The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz

 

In a land torn apart by conflict, can love mend the tattered pieces?

As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada's Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family--French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral--are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America's borderlands.

As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William's, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past to navigate the present and forge an enduring future.

Review:

 I could literally taste the research that went into this novel. The setting... goodness... I felt like I was actually in 1754. The words carried me into the Acadian homes, had me tasting the apple cider from their orchards, and feeling the cold bite of winter and the splash of frigid waves. The word choices were suburb, and the language used was completely on point for that time and era. I really appreciated the delicate use of French throughout the novel, as it paid a wonderful homage to the roots of the Acadians. 

 

I picked up this book because it is about Canada's Acadians, and the brutal history they were forced to be part of when the French and English destroyed their lives. This story is heartbreaking, truthful ... but also beautiful. I am so glad Laura Frantz decided to weave a novel into this difficult setting. Her cast of characters told the story wonderfully. Blue in all his espionage and war prowess, Pere and his role in Acadie, Sylvie’s sweet sister… I honestly felt like I was there, living the story with them. Sylvie, our heroine, is enchanting, and Blackburn had me nearly swooning from the first mention of him on the page. He is a worthy hero.

 

Thank-you to Revell Reads for an opportunity to review this book.