Sally Gunning's latest historical fiction, Bound is unpredictable and maddening -- but a great read. Alice Cole's story doesn't turn out anything like you expect, which is exciting and frustrating at the same time. It's the essence of a good story. Gunning made me care about Alice, a lot. That's why the story, ultimately disappointed me -- for Alice's sake. What more could an author hope for than to elicit strong emotions? Gunning succeeds; the story is great, but Alice's story isn't for the timid.
Seven-year-old Alice Cole makes the trip of a lifetime with her family. They leave 1756 London for the New World with big dreams and lots of hope. Along the way, her mother and brothers die. At the dock, her father indentures Alice for 11 years. Fortunately for Alice, her master is kind and treats her almost like a daughter. She spends the next few years as companion to the master's daughter, Abigail.
After setting us up, Gunning quickly unleashes some conflict. Abigail marries a brutal man, who rapes and beats Alice repeatedly. To Gunning's credit, she doesn't belabor or glorify the abuse. Alice is a fictional character, but I can well imagine that many young girls in service suffered as much and more as Alice. Gunning doesn't use the story to preach or rant, which I admire.
When Alice can endure no more, she runs away. Luck is with her when Lyddie Berry, an elderly widow takes pity on Alice and takes her in. Lyddie is kind and concerned, but she's also a no-nonsense crackerjack. She soon puts Alice to work to earn her keep and the two grow to respect and care for one another. This isn't a Cinderella story though, Gunning's not nearly through with Alice, who discovers she pregnant.
Alice doesn't have the emotional maturity to deal with the situation well. In her desperation, she tries to keep the pregnancy a secret. Then, she hatches a plant to protect herself. It leads to a web of deceit and consequences that I didn't see coming. Fortunately, Gunning's pragmatic style doesn't produce a tearjerker, just a thought-provoking and compelling story.
The above review was contributed by: Susan Sales Harkins: Susan is a Software consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. She and her husband, William, collaborate on children's non-fiction. Click Here to read more of Susan’s Reviews.
The Queen of Green Tells All; or How to Go Green, Use Energy Wisely, Save Money, Be Happy, Live an Exciting Life, Help America and Avoid Calamity (Spiral-bound)
Click Here To Purchase The Queen Of Green Author: Sandra W. WilliamsISBN-10: 1424337208: ISBN-13: 978-1424337200 “Going Green” is the most important trend of our century and it is revolutionizing every aspect of our life. What can you do as an ordinary citizen? Sandra Williams gives you the answers in The Queen of Green Tells All.“…researchers set up a situation for a group of children and gave them each a choice. They could have one marshmallow right now, OR if they completed a sm
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6-12-2008
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