English Quakers. Her storytelling influences include soul searching, an interest in bygone days, and the complexities of living a life. Fascinated by the landscape of human tenacity, she writes about women navigating the social restrictions of their era. Gwen lives with her husband on a small rural homestead in Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes region.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
May 21, 2024
Mariah, her face scarred in a dog attack back home in Ireland, has been living in her sister Biddy’s home along with Biddy's husband Seamus and their three daughters on a homestead in the woods near Bytown, what is now Ottawa Ontario Canada. An older son Thomas is working as an apprentice blacksmith in Bytown.
I have to admit that it took me a while to get into this book and at first all I could think about was how many more hours it would take to finish but eventually I found myself wrapped up in the story. It takes place in 1836 and covers a lot - class distinctions, poverty, murder and mayhem, ladies of ill repute, drunkenness - all in the lawless cesspool that will become the city of Ottawa, now our nation's capital! Not a pleasant place or time to live by the sounds of it. The story is told from multiple points of view, focusing mostly on young Thomas who gets involved with the dangerous Shiners, an Irish rebel gang, and on Mariah who is trying to make her way in a world that doesn't value women much at all. I found I couldn't read a lot of this book at any one time and I don't think it'll be one of my favourite historical fiction books but it's very well written and an interesting part of Canada's history.
Another case where I really wish we could award half stars! 3.5 rounded down.
TW: Attempted rape, some animal abuse.
My thanks to Random House Canada via Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
I have to admit that it took me a while to get into this book and at first all I could think about was how many more hours it would take to finish but eventually I found myself wrapped up in the story. It takes place in 1836 and covers a lot - class distinctions, poverty, murder and mayhem, ladies of ill repute, drunkenness - all in the lawless cesspool that will become the city of Ottawa, now our nation's capital! Not a pleasant place or time to live by the sounds of it. The story is told from multiple points of view, focusing mostly on young Thomas who gets involved with the dangerous Shiners, an Irish rebel gang, and on Mariah who is trying to make her way in a world that doesn't value women much at all. I found I couldn't read a lot of this book at any one time and I don't think it'll be one of my favourite historical fiction books but it's very well written and an interesting part of Canada's history.
Another case where I really wish we could award half stars! 3.5 rounded down.
TW: Attempted rape, some animal abuse.
My thanks to Random House Canada via Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
December 4, 2023
Lumberjacks wielding oak clubs, saucy ladies of ill repute, drunken disorder, social chaos masterminded by one kingpin—it’s the stuff that Hollywood movies are made of, but it happened here in Canada. Inspired by the true stories of the author's own ancestors, who left Ireland for a new life in Bytown and relied on all their wits to survive, the novel brings back to life a chapter of Canadian reality that readers may only have known in the boldest of strokes. And not only is it vivid, tightly plotted, and wickedly funny, Unrest also has a stunning emotional core, with a cast of complex characters who I breathlessly rooted for despite their flaws, and women’s tenacity at its backbone. If you're a fan of Outlander, The Home for Unwanted Girls, or When We Lost Our Heads, you won't want to miss this one!
May 4, 2024
I was completely engrossed by this Canadian historical fiction novel, pulled in by the complex family dynamics, the painstakingly-drawn atmosphere, and the unwavering strength of the women at the centre of it all.
“Unrest� focuses on a family of Irish immigrants in Bytown (which later becomes Ottawa) in the 1830s. Each member of the O’Dougherty family has their own secrets, but none so heavy as Mariah, who carries brutal scars from a dog attack in her youth, and who quietly pines for her sister Biddy’s husband Seamus after a golden afternoon back in Ireland led to the conception of the family’s oldest son Thomas. Living on charity in an unforgiving new country, enduring Biddy’s constant mistreatment, and helping to raise her own child as her sister’s, Mariah is ready to snap.
The story is skilfully told in multiple perspectives, focusing mostly on teenage Thomas getting involved with the dangerous Shiners, and on Mariah making her own way in life despite all the barriers for unmarried women in that time. Tuinman’s writing is superb, sharp and concise and full of unexpected warmth, making me care for these flawed characters and hope for a happy ending even when it seemed impossible. There is no shying away from the dark truths of this time in history, but there is also such care put into the research and the storytelling. I felt utterly transported while reading, and immeasurably satisfied by the ending.
Thanks to Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Unrest� focuses on a family of Irish immigrants in Bytown (which later becomes Ottawa) in the 1830s. Each member of the O’Dougherty family has their own secrets, but none so heavy as Mariah, who carries brutal scars from a dog attack in her youth, and who quietly pines for her sister Biddy’s husband Seamus after a golden afternoon back in Ireland led to the conception of the family’s oldest son Thomas. Living on charity in an unforgiving new country, enduring Biddy’s constant mistreatment, and helping to raise her own child as her sister’s, Mariah is ready to snap.
