Hi! This week I'm going to be reviewing a great historical fiction pick. The writing was so incredible I'm already planning to read the next two in the series. This also wins the medal for the book with the longest title that I've ever read.
There may be minor spoilers as I try to give an accurate picture of the book.
(The discussion questions will have spoilers, since they are supposed to be used after reading the book.)
Title: Dark Enough to See the Stars in a Jamestown Sky
Author: Connie Lapallo
Series: This is the first in a trilogy called The Jamestown Sky series.
Targeted Age Range: 12-16
Synopsis: “Do not forget us.” Haunted by a woman’s voice whispering these words from the dusty records, Connie Lapallo sought to discover why her grandmother Joan brought a daughter and joined the few women and children settling Jamestown in 1609. Inspired by their courage, Connie tells their stories with compassion and historical accuracy.
Language: None, but some fierce arguing/divisions are mentioned.
Violence: There are a lot of gruesome details and mentions of violence in this book, mostly because of Jamestown's strained relations with their Native American neighbors. There are mentions of fighting, killing (in a variety of different ways), death, a dried hand as a decoration, starvation, execution, cannibalism, and seasickness. Once Joan mentions her baby vomiting up blood due to a plague. During Jamestown's "Starving Time", it's also mentioned all the dead were put into a huge, deep pit, as they didn't have enough time to give them all proper burials.
Romance/Sexual Stuff: Joan marries a distant cousin, Tom. In one scene, after being gone for a long time, Tom lifts her up and kisses her (non-detailed). Later Joan goes to see a Shakespeare play with another cousin, Will, agreeing to marry him.
Spiritual Elements: Religion is a main part of the plot, especially in Joan's life. The religious tension in England is mentioned. Joan's family has decided to stick to Anglican traditions and values instead of Catholic or Puritan beliefs, and Joan herself continues this. She often relies on her faith and the various "signs" she gets from God as hope amid all her trials. Praying for protection by saints, various events and verses from the Bible, demons, and ghosts are mentioned. One man goes mad during Jamestown's Starving Time, calling his wife a witch.
Magic: None
References: There are various quotes from letters, poetry, and other historical figures lined up with what is happening in the story. Joan says that her first husband, Tom, has "pixie eyes".
Other Issues: One scene in the book takes place in an English bar, with men drinking beer and toasting.
Where To Buy: Dark Enough to See the Stars in a Jamestown Sky is available on Amazon, Abebooks, Alibris, eBay, and Better World Books.
My Age Range: I think kids aged 14 and up would enjoy this book the most.
Read Aloud: Due to some of the issues above, I think this book would be better read alone.
My Opinion: Like Gene Edwards' The Silas Diary (you can find my review of that book here), I was required to read this book for school. Unlike The Silas Diary, though, it took me a couple of chapters to "get into" the story. Once I did, it swept me away with its strong characters, riveting plot, and fierce, wild circumstances.
Author Sharon Baldacci described my thoughts perfectly in her review: "Lapallo has given the women that settled this colony a voice, and it's a powerful one." I was continually inspired by the determination and bravery of Joan, Tempie, Maggie, and all of the other men and women that fought to start a new life in a new place. At the same time, it broke my heart to see the desperate actions many took during the Starving Time, and Joan's fight against hopelessness. With a mix of deep conviction, amazing storytelling, and historical accuracy, Lapallo made both the joys and sorrows of Jamestown feel real to me, like I'd experienced a taste of them myself. It gave me a new admiration for the people like Joan and her family who were one of many settlers surviving unpredictable conditions in order for America to be created. And it gave me a poignant view of life, both from a historical and a spiritual perspective.
I'd recommend this book for anyone who wants a fresh look at history, who loves experiencing emotional, well-researched stories, or who, like Lapallo, has ancestral ties to Jamestown or early American immigrants.
Discussion Questions:
-Joan has to endure a lot of hardships, both in England and in Jamestown. Which one do you think was the worst for her? Why?
-Joan and Will are given the chance to go to Virginia, a new and uncharted land. If you were Will or Joan, would you want to move there? Why or why not?
-Throughout the book Joan believes God has provided for her in a number of ways. What were some of these ways? Do you believe these happenings were coincidences, or had a heavenly cause in the story?
-In order to make sure Cecily is able to own land, Joan and Will leave her in England, waiting until they send for her. If you were Cecily, how would you feel about this? Why?
-Joan, Tempie, and Maggie become, as Will says, "comrades in a war of a different sort". Do you have any friends you consider as close as Joan, Tempie, and Maggie were? If you were faced with a situation like the Starving Time, how do you think you and your friends would react?
-Did you have a favorite or least favorite part in the story? If so, what are they? Why did you choose those parts?
-The end of the story has an epilogue that takes place many years later. Given what happened in the book, do you think this was a good ending? Why or why not?
Thanks for joining me to check out Dark Enough to See the Stars in a Jamestown Sky! I hope you'll consider adding this book to your TBR list, or recommending it to someone else you think would enjoy it.
Have you read this book already? If so, what did you think about it? Have you enjoyed another book/book series like this one? Let me know!
Like always, I am open to review requests! If you have a review suggestion, please look at my Review Policy page, and then consider posting it below.
I may or may not post a review next week, as I'll be going through a busy season. We'll have to see.
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