 |
This review is for the content of the 2008 revised edition of this book that has this exact cover. |
About this book:
“After enduring a dangerous voyage to the New World, Abigail discovers that her fight for survival in Jamestown has only begun. When she must face her enemy, an Indian princess called Pocahontas, Abigail uncovers the enemy of her own heart—unforgiveness. In London, England, her friend Elizabeth yearns for adventure, but society’s conventions threaten to crush her dreams. As the girls face their deepest fears, they discover how their choices can change a nation’s---and a young woman’s—destiny.”
Series: Part of the “Liberty Letters” series, but does not seem to be connected to the other books in the series.
Spiritual Content- Scripture read, mentioned, quoted, & discussed; Witnessing to others; Church going; A song about God is sung; Many talks about God, Jesus Christ, trusting Him, praying, forgiveness, sin, & witnessing to others; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God or Jesus; Elizabeth is given a New Testament in Greek and hopes to study the language, but her father will not let her as he believes she will not have any need for knowing the language; Abigail wonders if God even hears her prayers and is mad at God, but later feels like God has a reason for her coming to America; Abigail has hatred and bitterness towards the Indians, but feels the Holy Spirit tugging on her and *Spoiler* while it takes time, hard conversations, and lots of prayers, towards the end, she eventually forgives the people involved in her parents’ deaths and even forgives God for taking away her parents; Abigail asks Pocahontas for forgiveness as well; Pocahontas accepts Jesus for herself and tells Abigail *End of Spoiler*; It is a rule in James Towne to attend church and there are punishments for missing (such as if a man misses for the third time without good reason, the man will be shot or hanged); Many mentions of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, trusting Him, His will, forgiveness, & higher callings; Many mentions of churches/cathedrals, church going, services, worship, reverends/ministers, & sermons; Many mentions of Christians, witnessing to others, & salvation through Jesus Christ; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, those and events in the Bible, & Bible classes; Mentions of Christmas & reading about the birth of Jesus; Mentions of miracles; Mentions of baptisms; Mentions of sins & sacrifices; Mentions of copying Scriptures and the Lord’s Prayer; Mentions of young girls (including Abigail and Elizabeth) having instructors “in the Christian faith”, church doctrine, & catechism; Mentions of the ‘Book of Common Prayer’ & the girls having to study it; Mentions of a man not wanting to marry a woman who doesn’t share his Christian faith despite loving her greatly; A few mentions of being blessed; A couple mentions of communion;
*Note: Abigail gets very upset at a reverend who wants to tell the Indians about God and have them their away from their savage ways (*Spoiler* because the Indians killed her parents *End of Spoiler*); Abigail thinks the Indians will not believe in God because of their own gods and does not wish for Pocahontas or the other Indians to need her God (her view is clouded with bitterness and hatred towards them and wants the Indians to be left alone with their gods; She starts to feel guilt for her bitterness and not wanting to share God with the Indians); Abigail is told about the Indians’ two gods, Ahone (the creator god who gives good things) and Okee (the devil god who is more powerful, does all the bad things, and requires child sacrifice to appease); Elizabeth’s mother tells her to think “good thoughts” for Abigail; Abigail calls the colony “godforsaken” when first arriving; Some believe that the Bermuda islands are “enchanted and filled with witches and devils” (but quickly learn that it is not “Devil’s Island” like they thought); A comment that some think of Indians as savages who are “devil-inspired to quench the flame of truth”; Mentions of Indians doing child sacrifices to appease a “devil god”; A few mentions of pagans & heathens.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stupid’; A fire, Being bit by a poisonous snake, Pain, & Injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing others die and be close to death & extreme grief (including for parents, *Spoilers* both of Abigail’s parents die shortly into the book and she is there at both of their bedsides *End of Spoilers*, up to semi-detailed); Abigail is bitter and hateful towards Pocahontas (she tries to ignore the guilt she feels about this; Pocahontas asks why Abigail hates her and she shares about how the Indians have harmed her family; *Spoiler* towards the end of the book, Abigail realizes her bitterness, so she asks for forgiveness from God and from Pocahontas and the girls become friends *End of Spoiler*); A boy is given to a group of Indians in a trade (but is later given back unharmed); Many, many mentions of deaths (including children and infants), people being near to death, drownings, possible drownings, sicknesses, starvation, & extreme grief (including for parents, a girl for a father, a wife for her husband, a husband for his wife); Many mentions of Indian attacks and Colonists attacking Indians, possible attacks, war/battles, massacres and ambushes (on both sides), arrows and people being shot, murders/executions and planned murders/executions, & brutal deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of child sacrifice (to the Indian’s devil god); Mentions of kidnappings/abductions, captives/hostages, & ransom; Mentions of explosions, fires, & burning villages on purpose; Mentions of injuries, pain, burns, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of snakes & poison; Mentions of pipes, smoking, & tobacco; Mentions of a man eating his dog due to hunger & others eating dogs and (implied) horses; Mentions of hunting; Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of whippings, being shot, & being hanged (punishments); A couple mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of gossip & rumors; A mention of jealousy;
*Note: Two paintings in the bonus content at the end of the book show Indians shooting Colonists & Colonists carrying a dead woman to bury her; Elizabeth wants to learn and study more subjects, but her father will not let her because they are not needed for running her own house one day (this is shown throughout the book including by her commenting if she was a boy she could have been taught like her brother (Abigail wants that she should have been born a boy), her uncle encouraging her learning about different subjects (when her father finds out, he is very upset and limits her time with him), her father being very against her learning other languages, & her father commenting that no man will want to marry a woman smarter than he is; *Spoilers* Towards the end, Elizabeth’s father and uncle knowingly test her with a project and her father learns he has underestimated the gifts God gave her and says he will provide her with a tutor for whatever she desires to learn within good reason *End of Spoilers*.
Sexual Content- When seventeen, Abigail says she is not ready to courtship or marriage, but maybe someday (*Spoiler* At the very end, Abigail is asked to be courted and says it’s “not such a bad idea after all” *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of courting & girls getting prepared for marriage (including Elizabeth’s parents focusing on preparing her); Mentions of handsome young men & dances; A few mentions of possible crushes & being sweet on someone;
*Note: Elizabeth’s father comments that no man will want to marry a woman smarter than he is (Abigail tries to encourage Elizabeth that perhaps she will marry a man who will encourage her learning).
-Abigail Matthews, age 12-17
-Elizabeth Walton, age 13-18
P.O.V. switches between them via letters
Set in 1609-1614
219 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens-
New Teens-
Early High School Teens-
Older High School Teens-
My personal Rating-
This book re-confirmed something I already knew, but I’ll say it again: The Lord always knows what He is doing, but He especially knew not to put me in the 1600s! I would not have made it during this book’s time period, to say the very least. I’ll admit that I found this book a little depressing at first (about the first fourth of the story), but it did improve. I’m not personally interested in the 1600s or the 1700s, but it is history—albeit pretty sad history—and it is important to know. The faith content was strong and there were good moments of witnessing to others and showing forgiveness. This book wasn’t my favorite of the series, but still interesting in a I’m-so-glad-this-isn’t-my-life kind of way.
See y’all on Friday with a new review!
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
