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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I find books about real life women who insisted on defying the extremely narrow social constraints of their time to be inspiring and fascinating. This story about a girl named Eliza who was running her family's plantations at 16, who refused to marry the 'suitors' sent her, and who bravely insisted on pursuing her goals of creating indigo dye despite overwhelming odds and obstacles is brilliantly done.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Low rating here because this book felt very “white savior” esque, which is gross. The story is based on a true person, which was interesting, but I’d rather read the Wikipedia page about her life, rather than this half concocted love story and pity party where this woman thinks her life is basically as bad as the slaves she owns. The afterword talks about the real Eliza and her sons (one of whom was a founding father of the USA), as well as other characters, but gives ZERO mention to any of the slaves or any of their history. Idk. Southern white woman writes about a southern white woman, I’m not sure what I expected. And to be fair, I read this for a book bingo.
Honestly wouldn’t recommend. Look up Eliza Lucas on Wikipedia. You’ll learn more, with less distasteful insipid writing.
Honestly wouldn’t recommend. Look up Eliza Lucas on Wikipedia. You’ll learn more, with less distasteful insipid writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Colonisation
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
true story of a sixteen year old girl named Eliza Lucas who was put in charge of her father's plantations in South Carolina in 1739. He went back to Antigua to fight the Spaniards and run for Governor, leaving his ill wife and his 16 year old daughter in South Carolina. He depleted their funds and mortgaged their property to pay for his exploits and told his daughter she needed to have the plantations make money to keep them afloat! She decided to experiment with growing indigo. her mother and a consultant from Antigua tried to sabotage her efforts, but she found support and succeeded, changing the economy of the new country!
Fascinating true story about the woman who brought indigo to South Carolina in the 1700's (three stars for educating me) but a pretty insipid telling.. the best part of the book is the epilogue.
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was recommended this book so I picked it up and just started reading. I was captivated, such a well told and heart breaking story of history past. It wasn’t till I got to the end of the book that I realized it was based on a true story. Influential women in the past are often overlooked and forgotten so i appreciate this authors desire to tell the captivating story of Eliza Lucas and her strong spirit.
I’m astounded Eliza Lucas Pinckney was never a blurb in any of my history books. Eliza was headstrong, ambitious, candid, brilliant, gutsy woman before her time. Historical fiction retelling actual historical events is a love language for me. A new favorite for me.
informative
lighthearted