If you could trade a comfortable, predictable future, dictated by your family, for a life of adventures with a famous explorer you hardly knew, would you do it?
In Brook Allen’s recent novel, West of Santillane, teenager Julia Hancock faced those choices in the early 1800s on her family’s Virginia plantation.
As the author recounts Julia’s choices and their consequences, she immerses readers in the excitement, joys, and sorrows of this era.Julia’s beliefs, perhaps unusual for someone in her position, play a central role and enhance the tension in this story.
Major Characters:
Julia Hancock—independent young Virginia woman from a traditional plantation owner’s family; she enjoys literature and marries William Clark
William Clark—military man and explorer who, with Lewis, journeyed across the U.S. to the Pacific Ocean on the expedition President Thomas Jefferson commissioned
Meriwether Lewis—commander of the expedition, a brilliant scientist but unrefined man who never married
Harriet (Harri) Kennerly—Julia’s cousin and friend; she lacked Julia’s sense of adventure
York—enslaved man who grew up with and worked for William Clark; Clark’s beliefs about slavery determined the course of York’s life.
Chief Sheheke-Shote—Mandan Native American leader who assisted Lewis and Clark on their expedition and later met President Jefferson in Washington, D.C.
Yellow Corn—wife of Chief Sheheke; while stranded in St. Louis, she and Julia become friends
Pierre Chouteau—prominent French-Creole businessmanfrom a St. Louis family who made its fortune from furs and investments; he befriended the Clarks and Lewis
Ramses and Odysseus Phipps—squatters who resented Lewis and Clark’s kind treatment of Chief Sheheke and his family
Nicholas Biddle—editor who helped bring the journals of Lewis and Clark about their expedition to publication
Strengths:
Interestingcoming of age story combined with moral conflict
Vivid portrayal of life, both on a Virginia plantation and in St. Louis in pioneer days
Window into Lewis and Clark’s expedition,revealing the physical and emotional cost of the expedition for all those involved
Showed the sacrifices made by Native Americans who cooperated with the expedition
Weakness:
The author’s portrayal of Julia Hancock—as strongly believing that slavery was wrong and should be ended—is a key part of this novel, yet this may or may not be factual. Historical evidence is lacking, so it may represent the author’s literary license (which is acceptable in historical fiction, but should be noted).
Content review:
This novel contains descriptions of violence, mostly as applied to slaves, and a moderate amount of physical intimacy.
My Recommendation:
I recommend West of Santillane to readers who, like me, enjoy an exciting story that shows how major historical trends and events—such as slavery and Lewis and Clark’s cross-country expedition—shape the lives of people, from the privileged to the oppressed.
Reader,can you recommend a novel or work of non-fiction about the expedition of William Clark, Meriwether Lewis, or their expedition?
As we in the northern hemisphere hope for signs of new life and spring, I’ve discovered a new (to me) author—Sandra Dallas, who has written more than a dozen historical novels set in the American West, focused on common people often ignored by historians. I’ll share my reflections on two of her novels:
Little Souls—latest novel of Sandra Dallas, set in Denver around 1918.
Why does the world need another novel about the 1918 Influenza Epidemic?
Author Sandra Dallas creates a multifaceted plot. The epidemic is only one of several intriguing elements.
Others include:
The drama and impact of the U.S. entry into World War I
Ethical challenges young men face in deciding whether to enlist
Life in Denver in this era, particularly for young single women
Denver’s underworld of bootlegging, gambling, kidnapping, and violence directed toward children
Characters: range from dregs of society to saintly
Lutie (Lucretia) Hite – protagonist, she’s an aspiring artist who designs ads for women’s clothing store
Peter Howell – Lutie’s fiancé, a seminary student from an affluent family
Anne Howell – Peter’s mother, a wealthy woman with a surprising past
Helen Hite – Lutie’s sister, a nurse who faces daily the pandemic’s horrors
Gil Rushton – Helen’s fiancé, a young physician
Dorothy – young girl orphaned by the pandemic, she faces multiple difficulties no child should encounter
Ronald Streeter – Dorothy’s father, involved in nefarious crime network
Gus Vincent – criminal associate of Mr. Streeter
Beulah Vincent – wife of Gus, she’s Ronald Streeter’s sister, also involved in criminal activities
Strengths:
Sympathetic, unique characters
Setting details that draw in readers
Well-written, engaging plot
Weakness:
The conclusion may wrap up the story a bit too neatly. (If you read this novel, let me know what you think!)
Content review:
This novel includes references to violent crime and sexual violence.
I recommend Little Souls
to readers who enjoy plunging into a new era and place, and who can tolerate the wounding of sympathetic characters.
Could a woman who has devoted her life to birthing babiesmurder an infant?
What would motivate her to commit such a crime?
In 1880, Gracy Brookens, the trusted longtime midwife of her Colorado mining town, faces a charge of murdering a struggling newborn after the town’s most prominent citizen calls her to save the baby.
Characters:
The Last Midwife tells Gracy’s story, which turns out to be a tangled web involving many people, both in and beyond the town. The mine’s owner, the sheriff, Gracy’s husband and son, and the other characters—each has secrets that, if revealed, would taint his or her reputation.
From the outset, the author portrays Gracy in a sympathetic light:
She’s a woman willing to endure exhaustion and low pay for the joy of birthing babies
She possesses a backwoods wisdom gained from her mentor and life experience instead of books
She’s aware of her own shortcomings as well as those of others, and she’s willing to forgive.
Readers’ concern for Gracy will keep them hooked, even as they fear for her fate.
Strengths:
Characters are distinct and strong
Setting is a character of its own
Plot makes the story difficult to put down
Weakness:
I challenge readers to point out a weakness; I couldn’t pinpoint any.
Content review:
This novel shows the brutality and immorality of frontier life.
I recommend The Last Midwife
to readers who enjoy a novel set deep within frontier culture, with flawed but endearing characters, and twists that will make your mind spin.
Reader, do you have a favorite novel of the American West?
