A cinematic historical drama that binds private struggle to global consequence.
Howell’s ambitious and deeply immersive historical novel captures the rupture and uncertainty of the mid-eighteenth century with striking clarity. Caleb Rafferty and Daireann Dwyer flee to the colonies seeking peace, Margaret White upends British power with a stolen manifest, and Lenape alliances fracture as war engulfs the wilderness—so when Emmet, Caleb’s older brother, vanishes, Daireann is taken captive, and Margaret becomes hunted and pregnant, will their choices alter the fate of nations or destroy them?
The novel excels by juxtaposing private hopes with public power: Caleb Rafferty and Daireann’s attempt at a new beginning in the colonies unfolds alongside Henry Fox and the Duke of Newcastle’s ruthless machinations. Margaret’s shift from alleyway thief to smuggling conspirator is particularly striking, giving the novel a fresh angle on eighteenth-century politics. Howell’s portrayal of Indigenous life is equally compelling; through Wàkà and the Lenape, he addresses cultural autonomy under immense pressure. Braddock’s march and the Monongahela ambush are portrayed with cinematic clarity.
The book’s most impressive achievement, however, is its fusion of private experience and political power; from London’s halls to colonial forests, it examines the influence of ambition, corruption, and cultural collision. The intrigue of Parliament carries the same weight as frontier combat, and the movement between settings never feels arbitrary. The novel succeeds as both historical drama and character study. Its scope is wide, yet it retains enough intimacy to make the consequences of war and empire felt at the level of individual lives. Readers interested in the French and Indian War, colonial America, or the inner workings of eighteenth-century British politics will find much to admire.
A richly detailed and propulsive tale of empire, survival, and human consequence.
Pub date August 23, 2024
ISBN 979-8327109360
Pages 401
Price $24.99 (USD) Paperback, $8.99 Kindle edition
