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Summary: Wonderful historical fiction about the FIRST English colony
Review: A few years ago, our family vacationed in the Outer Banks (islands off the coast of North Carolina. We saw a live play on Roanoke Island called "The Lost Colony". This play has been running for 60 years in the same location! It was fascinating to learn about these colonists from England who came over before the other colonists that we're traditionally more informed about - the settling of Jamestown in Virginia in 1607, then Maryland in 1632 and Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1620 and 1630.Angela Hunt's book contains characters that were real people in history - Governor John White, Ananias Dare and his wife Eleanor, and Virginia Dare, John's grand-daughter who was the first English baby born on American soil, in August of 1587. After his grandchild is born, John White returns to England to get more food, supplies and more colonists. Because of England's war with Spain, Queen Elizabeth doesn't allow him to return! A few years later, he finally gets there and doesn't find his colony! This novel portrays what might have happened - how these people lived and loved and worshiped and dealt with Indians and with each other. Jocelyn, the main character and Eleanor Dare's cousin, is married to Thomas, the pastor of the colony. Her loving patience with a husband who feels that it is sinful to love his wife is truly inspiring. The book takes place over about 20 years. This series is continued with 3 children who escape Indian attack and escape to what will be Jamestown. The next book is entitled Jamestown. If you are at all interested in history (or even if you're not!), this is a marvelous book, mixture of fiction and fact, and speculation of whatever happened to The Lost Colony. I'm starting the next book in the series - I hope the next one is as good as this one! Please check out my other reviews of Christian books and music. God bless you!
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Summary: Historical Fiction at it's best!
Review: Angela Elwell Hunt takes historical fiction to a whole new level. All of her characters come alive and I strongly believe that if I went back into history that they would be identical or resemble each character closely. Hunt has done her research thoroughly. Not only is it historically accurate but, the plot is terrific! Thomas and Jocelyn's fractured marriage, solving the affairs between Indian and the English, the surprising marriages of Jocelyn's maid, and the horrible event that happened to Jocelyn and Thomas' daugher. The only reason I only gave this a four out of five stars is because I did not like the ending. (This is a part of series.)
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Summary: I can't wait for the next one!
Review: I have to give hearty praise for the books in this series! I have always loved to read historical sagas - historical novels but find it hard to find any worth reading now days! As a history major & historical reenactor (I do 18th cent F& I & Rev. War) I really appreciate a book that is well researched & soundly based in historical fact. But Ms. Hunt doesn't seem to lose the characters, plot & story line in al the historical facts as some do. Her characters are alive ! I never want to come to the end of of her books! I anxiously await her next in the series!
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Summary: Two lives....many missteps
Review: I thought this was a wonderful book. Ms. Hunt does a great job of bring the people and places to life. Jocelyn is a young woman who is forced to go to America with her uncle & cousin's family. Her father forces her to go because he does not want her to watch him die. Thomas is a preacher who is going on the voyage to get away from his life. However, the only way he can go is to agree to either marry Jocelyn or spend 15 years as an indentured servant to Jocelyn's uncle. Thomas & Jocelyn meet on board and they get married on board. However, Jocelyn has a tendency to misread Thomas' feelings and words throughout the book. This leads to some heartbreaking moments on both character's parts. You just think "If they would only just sit down and talk it out" but it never happens the way you want it to. The book follows the adventures of the colonists to Raleigh and offers a view into why they may have disappeared. There are the inevitable fights about religion and interaction with the Indians, and how to get word to England. One thing I liked about this book was how the characters were portrayed. I saw the characters change from their time in England to once they were settled in America. It seemed that even the common people got a new voice in a new land. The love story between Thomas & Jocelyn is touching and frustrating. Expect to be in tears at various times throughout the book. On to book 2 in the series.
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