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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book. It tells the story of the Jamestown settlement and the rising conflict between the English and the area native American tribes in a way that was accurate in most places and felt authentic even when it was fiction. I enjoyed reading about the clothes, diet and rituals and ceremonies of both sides, including Pocahantas's transition from name to name as she passed from childhood to adulthood (Amonute, Pocahantas, Matoaka, Rebecca). Providing the story from many different perspectives also showed the (supposed) thought processes and justifications behind each person's actions. Even though you know what's coming, there is still plenty of suspense and heartache. I went to school in Virginia, and it was interesting to learn the definitions of words like Tuckahoe and Matoaka.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Beautifully written, and probably a far more accurate account of the story than most others, but felt overly wordy in parts.
So well researched, so well written, so well told. Brilliant.
... got to page 112, 21%
Coming off a concussion/head injury ... not sure if that was my issue, but I wasn't able to concentrate or connect. Lots of unfamiliar names/words my mind maybe can't get right now. Just coming off another audiobook with AngelaDawe narrating, LukeDaniels is also a familiar voice, perhaps too much so for both right now. Especially when I was looking at hours, 500+ pages.
So - not a DNF, just a "not right now". If/When I come back, I'd start over.
Coming off a concussion/head injury ... not sure if that was my issue, but I wasn't able to concentrate or connect. Lots of unfamiliar names/words my mind maybe can't get right now. Just coming off another audiobook with AngelaDawe narrating, LukeDaniels is also a familiar voice, perhaps too much so for both right now. Especially when I was looking at hours, 500+ pages.
So - not a DNF, just a "not right now". If/When I come back, I'd start over.
I loved this? Growing up with the Disney film and revisiting it as an adult, it's not hard to see it's ridiculously far from the truth. Hawker's novel is so much closer, and you can tell she really cared about "doing it right". She strengthened my love for Pocahontas and taught me so much, she made John Smith... oddly loveable? (I adored Smith and Pocahontas' relationship in this! Not at all cheapened by Disney-esque romance) And she drove home the horrors of colonization. Such a strong novel with beautiful prose, I devoured it :)
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-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
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This story has 3 narrators, Scott Merriman, Angela Dawe and Luke Daniels, to voice Pocahontas, John Smith and the rest of the indigenous characters. I love that there are multiple narrators because it helps to get immersed within the story a lot better.
As someone who loves history and historical fiction books, this was a story that I was very interested to read when I stumbled upon it on Amazon last year. When #FebruarySheWrote came up this year, I knew I wanted to add this to that list. All I knew about Pocahontas was from the 90’s animated movie, so I was ready to dip my feet into the water and learn more about this time in our countries life.
“The alternative to what we do is not love, but war.”
With that said, this is not the story of the Pocahontas in love with John Smith and singing Colors of the Wind, yes, I had to make that joke. Through research, the author was able to weave together an emotional story that dove into the lives of the indigenous people of the land, as well as the lives of the men in Jamestown. The author takes us on a journey of the life that these people lived trying to survive in a new place and trying to survive having new men in their territory, a story of a young woman’s courage to help her people survive, and a story of a man trying to make a name for himself.
“It seemed that even on the open sea, blood counted for more than brains.”
The world building was done phenomenally, the tribes homes, the details in the Powhatan tribes inner workings of how things were done, and how they lived. Jamestown was not left out of this, although much of the story is told in the villages so it does somewhat take a backseat in its intricacies. She also does a tremendous job diving into the characters. We get to learn a lot about Pocahontas, her tribe, John Smith and several men of Jamestown. One of the most interesting things I learned is that Pocahontas was a nickname meaning “mischievous” and that they changed their names during major life events, which is why Amonute was known by a few different names. I may have to read more books by this author now, because of the research that she put in to make this an accurate portrayal. If you’re wanting to learn some history while also getting a great story, I would definitely suggest starting here!
This story has 3 narrators, Scott Merriman, Angela Dawe and Luke Daniels, to voice Pocahontas, John Smith and the rest of the indigenous characters. I love that there are multiple narrators because it helps to get immersed within the story a lot better.
As someone who loves history and historical fiction books, this was a story that I was very interested to read when I stumbled upon it on Amazon last year. When #FebruarySheWrote came up this year, I knew I wanted to add this to that list. All I knew about Pocahontas was from the 90’s animated movie, so I was ready to dip my feet into the water and learn more about this time in our countries life.
“The alternative to what we do is not love, but war.”
With that said, this is not the story of the Pocahontas in love with John Smith and singing Colors of the Wind, yes, I had to make that joke. Through research, the author was able to weave together an emotional story that dove into the lives of the indigenous people of the land, as well as the lives of the men in Jamestown. The author takes us on a journey of the life that these people lived trying to survive in a new place and trying to survive having new men in their territory, a story of a young woman’s courage to help her people survive, and a story of a man trying to make a name for himself.
“It seemed that even on the open sea, blood counted for more than brains.”
The world building was done phenomenally, the tribes homes, the details in the Powhatan tribes inner workings of how things were done, and how they lived. Jamestown was not left out of this, although much of the story is told in the villages so it does somewhat take a backseat in its intricacies. She also does a tremendous job diving into the characters. We get to learn a lot about Pocahontas, her tribe, John Smith and several men of Jamestown. One of the most interesting things I learned is that Pocahontas was a nickname meaning “mischievous” and that they changed their names during major life events, which is why Amonute was known by a few different names. I may have to read more books by this author now, because of the research that she put in to make this an accurate portrayal. If you’re wanting to learn some history while also getting a great story, I would definitely suggest starting here!
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes