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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
Good story of early colony of South Carolina, and a young woman left in charge of the plantation upon her father's absence.
Why haven't "we" heard of this woman? It's good history.
It's great that the author based this story around the real-life Eliza Lucas, who was a true firebrand and revolutionary of her time and deserves the attention. What I didn't care for were all of the descriptions of men's muscular chests and tempting lips. It had a little too much soft romance for me and was at times rather repetitive. I also didn't care for the inclusion of the idea that Eliza could not be free as a woman and how that was compared to her enslaved friend's lack of freedom. I don't know if that idea was garnered from the real-life Eliza's book of writings but it bothered me that this thought was entertained without further exploration, even in the author's notes. The burden of a white woman's societal expectations is not comparable to the lack of freedom experienced by enslaved people, even if some women thought it at the time.
White washed revisionist history that made me so uncomfortable. Could have been a cool story if told honestly, but this whole white savior “good slave owner” crap was ridiculous. The real Eliza owned over 280 slaves, she was not a savior but a businesswoman building an empire on the backs of enslaved people and then took all the credit and was recognized for it. Was it impressive she did a lot as a woman at that time and with her age? Yes. But let’s not pretend that gives her a pass for how she got there.
Hated the friendship with the Pinkneys, to then find out she was gonna marry him as soon as his wife died
Hated the friendship with the Pinkneys, to then find out she was gonna marry him as soon as his wife died
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this piece of historical fiction. It was interesting to know of this woman who broke so many rules during that time period. The fictionalized relationship with one of the slaves was a bit much especially as the author also wrote of another romance. It is not super well written but it is an interesting story
I enjoyed this piece of historical fiction. It was interesting to know of this woman who broke so many rules during that time period. The fictionalized relationship with one of the slaves was a bit much especially as the author also wrote of another romance. It is not super well written but it is an interesting story
I first encountered Eliza as a school girl on a field trip and learned what indigo was. I enjoyed this fictional retelling of her early life based on historical documents.
Set in South Carolina in the early 1700s, based on a true story of a remarkable woman named Eliza Lucas, hidden to history for centuries. Well researched and written with remarkable attention to detail, I could not put this one down. Highly recommend.
As a child, I had a set of "American History Makers" biographies, and one of the few women was Eliza Lucas, who brought indigo into production as a cash crop in South Carolina. Even at the time, I knew that there was something off about the enslaved people standing around in the background of the illustrations while she "invented" processes that West African people already mastered, but I had not encountered a more modern version that grappled with the problem that the innovation that gave her financial independence cost the enslaved people around her for generations as the crop took hold in the south. Boyd grapples with this by novelizing the biography and including Lucas' childhood in Antigua and the post-Stono rebellion black codes of South Carolina, and the inter-personal relationships among the free (and for 18th century white women, a sort of version of free), enslaved and indentured as they existed in British, French and Spanish legal status.
4.5⭐️ An amazing retelling of the true life of a strong and willful 16 year old who, in the 1700s, took over her father’s plantations and changed the face of the indigo trade.
The Indigo Girl is a thought provoking novel about a strong young woman, Eliza Lucas Pinckney, who revolutionized the export of Indigo in the US.
I love books that take historical facts and tell an engaging story, it's almost like tricking you into learning important historical facts.
Natasha Boyd is a true crafter of words! There is something for everyone in this book and I truly believe that it is an important read, especially given the current climate. It's a fascinating and endearing story, and one that truly shaped that area of our nation. I am so glad that this important (but forgotten) woman from our country's past is being brought to light in this beautiful story!!
I love books that take historical facts and tell an engaging story, it's almost like tricking you into learning important historical facts.
Natasha Boyd is a true crafter of words! There is something for everyone in this book and I truly believe that it is an important read, especially given the current climate. It's a fascinating and endearing story, and one that truly shaped that area of our nation. I am so glad that this important (but forgotten) woman from our country's past is being brought to light in this beautiful story!!