Sun of Silver, Moon of Gold
by Maureen Peters
Tall, outspoken Flora Scott has reached the age of twenty-seven unwed, so her family believes shipping her out to
join her uncle in Chicago might be a good plan. Not keen on the reason for being sent, but interested in an
adventure, Flora sails off to America on her own, full of ideas about the New World.
What she finds is rather different to the free-and-easy "land of the free" she had imagined. Here, civilization
for white settlers is a thin veneer on an ancient land with other traditions, so manners and prejudices are even
more pronounced. Chief among these is the inhumane treatment of the peaceful Peoria people, and Flora is
determined to do more than raise her voice.
This is very much a book about preconceptions and prejudices, and therefore is filled with shades of gray
rather than stock black and white heroes and villains. I hesitate to call it a romance, as this implies a far
more idealized, hearts-and-flowers take on history and this is not that type of novel.
Flora has many lessons to learn about judging books by their covers. Nothing, and no one, is quite what it
seems on first encounter. This is the ugly truth behind all those westerns; a warts-and-all look at life in the
early 19th century without actually being gory or filled with action. This makes it seem more lifelike and
everyday, which increases its impact on the reader. Just the book for anybody who finds that most historical
romance is too fluffy, but likes a romantic "boy meets girl" angle to a story. |
The Book |
Robert Hale |
31 January 2008 |
Hardback |
9780709084440 |
Historical Romance / 1838 / Chicago |
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The Reviewer |
Rachel A Hyde |
Reviewed 2008 |
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