The brief and true report of Temperance Flowerdew by Denise Heinze

 

Name of Book: The brief and true report of Temperance Flowerdew 

Author: Denise Heinze 

ISBN: 9781982598648

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Type of book: 1609-1610, 1628, diary, reminisces, memories, England, witchcraft, North America, Jamestown Virginia, siege, starvation, food, survival, faith, death, cannibalism 

Year it was published: 2020

Summary:

Determined to set the historical record straight, and clear her conscience, Temperance Flowerdew-the wife of Virginia's first two governors-puts quill to paper, recounting the hardships that nearly brought the Jamestown colony to its knees, and the extraordinary sacrifice of her servant girl, Lily.

When she stepped aboard the Falcon in 1609, Temperance Flowerdew was not only setting sail from England to the distant shores of America, she was embarking upon a future of opportunity. She didn't yet know how she would make her mark, but in this new place she could do or be whatever she wanted.

Willing as she is to brave this new world, Temperance is utterly ill-equipped to survive the wilderness; all she knows is how to live inside the pages of adventure and philosophy books. Loyally at her side, Lily helps Temperance weather pioneer life. A young woman running from lifelong accusations of witchcraft, Lily finds friendship with Temperance and an acceptance of her psychic gifts. Together, they forge paths within the community: Temperance attempts to advise the makeshift government, while Lily experiences the blossoming of first love.

But as the harsh winter approaches, Lily intuitively senses a darkness creep over the colony and the veneer of civilized life threatens to fall away-negotiations with the Indians grow increasingly hostile and provisions become scarce. Lily struggles to keep food on the table by foraging in the woods and being resourceful. Famine could mean the end of days. It's up to Lily to save them both, but what sacrifice will be enough to survive?

A transporting and evocative story, The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew is a fiercely hopeful novel-a portrait of two intrepid women who choose to live out their dreams of a future more free than the past.

Characters:

Main characters include Temperance FLOWERDEW, an intelligent and ambitious young woman who becomes determined to be with the aristocracy of Virginia. While clever and intelligent, TEMPERANCE doesn't possess the necessary survival skills. Lily is Temperances maid, another young woman who is resourceful in procuring food as well as cooking. Quite often people see Lily as a witch ( not sure if it's because her hair changes or her hair is red?) There are other characters such as James Owen who plays he fiddle, then the leader who doesn't seem to understand that British ways don't work in North America and a former actor and so forth. I honestly did feel that the story needed to be longer than it was. 

 
Theme:

Food is important for survival. It takes a lot to survive and not to succumb to death or madness 

Plot:

The story is written in third person narrative, primarily from Lilys and Temperances points of view. There are plenty of things I loved about this tale, namely the characters, then I felt that the author gives Native American culture respect and I also enjoyed meeting John Smith and Matoaka. I enjoyed spending the year with TEMPERANCE FLOWERDEW and witnessing the precarious situation of food grow more and more dire. I think I would have liked it a lot more if the author continued on with her story of Temperance FLOWERDEW because I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to the residents of Jamestown just now.    

Author Information:
(From book)

Denise Heinze, a former litearture professor and a PhD graduate of Duke University, writes fiction nonfiction, and poetry. She is the author of a scholarly work on Toni Morrison and the ecothriller Sally St Johns. A descendan of Louisa May Alcott, she lives in North Carolina 

Opinion:

Possibly like others who grew up in America, my knowledge of early history of USA is inadequate. I learned a little bit about Jamestown, and John Smith as well as Matoaka ( Pocahontas,) but I had little to no idea of the trials and hardships that English faced while trying to make a living there. Also a brief warning, but there will be some focus on cannibalism. It honestly seems a shame that Jamestown and previous attempts to Europeanize America aren't more emphasized and taught in school. ( we are only taught about Mayflower and previous attempts barely get a mention.) But I am happy to expand my knowledge of early history of USA. 

This was given for a review 

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)