hkihm 's review for:

Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony by Libbie Hawker

4.0

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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.