The story is skilfully told in multiple perspectives, focusing mostly on teenage Thomas getting involved with the dangerous Shiners, and on Mariah making her own way in life despite all the barriers for unmarried women in that time. Tuinman’s writing is superb, sharp and concise and full of unexpected warmth, making me care for these flawed characters and hope for a happy ending even when it seemed impossible. There is no shying away from the dark truths of this time in history, but there is also such care put into the research and the storytelling. I felt utterly transported while reading, and immeasurably satisfied by the ending.
Thanks to Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 16, 2024
Unrest by Gwen Tuinman is at times heart-wrenching, and at other times triumphant, making for a powerful historical novel set in Canada's early days in the Ottawa area that keeps the reader turning the pages to the very end.
The character of Mariah is extremely well-written, and her growth from an abused and fearful family-in-name-only sister and aunt to a strong and determined woman in control of her own destiny is fascinating and one cannot help but cheer her on. Her son Thomas's struggles to establish himself as his own man result in numerous mistakes that see him growing as well. Even the despicable characters, such as Mariah's bitter and controlling sister and her entitled niece, are riveting and watching their lives change as Mariah's does holds a lesson.
The book is clearly well-researched, and it brings to life the historical period and the strife between English citizens and the Irish immigrants they both need for labour and resent. There is definitely unrest at every turn, making for a fast-paced and, dare I say, educational novel.
I am happy to have received an ARC of #Unrest from #NetGalley and highly recommend the novel.
The character of Mariah is extremely well-written, and her growth from an abused and fearful family-in-name-only sister and aunt to a strong and determined woman in control of her own destiny is fascinating and one cannot help but cheer her on. Her son Thomas's struggles to establish himself as his own man result in numerous mistakes that see him growing as well. Even the despicable characters, such as Mariah's bitter and controlling sister and her entitled niece, are riveting and watching their lives change as Mariah's does holds a lesson.
The book is clearly well-researched, and it brings to life the historical period and the strife between English citizens and the Irish immigrants they both need for labour and resent. There is definitely unrest at every turn, making for a fast-paced and, dare I say, educational novel.
I am happy to have received an ARC of #Unrest from #NetGalley and highly recommend the novel.
July 11, 2024
Who says Canadian history is dull. All it needs is a good story teller. What a powerful book! I love historical fiction and have enjoyed reading about the time before, what is now known as Canada, became the nation it is� back when it was a murderous mess of colonial chaos, particularly in the backwater settlement of Bytown - the unlikely settlement town that would later become the nation’s capital of Ottawa. This is a story about the accident of birth, the importance of knowing who you are and where you come from, but at the same time being able to free yourself from the expectations and entanglement that entails. It’s about the burden and/or the entitlement of being and learning who you are. Irish, French, English, “Indian�, Man, Woman, Boy, Girl, Orangeman, Rebel (or Hero?), Catholic, Preacher, Whore, Woodsman, Seamstress, Wolf, Horse� what being born as any one of them can drive us to. Through it all is the value of a kind word or silent gesture. A little bit of help goes a long way.
I love the first person narrative that was used in the book so the reader can see different points of view, because really, all we have is our own point of view. What a gift for the reader to hear the story from the points of view of the key players! There is no single truth in any given situation, only our own understanding of the truth. What we think is the truth is based on the actions and words of others. How do we know the difference?
I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a good story and for anyone who would like to understand the quagmire Canada rose out of.
I love the first person narrative that was used in the book so the reader can see different points of view, because really, all we have is our own point of view. What a gift for the reader to hear the story from the points of view of the key players! There is no single truth in any given situation, only our own understanding of the truth. What we think is the truth is based on the actions and words of others. How do we know the difference?
I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a good story and for anyone who would like to understand the quagmire Canada rose out of.
May 6, 2024
In 1836 Bywater (which would become Ottawa), the life of a family unravels. Biddy and Samuel are married and have three daughters. Biddy's sister, Mariah, had a son by Samuel before they emigrated from Ireland. Biddy pretends she is his mother, to avoid the scandal. That strains the family dynamics, with Biddy taking out all her resentment on her sister. Thomas, the son, is an apprentice blacksmith with dreams of being more than his father. With his ambition, he one day finds himself working for the Shiners, an Irish rebel gang, and believes that this is his way up. Their stories unfold: Thomas finds himself involved with two very different women, while Biddy and Mariah have to deal with the consequences of a fire.
I had a hard time with the book until around 70%, I found all the characters quite unlikeable, so it was hard to get invested in their stories. Once Mariah stopped feeling sorry for not being able to tell Thomas who she is to him, her story picked up for me, and I was happy to see where it led her. The same thing for Thomas - I understand he was a boy, and his is very much a coming of age story, but man does he make poor decisions... Thank goodness for Peg, she was my main motivation to keep reading, I hoped she'd get to fulfill her dreams.
I love reading historical fiction, because it gives me insight into other lives, and this was no different. Ottawa in the 1830's was a cruel place to live, regardless of your social status, and this book reflects that very well. At times, I had to stop reading to stop feeling that cruelty, and return to my body, in a way. If the characters had been a little more lovable, their suffering would have torn me in two.
