I really love Elizabeth George Speare. This was the onepopular book that I'd heard about but hadn't yet read. My kids and I have loved The Sign of the Beaver, The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Bronze Bow all by Speare. The last title, I recently reread to my younger two for Lent. So I really wanted to finally read Calico Captive. It only took me a couple of evenings to read it, but I thoroughly enjoyed Speare's storytelling again.
Miriam Willard is a young lady who lives with her sister and brother in law on the frontier of New Hampshire during the French and Indian War. She and the family are taken captive by the Indians and after an arduous and frightening journey up into Canada are sold to the French. She then must cope with the many changing circumstances she encounters from being a servant, to a companion to a spoiled, rich girl, to eking out a living as a dressmaker before finally being released. The story is complex and all the details and complications ring true to life. Speare based it on the real life journal of Miriam's sister.
Two thumbs up.
See 52 Books in 52 Weeks for more reviews.
I also love EGS, she is a brilliant writer.
ReplyDeleteI read that a few years ago and loved it :-) I also liked Lois Lenski's Indian Captive, based on a true stor
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