ANN
H. GABHART
Goodreads
synopsis: Orphaned
in the cholera epidemic of 1833, Adria Starr was cared for by a slave
named Louis, a man who stayed in Springfield, Kentucky, when anyone
with means had fled. A man who passed up the opportunity to escape
his bondage and instead tended to the sick and buried the dead. A man
who, twelve years later, is being sold by his owners despite his
heroic actions. Now nineteen, Adria has never forgotten what Louis
did for her. She's determined to find a way to buy Louis's freedom.
But in 1840s Kentucky, she'll face an uphill battle.
Based
partly on a true story, Ann H. Gabhart's latest historical novel is a
tour de force. The vividly rendered town of Springfield and its
citizens immerse readers in a story of courage, betrayal, and honor
that will stick with them long after they turn the last page.
Stats
for my copy:
Trade paperback, Revell, 2018.
First
line:
Adria Starr didn't want her mother and little brother to stop
breathing the way her father had.
My
thoughts:
The book opens when Adria is seven years old, and has just been
orphaned by a cholera epidemic. The town has been devastated by the
disease, with most of the townsfolk who are healthy enough to do so
leaving. Louis is a slave, property of the owner of the local hotel,
who also leaves town, giving Louis his keys and instructing him to
take care of things. At this point Louis could have fled “across
the river” to freedom, but instead he goes around town tending to
the ill and respectfully burying the dead, becoming a local hero.
When he finds young Adria, he takes her back to the hotel, where he
and Matilda, another slave, take care of her. Ruth is the newly
widowed wife of the local schoolteacher. With the loss of her beloved
husband, her life has been completely shattered, but when Louis
approaches her about taking in Adria, she agrees.
Cut
to twelve years later. Ruth has taken over her husband's position as
schoolteacher and never remarried. Adria is a secretly budding
abolitionist. Everyone, herself included, assumes she will marry her
childhood sweetheart, Carlton, but despite his pushing for an answer
she keeps putting him off. She and Louis have remained close, and she
hates that he is a slave, that he's not free.
When
the town gets a new preacher, a romance slowly builds between him and
Ruth, and I really enjoyed that storyline. Neither is looking for a
relationship, neither has any desire to remarry, but they are drawn
to each other almost against their wills. I probably would've been
content with a book just about Ruth and her preacher. But much as I
enjoyed her story, I found Ruth a little hard to relate to. She loves
Adria, and Adria loves her. But they never seemed to develop a
mother/daughter relationship until the very end. It is mentioned more
than once that while Ruth agreed to raise Adria, and took care of her
and provided for her and has always put her best interests first, she
was unable to be what Adria really wanted – a family. We, the
reader, don't see Adria grow up with Ruth, but I got the impression
that there weren't lots of hugs and kisses and I love yous exchanged.
I kept reminding myself throughout the book that Ruth was devastated
to lose her husband, devastated that she and her husband did not have
children, that Ruth was mentally in a bad place when she took on
Adria, that she had her own struggles. But I still couldn't imagine
raising a little girl and not showering her with affection,
regardless of whether or not she were your own biological child. It
basically kept me feeling at arms length from Ruth.
A
character I enjoyed is Caleb, who arrives with the drovers who pass
through, and then gets a job in town. He and Carlton are complete
opposites, and while Adria tells herself to have nothing to do with
him, she can't help but like him. He's a bit insufferable and
stalkery, and I loved their interactions. I also loved the scenes
between him and a jealous Carlton.
During
the first few chapters the narration, the writing, felt a little
simplistic, though fitting since the point of view was from a seven
year old child. But then when Adria is grown up, it still felt that
way, and it took me awhile to really get into the story and stop
noticing that. And the further into the book I went the more and more
invested I became. As Adria felt torn between Carlton and Logan, I
was rooting for Logan, and then I wasn't, and then I sort of was
again.
Slavery
is talked about very matter of factly and is, of course, a big theme
of the book, as Adria begins to rally the townspeople to raise money
to buy Louis so he can then be freed. I don't want to describe it as
“feel good”, because the subject of slavery can't possibly be
feel good, but seeing the reactions as money is raised was
heartwarming, and I did get teary eyed.
Overall,
the book was enjoyable, with a lot of sweet moments, and a wonderful
resolution.