Thank you NetGalley, and Random House Canada for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
I had a hard time with the book until around 70%, I found all the characters quite unlikeable, so it was hard to get invested in their stories. Once Mariah stopped feeling sorry for not being able to tell Thomas who she is to him, her story picked up for me, and I was happy to see where it led her. The same thing for Thomas - I understand he was a boy, and his is very much a coming of age story, but man does he make poor decisions... Thank goodness for Peg, she was my main motivation to keep reading, I hoped she'd get to fulfill her dreams.
I love reading historical fiction, because it gives me insight into other lives, and this was no different. Ottawa in the 1830's was a cruel place to live, regardless of your social status, and this book reflects that very well. At times, I had to stop reading to stop feeling that cruelty, and return to my body, in a way. If the characters had been a little more lovable, their suffering would have torn me in two.
Thank you NetGalley, and Random House Canada for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
May 22, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! It was nice to switch things up and read Canadian historical fiction, but I do wish it was more woman centred (too much Thomas and Seamus for me). The download to my Kobo was very tiny print and not adjustable so it took me longer than usual to read.
June 11, 2024
‘Unrest� is a historical fiction novel set in the 1830s in Bytown, in what will become the capital city of Ottawa, Canada. The author, Gwen Tuinman, masterfully transports readers back in time, immersing them in the era's rich historical realism and atmosphere, successfully capturing the complex tapestry of the town's cultural dynamics. One of the most striking aspects of ‘Unrest� is its authentic portrayal of the period’s social and political turmoil. The novel doesn’t shy away from the gritty realities of the time, offering a nuanced exploration of the struggles and conflicts that shaped the nation’s early days and the tense relationships between Irish and British immigrants, French Canadians, and Indigenous populations.
The story unfolds through multiple POVs and the writing leans heavily on narrative, with characters explaining their thoughts and goals. As a reader, I find this less effective than showing motives through actions and dialogue. However, the pacing was swift and it kept my interest until the end.
Overall, ‘Unrest� was an engaging and enlightening read that brought to life Canada's early capital.
This was an ARC review for NetGalley.
The story unfolds through multiple POVs and the writing leans heavily on narrative, with characters explaining their thoughts and goals. As a reader, I find this less effective than showing motives through actions and dialogue. However, the pacing was swift and it kept my interest until the end.
Overall, ‘Unrest� was an engaging and enlightening read that brought to life Canada's early capital.
This was an ARC review for NetGalley.
June 17, 2024
Unrest is a fascinating look into 1800's Ottawa and the clashing between cultures and within families. Following our protagonist Mariah and the family around her, it is a story about class, gender, familial dynamics, murder and immigration. I did find the book to drag on at times, and took me a while to get through sections. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the ending immensely and thought it tied together well. Overall a good insight into the chaos and mayhem that was 19th century Bytown.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
May 26, 2024
2.5/5 rounded down. This one was a bit of a slog for me. I think part of the problem was that I mostly didn't like any of the main characters, nor the vast majority of the side characters. Besides that, for such a long narrative, I felt like all the characters were pretty two dimensional. A couple of the characters have some growth and are changed by the end of the story, but despite everything they went through, I was still unconvinced that their growth was really believable. It more happened because that's what the plot required. The early parts of the book spend so long dwelling on this family, their misfortunes, and their soap opera-esque family drama that by the time we get to the later parts of the book where the plot really picks up, it all felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped. In the end, things work out for a couple of the main characters but in really unsatisfying, unbelievably facile ways. So much intensely harsh and violent action is depicted in this book which was not only deeply unpleasant to read, but also seemed to veer into salaciousness more often than not. And for a book with several actual psycho killers and remorselessly violent men, it sure was a choice to make Biddy the biggest psycho of them all. Like, the author could have conveyed the complicated, competitive, jealous nature of Biddy's and Mariah's relationship as sisters without making one of them the most selfish, unsympathetic creature imaginable. This book was a miss for me, unfortunately.
May 27, 2024
Full disclosure: Gwen and I were both members of a writers' community east of Toronto (the WCDR), and we both served on the board (actually she took over from me as secretary), so I can hardly be considered an unbiased reader.
Having said that I found Unrest absolutely immersive. The writing is tight and strong. She never falls into that faux Irish voice that some writers fall prey to, but uses just enough colloquialisms to convey the Irishness of the Irish characters.
I will be left with this story and these characters for some time to come.
Having said that I found Unrest absolutely immersive. The writing is tight and strong. She never falls into that faux Irish voice that some writers fall prey to, but uses just enough colloquialisms to convey the Irishness of the Irish characters.
I will be left with this story and these characters for some time to come.
April 28, 2024
Unrest by Gwen Tuinman interested me initially because it’s rather rare to find a novel set in a historical setting in Canada. In addition, I have lived in the area in which the book is set for the past 15 years or so, so that made me doubly interested.
