A John Scognamiglio Book/Kensington
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
In her sweeping debut, Diane C. McPhail offers a powerful, profoundly emotional novel that explores a little-known aspect of Civil War history—Southern Abolitionists—and the timeless struggle to do right even amidst bitter conflict.
On a Mississippi morning in 1859, Emily Matthews begs her father to save a slave, Nathan, about to be auctioned away from his family. Judge Matthews is an abolitionist who runs an illegal school for his slaves, hoping to
eventually set them free. One, a woman named Ginny, has become Emily’s companion and often her conscience—and understands all too well the hazards an educated slave must face. Yet even Ginny could not predict the tangled, tragic string of events set in motion as Nathan’s family arrives at the Matthews farm.
A young doctor, Charles Slate, tends to injured Nathan and begins to court Emily, finally persuading her to become his wife. But their union is disrupted by a fatal clash and a lie that will tear two families apart. As Civil War erupts, Emily, Ginny, and Emily’s stoic mother-in-law, Adeline, each face devastating losses. Emily—sheltered all her life—is especially unprepared for the hardships to come. Struggling to survive in this raw, shifting new world, Emily will discover untapped inner strength, an unlikely love, and the courage to confront deep, painful truths.
In the tradition of Cold Mountain, The Abolitionist’s Daughter eschews stereotypes of the Civil War South, instead weaving an intricate and unforgettable story of survival, loyalty, hope, and redemption.
My Thoughts
If you pick up this book expecting battle scenes and the usual romantic themes associated with many novels set during the years of the American Civil War, you will be disappointed. While the war is banished to the fringes of the story, its impact on the lives of the characters is apparent and the issues surrounding slavery are not ignored. What unfolds here is an unexpectedly moving coming-of-age story. Simply put, Emily Matthews, the young and protected daughter of an abolitionist, overcomes personal tragedy and hardship to ensure the survival of her family, the slaves under her care and her home.
Conflict abounds in this novel. Yes, there is the physical kind, but there is also conflict of thought and deed. Judge Matthews is a slave owner who believes in manumission, hampered by the laws he must uphold. His youngest son does not share his views, while Emily does. As a doctor, Charles Slate does not discriminate between his patients, tending to all races. He is not averse to owning slaves and believes that manumission will never happen as the south's economy is dependent on slavery. His support of his sister brings him into further conflict with his father-in-law and strains his relationship with Emily.
The members of the two families, connected by not one but two marriages, are each flawed in some way. Emily is traumatised by childhood incidents, particularly the loss of her mother and the manner of it when she was a little girl and the way her father handled this loss. She has no life skills and laments this fact, although she is supported by Ginny, a slave and former playmate, who now fills the role of friend and confidante. Marriage is not what she expected and her husband's behaviour and the secrets he keeps puzzle her. Jeremiah, her younger brother, is resentful and cruel. Her older brother Will's marriage appears to be happy, but his wife is not a lovable character. She, too, keeps a secret. With Adeline, Emily finds the mother-daughter relationship she has never known until greed sparks an event that brings great tragedy into all their lives and fractures the relationships between the two families forever.
I found The Abolitionist's Daughter to be a sad, thought provoking and compelling read. Despite the tragedy that unfolded, Emily's story does end with hope and the prospect of a happy future. I look forward to Diane McPhail's next novel.
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Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, April 27
Review at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, April 28
Review at Books and Backroads
Feature at I'm All About Books
Wednesday, April 29
Review at Books and Zebras
Thursday, April 30
Feature at Just One More Chapter
Friday, May 1
Review at Gwendalyn's Books
Excerpt at To Read, or Not to Read
Monday, May 4
Review at Brightside Books
Tuesday, May 5
Feature at What Is That Book About
Wednesday, May 6
Review at Robin Loves Reading
Thursday, May 7
Interview at Passages to the Past
Friday, May 8
Feature at View from the Birdhouse
Monday, May 11
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Wednesday, May 13
Feature at Words and Peace
Thursday, May 14
Review at Tales from the Book Dragon
Saturday, May 16
Review at Reading is My Remedy
Monday, May 18
Review at History + Fiction + Adirondack Spirit
Friday, May 22
Review at A Darn Good Read
Giveaway (US only)
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a copy of The Abolitionist's Daughter! To enter, please use the Gleam HERE.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on May 22nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
This sounds like an interesting read from an unusual perspective.
ReplyDeleteIt was, Marg. Not what I expected given the title.
DeleteI've seen several reviews of this, and I'm still unsure if this one is for me or not. Maybe...
ReplyDeleteTake a chance!
Delete