In Between Worlds

In 1849, the Thomas Arbuthnot set sail for Australia.



Onboard were 194 Irish girls.

I heard the emotion in Sarah's voice as she asked, 'Will we ever come back?'

'Come back where?'

'Home,' said Sarah. 'Do you think we will ever see Ireland again?'

Maggie and Sarah are on their way to Australia. Their homes and their lives have been devastated by famine, with death coming to so many. Even when they sought refuge in the workhouse they found horror and heartbreak there.

When the girls are given the chance of a new life on the other side of the world, they know they have to say yes – no matter the price.

On board ship, they are caught in between worlds. How will they find the courage and strength to build new lives in a strange land?



Shedding fresh light on a lesser-known aspect of the story of the Irish famine, Nicola Pierce takes readers on a journey through time, beginning on the eve of Maggie's 100th birthday, as she casts her mind back to her childhood and adolescence during the Great Hunger of the 1840s … Pierce masterfully collapses time in this affecting historical fiction highlighting survival and sacrifice



I read every word in one sitting … it just keeps pulling you in … beautifully written and a lovely way of framing the story and the characters were wonderful … I'm going to read a couple more of your books even if they're aimed at young people because I love them



stunning cover … created by Lauren O'Neill suggests a journey across oceans and possible ghosts, it is beautifully crafted and evocative … This is an emotional, beautiful and outstandingly imagined story … harrowing, beautiful, full of adventure and tells a story that is not often remembered



Stirring, awe-inspiring, richly told in expressive detail and in a genuine voice, perfectly paced, powerful…unforgettable … an amazing story … Nicola Pierce writes so descriptively that you are transported; you see, feel and smell … The characters come alive on the page … Maggie, the storyteller here, is wonderfully drawn throughout and filled with determination, confusion, courage, anxiety, that glimmer of hope and compassion for these strangers she finds herself thrown in with … the cover by Lauren O'Neill...just beautiful! It perfectly captures the pervading atmosphere that runs through the entire book and makes it a thing of beauty and joy to hold in your hand … a marvellous book on so many levels'



a fantastic story for younger readers about a group of young girls who were given the chance to leave Ireland during the famine in search of a better life in Australia. The author is able to provide the reader with so many great, real and human characters … 'In Between Worlds' is a fantastic novel, written extremely well by an author who obviously did her research into the Famine - student John Prendergast



As in previous works, including Spirit of the Titanic and Behind the Walls, Drogheda-based Nicola Pierce blends fact with fiction to present Irish history afresh to young readers