This turned out to be a very compelling read. I thought it might be a struggle in the beginning because at that point, I really didn’t care much for any of the characters. As the story went on I found myself frustrated with some of the choices the characters were making, but by that time I was invested in the story and wanted to see how things would end.
I found Unrest to be an interesting look at a seemingly lawless time in Canadian history. This was not a light read, in any way. There were a number of fairly gruesome, upsetting scenes, but I feel like they reflected the realities of the time.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical periods, but especially anyone interested in Canadian history.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This turned out to be a very compelling read. I thought it might be a struggle in the beginning because at that point, I really didn’t care much for any of the characters. As the story went on I found myself frustrated with some of the choices the characters were making, but by that time I was invested in the story and wanted to see how things would end.
I found Unrest to be an interesting look at a seemingly lawless time in Canadian history. This was not a light read, in any way. There were a number of fairly gruesome, upsetting scenes, but I feel like they reflected the realities of the time.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical periods, but especially anyone interested in Canadian history.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 25, 2024
An intense, intricately crafted adventure with a powerful emotional core. I loved the focus on women in different situations and how they dealt with the limitations of their time, and the hopeful resolution that makes you believe anything is possible with the right perspective. (And I would follow Mariah to the ends of the earth) Can't wait to see what else Gwen Tuinman has in store for us!
April 20, 2024
I found the history in this book interesting, but I had problems getting into the story. I found most of the characters unlikable, and some of the writing seemed to jump around a lot. It also seemed to me that the ending was a very quick one that left me unsatisfied as to how we got there. My thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book.
May 9, 2024
Gritty, complex, and intricate—a must-read for historical fiction lovers seeking out stories like these within CanLit.
April 20, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I tried many times to invest myself in this novel, however I did not enjoy it. The writing is very scattered, and while the imagery is wonderful, it’s very hard to follow at times. In comparison with my fellow reviewers, I feel the history in the book is convoluted at times and the writing takes away from understanding the history. It is a very savage and gory novel, to the point that I had to put the book down given certain events or the general energy of the novel. The characters are very stereotypical, despite the premise being intriguing and unique. From the beginning, you could probably guess their characters arcs. We’re also not given a lot of reason to care for the characters since they’re all very dislikeable. I do love the cover design, especially since we learn early on how it echoes the protagonist appearance.
May 9, 2024
A Historical Fiction book, based in mid-1800’s, in the town that will be known as Ottawa. I was intrigued by the book as the description said it was similar to Outlander, I did not find this to be true.
Pros-
-multiple point of views
-good descriptions and imagery
-great insight into the life of the poor and working class in mid-1800’s Canada
-my favorite character was the prostitute Peg
Cons-
-Political/voting part bored and confused me
-lots of violence
-I wasn’t routing for any of the main characters
I received an ARC copy from Netgalley and this review is voluntary.
Pros-
-multiple point of views
-good descriptions and imagery
-great insight into the life of the poor and working class in mid-1800’s Canada
-my favorite character was the prostitute Peg
Cons-
-Political/voting part bored and confused me
-lots of violence
-I wasn’t routing for any of the main characters
I received an ARC copy from Netgalley and this review is voluntary.
April 3, 2024
A fascinating look at Bytown (Ottawa) in the 1830s and the lives of its inhabitants. Having lived in Ottawa for several years, I jumped at the chance to read a novel about the lives of Irish immigrant women in the 1830s. What a journey the reader is taken on! Unrest follows a family of Catholic Irish immigrants who live through challenging times. The story is told through the points of view of Mariah, her older sister Biddy, son Thomas who is influenced by an Irish gang of ruffians known as the Shiners, and Biddy's husband, Seamus. There are secrets that are being kept that blow up. Tragedies that unfold. Prejudices. Injustice. Ruthless men who take the law into their own hands. And women who must fight for survival. Especially interesting to me was Mariah's transformation from a person afraid of the world, to a strong, capable woman who overcomes her fear to save a loved one. What I enjoyed most about the book was the scaffold of history upon which the book was built. I learned about Peter Aylen, the Ottawa River timber trade, and the Shiners. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of Unrest, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.
July 2, 2024
Well researched and engaging
Written in 4 different 1st person voices this book captivates the reader as it follows the difficult path of Mariah through a world controlled by men. I found it hard to put down. The author's prose are so descriptive it takes you back in time to when life for the Irish in Canada was challenging and they had to fight discriminating forces. Well done. I will be watching for her next book.
Written in 4 different 1st person voices this book captivates the reader as it follows the difficult path of Mariah through a world controlled by men. I found it hard to put down. The author's prose are so descriptive it takes you back in time to when life for the Irish in Canada was challenging and they had to fight discriminating forces. Well done. I will be watching for her next book.
June 27, 2024
Wow! What an amazing book...A historical fiction at its finest. So many characters and all with their own unique tale that all intertwined.. Definitely a nee favorite...Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC
May 29, 2024
An interesting story about the early days in Ottawa before Confederation. Worthwhile and recommended.
