SUMMARY: She has always moved between worlds, but now she must choose a side.
The daughter of a Mohawk mother and a French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval would rather remain neutral in a world tearing itself apart. Content to trade to both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the Seven Years' War against her wishes when her British ex-fiance', Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel claims he has information that could help end the war, and he asks Catherine to help him escape.
Peace appeals to Catherine, even if helping the man who broke her heart does not. But New France is starving, and she and her loved ones may not survive another winter of conflict-induced famine. When the dangers of war arrive on her doorstep, Catherine and Samuel flee by river toward the epicenter of the battle between England and France. She and Samuel may impact history, but she fears the ultimate cost will be higher than she can bear.
REVIEW: Like her other books before this, Jocelyn Green does not write your "typical" novel. It does have many details other books have but the situations her heroines find themselves in and how they overcome difficulties are not the same. That's what makes her books something I look forward to reading.
Catherine is a strong woman who has had to deal with prejudice and abuse most of her life. She chooses to live as a Frenchwoman but she looks like a native. I like how she doesn't let the narrow mindedness of others make her bitter or angry but chooses to rise above her circumstances to make things better for herself and those around her. She is determined to keep her Mohawk roots and connections alive as much as she can. She helps everyone around her and looks out for those who sometimes can't take care of themselves.
There are many decisions Catherine has to make, especially some that are not so easy ones. She also purposely decides to abide by decisions made by others that affect her, some which as very hard but are very admirable.
Without giving away anything in the story, let me say this was a very interesting read. It's different from others of the same style but remarkable. This novel is one I thoroughly enjoyed and look forward to rereading again so I can delve deeper into this character and those around her. Check it out for yourself. I think you will enjoy it as much as I did.
This book was provided by the author for review without any compensation. The review is completely my own.
Jocelyn Green is the award-winning and best-selling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King and A Refuge Assured. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award and the Golden Scroll. Jocelyn lives with her family in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.
