Mary Elizabeth, a
member of the Separatists, is afraid to leave the only home she’s
known in Holland, but her father has secured passage on the
Speedwell, a vessel bound for the new world and a better life. Her
best friend Dorothy is also going on the boat. This helps Mary
Elizabeth adjust because while Mary cries constantly, Dorothy is
enthusiastic.
William Lytton is
also headed for the new world on the Mayflower. He’s a carpenter
hoping for a better life. Abandoned as a child he was rescued by his
mentor, also a carpenter. Now his mentor is dead and he’s eager for
a new start. This new start seems to be very auspicious when he’s
approached by Crawford, one of the sponsors of the voyage. Crawford
recruits him to keep an eye on his company’s interests. Since this
entails a significant sum of money, William immediately draws an
enemy.
If you enjoy
historical novels, this is worth reading. It is well researched and
the author describes the difficult voyage in a way that well
illustrates the danger faced by the Separatists. The characters
are well chosen and the romance between Mary and William shows how
the settlers find love in spite of the hardships.
My difficulty with
the book was Mary’s character. She was so weepy in the beginning of
the book that I found it hard to like her. It did give plenty of room
for her character to grow, but being turned off, I wasn’t as
interested in her development as I might have been.
I received this book
from Net Galley for this review.
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