September 9, 2024
Loved it. Full review to follow
Not sure what I can add. There’s wonderful family dynamics between Mariah, her sister Biddie, Biddie’s husband Seamus & the family’s children. Everyone has secrets. The oldest child is actually Mariah & Seamus�, conceived before his marriage to Biddie one forbidden afternoon.
That child (Thomas) has been apprenticed to a blacksmith and gets into all kinds of trouble with the Irish “Shiners�.
The story is told from a few POVs and delves into a lot of Ottawa’s early history.
It is well written and informative. A good read!
Not sure what I can add. There’s wonderful family dynamics between Mariah, her sister Biddie, Biddie’s husband Seamus & the family’s children. Everyone has secrets. The oldest child is actually Mariah & Seamus�, conceived before his marriage to Biddie one forbidden afternoon.
That child (Thomas) has been apprenticed to a blacksmith and gets into all kinds of trouble with the Irish “Shiners�.
The story is told from a few POVs and delves into a lot of Ottawa’s early history.
It is well written and informative. A good read!
April 10, 2024
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Canada for an ARC of this novel.
Lots of people, mostly Canadian, think Canadian history is boring. Historians can’t persuade them otherwise, but maybe novelists can. Certainly no one who reads this novel will use the B word to describe it.
On the opening page, the main character, Mariah Lindsay, declares that ´Menace lurks high and low in the snake pit known as Bytown, � where the story unfolds in the mid 1830s. A rough resource town of about 1,000 people, Bytown (later Ottawa) was populated by an exploited underclass of famine Irish who did the gruelling, badly paid, often dangerous labour of canal and railway building and lumbering in the ambitious colony of Upper Canada. As they were overseas, the Irish, especially Catholics, were held to be ignorant, dirty, disease-spreading drunkards who needed to ´know their place� at the bottom, and stay there. French Canadians were treated little better. The Algonkian peoples whose land the settlers appropriated were so utterly marginalized that they didn’t even rank in the social order. Those of British heritage and their circle held tight to wealth and power, administering justice as suited their interests.
The «unrest» of the title permeates the story. It starts even before Mariah, her older sister Biddy, and Biddy’s new husband Seamus O� Daugherty, leave an oppressed and starving Ireland for the unwelcoming British North American colonies. On both sides of the Atlantic, violence, hatred, and vengeance are a way of life. Mariah’s ravaged face and psyche, explained in the opening pages, symbolizes the world of these people and their outlook. Unrest seethes through their lives, from the poorest in the Corktown shanties, to the corrupt businessmen-politicians of Uppertown who use imported sectarian hatreds to control and rule. There are rumours of unrest in Lower Canada (Quebec), in York (Toronto), in the western townships (London). The Irish manifest their historic discontent in marauding gangs of Shiners, performing ruthless acts of violence, even against their own. They are led by a newly wealthy Irish timber man Peter Aylen, and his henchmen Andrew Leany, Hairy Barney, and John Gleeson, all real historical figures. These men and their followers fuel unrest with rhetoric, booze, prostitutes and many false promises. Irish men, young and old, are swept away in the lawless politics of despair. The unrest destabilizes their families, rich and poor, because women and children, dependent on their men, are most vulnerable to their alcohol-fuelled deprecations.
The author brings this unrest to life on all these levels, a real strength in a novel that in no way sanitizes or romanticizes the past. The grit, gore, savagery and suffering are all here. But this strength also becomes a problem at times. The unrest in their lives and their souls is so unremitting that the main characters, especially Mariah, become hapless victims of seemingly unending random, misfortune, often of the ugliest kind. Of course none of them can avoid being affected by circumstances, but every step Mariah takes on her own behalf tosses her several steps backward, renewing her original physical and emotional trauma. The few gentle moments, when people get to be kind and Mariah gets to be hopeful, get buried under the barrage of ongoing Terrible Things. Her ability to gather herself up and go on to the next battle is admirable, but the battles are frequently unbelievable, which results more in eye-rolling than sympathy. Her one great hope of deliverance slides in and out of her hands, literally, and she fights terrible odds (I’d say ridiculous odds) to hold on to it/retrieve it.
The high drama surrounding each character tends to make them one-dimensional, often stereotypical. Older sister Biddy and her hapless husband Seamus, who accompanied the unwed pregnant Mariah from Ireland to hide her shame, are superficially drawn from the start. Biddy predictably grows more narcissistic and vengeful, Seamus more cowardly and duplicitous. Mariah’s son Thomas, who knows (and disdains) her only as his maternal aunt, ruins every chance he gets, honest or otherwise, to improve his lot. He can’t decide between, and therefore manipulates, two women who are always ready to save him from his own stupid misdeeds as he tries to curry favour with the Shiners. It’s hard to care about his fate, though that fate is central to the story.
The Shiners� actual demise, as well as the rebellions, are skipped. Presumably the unrest has ended for all concerned, as for Mariah, whom the epilogue shows to have prevailed. But, since Biddy and Seamus and their children were left in an extremely precarious state in the story’s final chapter, I wanted to know whether they did too.
