Trouble is coming for Etienne Gayneau and his friends at home and at sea as the English prepare to invade New Netherland, pirates roam the oceans, and pandemics and storms threaten to turn their worlds upside down.
Twelve-year-old Etienne takes to the sea againin 1664 in a desperate move to earn the money his father needs to repay their debt only to find himself shanghaied onto a pirate ship captained by none other than his old rival, Jacob Janssen van den Burgh. He will soon discover that this voyage will test his character and his faith as he must choose whether to follow the easy path that leads to destruction or the harder road to self-discovery and redemption.
Meanwhile, back in the colonies, his friends must traverse their own difficult paths to self-discovery as they struggle to find their places in their own communities. Alsoomse resists following the traditional gender roles and her mother’s expectations as she must make a seemingly impossible choice to discover her rightful place in the tribe. And Abraham, wrestles with his own mixed heritage and fights to prove his worth to his father as he must choose the kind of man he will become.
The standout third novel in Cetas’s Country for Castoffs series deftly blends historical fiction and a compelling coming-of-age story centered on the whaling industry in 17th century New England and the lives of three determined, relatable young people, Etienne, Alsoomse, and Abraham, finding their place in a changing world. The humane Etienne, introduced in Thrown to the Wind, is now bound on a ship working as a seaman, while his friend Alsoomse, of the Lenape tribe, is carving a path for herself as a medicine woman in her community. And Abraham, who can’t believe Etienne is friends with a girl, aspires to prove himself a worthy man, hoping to help his father in his whaling business. They are on separate journeys, but their lives intertwine with each other’s and that of the New World itself, as Cetas frankly depicts the religious, cultural, economic, and political realities of the colonies with an emphasis on family and friendship.Cetas draws deeply on the historical record to create her cast and the enthralling challenges they face. At sea, Etienne is kidnapped by a pirate named Jacob Janssen van den Burgh, a figure based on a real pirate, while Abraham’s story is inspired from the story of the Dayton family of Long Island, whose whaling company and relationships with Native Americans prove fascinating. The diverse perspectives of a European family, a native American family, and a mixed-heritage lineage illuminate the complexities of the era without diminishing narrative momentum. While Abraham is learning to accept both his white ancestry and his mother’s Montauk heritage, Alsoomse is growing to understand her place in her tribe.
Much of the book deals with the emotional turmoil of adolescents trying to make sense of life as they experience their own transformation of mind and body. Other themes explored include whaling and the transatlantic slave trade, which is depicted with searing disgust. This briskly paced and engaging novel’s climax will leave history-minded readers yearning for more.
Takeaway: Illuminating, richly researched novel of coming-of-age in the American colonies.
Comparable Titles: Caroline Starr Rose’s Bluebirds, Laurie Halse Anderson’s Seeds of America series.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
