Review
‘One of those rare strories that lets you breathe the air of another time and leave your footsteps on the snow of a wild, strange place.’ Diana Gabaldon
‘Each time you open a book, you hope to discover a story that will make your spirit of adventure and romance sing. This book delivers on that promise.’
Amanda Quick
‘Epic in scope, emotionally intense.’ BookPage
Product Description
The beginning of a captivating saga, transcending genre boundaries, set among British colonials in the North American wilderness.
Elizabeth Middleton leaves a comfortable life in the upper-class England of 1792 to join her father in his colonial mission in a remote American outpost.
It is not long, however, before Elizabeth realises that her father has brought her to America under false pretences. While encouraging her dreams of teaching the local children, he in fact intends to marry off the fiercely independent Elizabeth to Richard Todd, a fellow pioneer, thereby ensuring his own possession of the local land. As a result, Elizabeth is increasingly drawn away from her English colonial heritage and towards that of the Mohawks, and in particular towards the man who will eventually change her life forever, the white Mohawk Nathaniel Bonner.
Beautifully written, passionate and compelling, Sara Donati interweaves the destiny of the two lovers torn between the English and Mohawk cultures in a unforgettably vivid portrait of an emerging America.
From the Author
I will admit that I am fascinated and (usually) entertained by the reviews posted here by Amazon customers -- writing is a solitary undertaking with so little direct feedback, and sometimes when I'm procrastinating over a difficult scene I'll wander over to Amazon (as some wander to the water cooler) to see who's here and what they have had to say about this story of mine.
What I want to do is clear up something that seems to cause many people confusion and some of them even unhappiness. Is this a sequel to Last of the Mohicans? Why do the same characters show up? Why are some of the names changed? What gives?
To situate this story in relationship to other stories set in this time and place, you do have to begin with James Fenimore Cooper, he of the flowery dialogue (I defy thee, wretched Huron!) but interesting conflicts. This is not a sequel to Last of the Mohicans, but it is a very loose retelling of The Pioneers. I begin with some of his characters, and make them my own. Natty Bumppo, Nathaniel Po, Daniel Boone, to these I add my incarnation of Nathaniel Bonner. Just as my Elizabeth Middleton is modeled on Jane Austen's Elizabeth and Mary Bennet. Retellings are very common in fiction -- some claim there are only twenty plots that get used over and over again. Thus West Side Story might be seen as rewarmed Romeo and Juliet.
So take this for what it's meant to be (a good solid adventure/love story with careful attention to historical detail, and characters who keep you intrigued) or take it for warmed over Cooper -- the choice is yours. Another point of some contention -- If you'd like to call it a romance, that's fine with me too -- there's a love story at the heart of it, after all. If you're looking for a traditional romance, you will find that it doesn't quite follow all the rules of the genre -- but you might like it anyway. You never know. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Back Cover
Elizabeth Middleton leaves a comfortable life in the upper-class England to join her father in his colonial mission in what was a remote American outpost.
However Elizabeth soon realises that her father has brought her to America under false pretences. While encouraging her dreams of teaching the local children, he in fact intends to marry Elizabeth off to one of the colonials, thereby ensuring his own possession of the local land. But Elizabeth soon finds herself increasingly drawn away from her English colonial heritage and towards that of the Mohawks, and in particular towards the man who will eventually change her life forever, the white Mohawk Nathaniel Bonner.
The life and society of the frontier, the lively characters in the settlement, the difficulties of the women, the adventures of the men, are all vividly bought to life. But strongest of all is the story of the two loverstorn between the english and Mohawk cultures to create an intansely passionate, highly compelling and stunning written portrait of an engaging America.
”Each time you open a book, you hope to discover a story that witll make your spirit of adventure and romance sing. This book delivers on that promise.”
AMANDA QUICK
”Epic in scope, emotionally intense.”
BOOKPAGE
About the Author
Sara Donati lives with her husband and daughter in the North-West of the USA.