There are a lot of ugly things in every nation’s history, and the history is very well done here. Thanks to the lucid writing, this is a very visual novel, even if the focus on the darker details mean that those images are seldom pretty.
February 17, 2025
Unrest by Gwen Tuinman c2024 as reviewed by Gail M. Murray
Author Tuinman’s curiosity about her Irish ancestry led her to meticulously research a little known time in Ottawa’s history � The Shiner Wars 1835 - 1845. Tuinman immerses the reader in the violence and lawlessness of the Ottawa Valley of 1836, when Bytown was a mix of taverns, merchants and drunken timber workers. Wealthy British merchants lived in fine stone houses in Uppertown while across the canal; poor Irish immigrants somehow survived the squalor in filthy shanties. It’s thirty years before Canada’s Confederation; Bytown resembles The Wild West with no policing.
Unrest unfolds from the point of view of the O’Dougherty family from County Cork. Although there are four narrators, the focus is on two: Mariah and her son Thomas both anti-heroes. Mariah left traumatized and disfigured after being mauled by a dog at 16, is saved by her sister’s finance, Seamus, who in a moment of reckless grief and affection impregnates her. Now 31, her life is one of service to the family, who hide her shameful secret. Thomas is raised thinking she is his spinster aunt. Naïve Thomas, apprenticed to a blacksmith at 15, can’t wait to assert his manhood. At Blackmore Tavern he becomes entangled with Gleeson one of timber baron Peter Aylen’s Shiners, a gang of Irish thugs who profess to protect the Irish. They’re brutes who terrorize British and Orangemen like newspaper man Johnston, burning his home and press. Irish workers employed building the Rideau Canal, finding themselves out of work, take timber jobs once the domain of French Canadians.
Tuinman writes with emotional intensity, especially the scene of Shiners harassing merchant Hobbs ‘wife and children. Thomas questions their actions but is powerless to stop them. He realizes the folly of following Aylen as a means to a better life.
Disguised as William, a mute young man, Mariah sets off for the lumber camps to retrieve her inheritance - gold and pearl earbobs (earrings) � to fund Thomas� career as a blacksmith. Brave or foolhardy? You decide. If found out, she could be raped. Then there is Bible toting, Preach, who becomes her protector and we breathe a sigh of relief as Gustave , the fur trader she encountered at Fran’s mercantile, is stalking her. Later as Mariah discovers Preach’s dark side it terrorizes her. There is a sweet moment in the evenings when Ezra, the camp blacksmith, plays fiddle music and Mariah ponders “I
have experienced cameraderie inside this world of men, there’s good among them.� (p 338)
Both Thomas and Mariah are on an arduous physical and psychological journey. Thomas realizes his worth and what he values in life. Mariah discovers her inner strength, resilience and value. “I’m different, not at all like the old me. New Mariah would never have tolerated the lie we lived or my servitude under Biddy.� (p404)
Tuinman’s rich imagination has created believable main characters, fleshed out historical ones and set then all amid true events. She includes helpful historical notes and an extensive bibliography.
There is frequent, tension, political intrigue and danger. At times I wondered how this gripping novel would end, for good or ill, so graphic is Tuinman’s portrayal of these perilous times.
April 24, 2024
A captivating read, this novel held me to the pages throughout the late hours. A Canadian setting in Bytown (Ottawa) during the 1830's brings us a story with characters alive enough to come off the page. Mariah, Biddy, Shamus and Thomas are the nucleus personalities who emigrated from Ireland a decade previously in hope of a better life in Canada. This family has a deeply guarded secret from one of their own that threatens to shatter each one of them and pivot their lives in directions never imagined. For me, Mariah is the key character. She is the sister of Biddy and aunt to Biddy and Shamus' four children, the eldest of whom is Thomas. They all live together on a rustic homestead in the woods. Mariah is scarred physically and emotionally and is treated poorly by her sister.
Desperation and "unrest" is the theme throughout as the story unfolds in the colourful backgrounds of the blacksmith forge, drinking establishments, timber camps, forests, shanty homesteads, the opulent mansions and bitterly cold environment of snow and ice. The Irish poor are revolting against the corrupt, wealthy, political establishment that keeps them impoverished and it is Mariah and teenaged Thomas who are most affected throughout the story. Especially when Thomas joins the Irish "Shiners" rebel organization.
There is a rich supporting cast of characters I loved, and loved to hate! One of those 'characters' is an innate pair of pearl and gold 'earbobs' given to Mariah by her now deceased mother before leaving Ireland, years ago. Not only are they valuable, but they seem to be ripe for theft and are the dominant motivation for Mariah's future plans.
It is fulfilling to observe Mariah emerge from the brow-beating cruelty of her sister and milk-toast behaviour of Shamus to become a strong, self-reliant woman. She finds within herself a core of courage resolutely building with every setback.
