Dublin, 1845: The American abolitionist Douglass travels through famine-stricken Ireland. Newfoundland, 1919: The two aviators Alcock and Brown undertake the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic to Ireland. New York, 1998: US Senator Mitchell leaves his young wife and newborn child to lead the peace talks in Belfast to an uncertain conclusion. "Transatlantic" weaves together three historical moments with the fate of three women: starting with the Irish maid Lily Duggan, who meets Douglass, the novel follows daughter Emily and granddaughter Lottie to the USA and later back to the island. A grand novel about life between two continents, about time and its transience, about history and the bonds between generations.