Thomas as well, enters a turbulent rite of passage as he tries to attain his dreams through ill gotten gains. Eventually, through the means provided by a feisty, least-likely woman he is set on a path of possible maturity.
This is an entertaining, galloping novel that has no dull moments. Would make a great TV series.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada | Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my voluntary review.
Desperation and "unrest" is the theme throughout as the story unfolds in the colourful backgrounds of the blacksmith forge, drinking establishments, timber camps, forests, shanty homesteads, the opulent mansions and bitterly cold environment of snow and ice. The Irish poor are revolting against the corrupt, wealthy, political establishment that keeps them impoverished and it is Mariah and teenaged Thomas who are most affected throughout the story. Especially when Thomas joins the Irish "Shiners" rebel organization.
There is a rich supporting cast of characters I loved, and loved to hate! One of those 'characters' is an innate pair of pearl and gold 'earbobs' given to Mariah by her now deceased mother before leaving Ireland, years ago. Not only are they valuable, but they seem to be ripe for theft and are the dominant motivation for Mariah's future plans.
It is fulfilling to observe Mariah emerge from the brow-beating cruelty of her sister and milk-toast behaviour of Shamus to become a strong, self-reliant woman. She finds within herself a core of courage resolutely building with every setback.
Thomas as well, enters a turbulent rite of passage as he tries to attain his dreams through ill gotten gains. Eventually, through the means provided by a feisty, least-likely woman he is set on a path of possible maturity.
This is an entertaining, galloping novel that has no dull moments. Would make a great TV series.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada | Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my voluntary review.
April 26, 2024
Unrest is a great title for this book. There is so much unrest in this novel, from the relationships to the political situation with the early days of Bytown. I found Mariah a sympathetic character. I would have preferred only Mariah and Thomas' point of views. There was information gleaned from Biddy and Seamus, but you would have learned that information without them being a focal point.
I also didn't like Thomas much. Not only was he young and reckless but he did things to get ahead that were nasty. Not as nasty as Rory, but only just by a small amount. He used Clara for his own purposes and claimed he loved her. He hurt innocent people and he seemed more focused on status and money. He did have a good character arc, but it took a long time to get there, and I almost stopped caring whether he would.
Mariah on the other hand had a character arc that was believable and made sense to me. She may have made some poor choices along the way, but she was trying to do right by Thomas and her decisions were always based on family. Her growth and an individual and a woman was quite amazing, especially considering this is historical fiction at a time women had little to no voice or place in society without a man.
Also, the history of the Irish within Canada was very interesting. My roots are partly Irish so I felt a great deal of sympathy for how they were treated and how they were trying to find a place in society against great discrimination.
I also didn't like Thomas much. Not only was he young and reckless but he did things to get ahead that were nasty. Not as nasty as Rory, but only just by a small amount. He used Clara for his own purposes and claimed he loved her. He hurt innocent people and he seemed more focused on status and money. He did have a good character arc, but it took a long time to get there, and I almost stopped caring whether he would.
Mariah on the other hand had a character arc that was believable and made sense to me. She may have made some poor choices along the way, but she was trying to do right by Thomas and her decisions were always based on family. Her growth and an individual and a woman was quite amazing, especially considering this is historical fiction at a time women had little to no voice or place in society without a man.
Also, the history of the Irish within Canada was very interesting. My roots are partly Irish so I felt a great deal of sympathy for how they were treated and how they were trying to find a place in society against great discrimination.
June 10, 2024
Unrest is a historical fiction novel by author Gwen Tuinman that I requested by chance on NetGalley after reading the synopsis and realising the story is set very close to home, but in the 1800s. It contained references to many places I know and love. Historical fiction is not my usual genre, but I am so happy I picked this one up, as it did not disappoint and I easily give it five stars. This book deserves much more attention!
This story was very well written and can be followed easily, even for non-history people like me! This book is set in Bytown (present-day Ottawa) in the 1800s and discusses the tensions between the poor Irish, the working-class French, and the rich English and Scots. I learned a lot about the mayhem and lawlessness that roamed the streets of Bytown, as well as gang activity (or early-day terrorism if you ask me!). A family drama is woven into this story, yet also discusses the roles of (or curses of being) women in a very patriarchal society. This is a story about violence, family, love, and also strength. I was also pleased with the ending.
Read if you like:
� Historical fiction
🗡 Chaos and mayhem
🇨🇦 Canadian history
💪 Strong women
🙏 Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the gifted electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story was very well written and can be followed easily, even for non-history people like me! This book is set in Bytown (present-day Ottawa) in the 1800s and discusses the tensions between the poor Irish, the working-class French, and the rich English and Scots. I learned a lot about the mayhem and lawlessness that roamed the streets of Bytown, as well as gang activity (or early-day terrorism if you ask me!). A family drama is woven into this story, yet also discusses the roles of (or curses of being) women in a very patriarchal society. This is a story about violence, family, love, and also strength. I was also pleased with the ending.
Read if you like:
� Historical fiction
🗡 Chaos and mayhem
🇨🇦 Canadian history
💪 Strong women
🙏 Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the gifted electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2024
Unrest by Gwen Tuinman gives the reader a very interesting history of the Bytown (Ottawa) Ontario area in 1836. Jam packed with drunken Irishmen, ladies of ill repute, snooty English folk and the life of the downtrodden, this book is a great historical fiction read.
Mariah lives with her sister and brother-in-law and their three /four children. She was scarred as a teenager after a dog attacked and bit her face. With very little hope of ever finding a husband, she lives there, basically treated as a servant, by her sister (Biddy) and her children. Pregnant with another child, Biddy is left to keep the home while her husband goes away for the winter to chop wood and bring home some money. The house catches fire and the family is forced to live with friends. Unfortunately, Biddy blames her for the fire and Mariah leaves. With no options on how to live with no money, Mariah must make her way in a man’s world.
I really enjoyed this book. It dragged in a few places but those were minor glitches during my reading time. Rate at 4.5
I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys Canadian historical fiction. You’ll learn about Irish immigrants, the Shiners, the Ottawa area and Peter Aylen (a real person).
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for my eARC.
Mariah lives with her sister and brother-in-law and their three /four children. She was scarred as a teenager after a dog attacked and bit her face. With very little hope of ever finding a husband, she lives there, basically treated as a servant, by her sister (Biddy) and her children. Pregnant with another child, Biddy is left to keep the home while her husband goes away for the winter to chop wood and bring home some money. The house catches fire and the family is forced to live with friends. Unfortunately, Biddy blames her for the fire and Mariah leaves. With no options on how to live with no money, Mariah must make her way in a man’s world.
I really enjoyed this book. It dragged in a few places but those were minor glitches during my reading time. Rate at 4.5
I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys Canadian historical fiction. You’ll learn about Irish immigrants, the Shiners, the Ottawa area and Peter Aylen (a real person).
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for my eARC.
March 16, 2025
Although historical fiction in not my genre, I found myself completely engrossed in this gritty depiction of Ottawa in the 1800s. Everything from the way taverns are described to the little intricate details about what life was like during this time period immersed me in this grimy world Gwen Tuinman expertly crafted.
The best part about this book for me was hands down the characters. Every POV has their own unique voice and personality, and all are extremely flawed. You have Mariah, the main voice of the story who at first lets herself get walked over by pretty much everyone. Then there's Thomas, Mariah's son born out of wedlock, whose brash and often foolish decisions come from an eagerness to make a name for himself at the cost of his own morality. The supporting characters were also intriguing in their own way, and I found myself wondering what part they would play in the overall story.
If I had one complaint, it would be the slow pacing, but I think this is more due to me not being used to the genre than anything else. Despite that, the personality of the characters and the depiction of Bytown kept me engaged until the end.
(There were also a few twists and turns that I did not expect!)
The best part about this book for me was hands down the characters. Every POV has their own unique voice and personality, and all are extremely flawed. You have Mariah, the main voice of the story who at first lets herself get walked over by pretty much everyone. Then there's Thomas, Mariah's son born out of wedlock, whose brash and often foolish decisions come from an eagerness to make a name for himself at the cost of his own morality. The supporting characters were also intriguing in their own way, and I found myself wondering what part they would play in the overall story.
If I had one complaint, it would be the slow pacing, but I think this is more due to me not being used to the genre than anything else. Despite that, the personality of the characters and the depiction of Bytown kept me engaged until the end.
(There were also a few twists and turns that I did not expect!)
August 25, 2024
An easy five stars from me for this fast-paced and original piece of historical fiction taking place in a logging town beset by Irish mayhem in 1830s Upper Canada. The characters are unlike any I have met before, especially the unforgettable FMC, Mariah, and her character arc is a steep one. She is not immediately likable, but gosh is she compelling and her growth through the story is one I won’t soon forget.
In fact, though, the stakes for each of the characters are equally high and unexpected. This made for a propulsive and satisfying read. If you love historical fiction, this one is a no-brainer. You’ll enjoy the grit and realism of post-colonial homesteading in the north, and the precariousness with which civil society gained a toehold. You’ll be compelled by the heart-wrenching choices and consequences of each of these characters as they try and often fail to figure out who they are and just what they are doing here. And you’ll be satisfied by the ending, which is also unexpected, but upon further reflection, the only possible way it could have gone.
Well done! Loved it!
In fact, though, the stakes for each of the characters are equally high and unexpected. This made for a propulsive and satisfying read. If you love historical fiction, this one is a no-brainer. You’ll enjoy the grit and realism of post-colonial homesteading in the north, and the precariousness with which civil society gained a toehold. You’ll be compelled by the heart-wrenching choices and consequences of each of these characters as they try and often fail to figure out who they are and just what they are doing here. And you’ll be satisfied by the ending, which is also unexpected, but upon further reflection, the only possible way it could have gone.
Well done! Loved it!
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