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Sally Gunning - The Widow's War

Sally Gunning - The Widow's War
Overall Rating: Product Rating: 4.0
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The Widow's War

by - Written: Apr 26 '08

Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0
Pros: Well written, good story line, believable characters both good and bad

Cons: Few episodes not explained well

The Bottom Line: I enjoyed the book as it was well written and easy to read. The state of women back in the late 1960's was well described.
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grandgram's Full Review: Sally Gunning - The Widow's War
I was surprised that this book The Widow’s War by Sally Gunning had never been reviewed here on Epinions. It was my book club selection for our next month meeting. The book was published in 2006 and our Library has a group of these books available in soft cover for Book Clubs in the area to review. As my book club knows that I am a non-fiction book enthusiast and some of the more frivolous fiction books that are suggested are not my favorite thing to read. Although this book did hold my interest I will take the time to write a review for my epinion readers and friends.

It is a novel about the families of seamen who are left behind as they are gone months out to sea to hunt whales and food to make their living. It describes the small community of Satucket, Massachusetts and the lives they led during the early 1760’s. The main character is Lyddie Berry married to Edward Berry who is drown at sea in the very first chapter. The story is told from what happens to widow’s who then become a ward of the oldest living male in the family. Lyddie fought for her rights to live in her own home therefore the title of the book The Widow's War.

Although Lyddie was only 39 years old at the time her husband died she was distressed at being taken from her home and made to live with the family of her daughter and son-in-law Nathan Clark. She disliked this man as he was an older man with children when her daughter married him. He was dictatorial and seemed abusive and set in his ways. Their relationship was strained in many ways. At the time this man in her life wanted to sell her home to another family whose child was soon to be married. The more Lyddie thought about it she balked.

She had been introduced to a lawyer whose sister also was married to a seaman and was near when her husband drowned. This lawyer Eben Freeman who had lost his wife soon became part of Lyddie’s life. When the deeds were all drawn up and explained to her she knew that she deserved a third of her husband property and would not sign for the house to be sold. She would get a third of the money but she wanted the house. This caused Nathan to explode and she was practically thrown out of their home. She decided to move back in her house and take up the third that rightfully belonged to her.

Now she had no money and no way to earn any until she met the Indian Sam Cowett and his wife. When the wife became ill she nursed her until she died. The Indian then wanted to hire her to work for him to clean and cook. She kept having bad dream of her husband’s death and there was suspicion that the Indian who worked for Edward Berry and tried to save him may not have been true. Lyddie’s life became entangled with Eben Freeman, Sam Cowett and the people of the church and village. She became the talk of the town both good and bad.

Sally Gunning was a great writer making all the characters very real plus the research of how the people lived during that time. Describing the homes, food, clothes and equipment used to make their homes livable was excellent. The description of how the families survived the whaling boats time at sea. Using James Otis who at that time was fighting for human rights for slaves and also for women added an extra interest. This induced Lyddie to believe she had rights and that she was capable of living alone and caring for herself.

It showed what a strong character Lyddie was but she also had feelings and missing her husband was a burden for her. She let her feelings become entangled with the Indian Sam which was considered in the community a dreadful episode. Rumors fly fast in small communities and this one was no different. It made the book an interesting read for a novel that I finished it in two days. One could tell the author did a large amount of research which helps bring the history alive. Sally Gunning lives in Brewster, Massachusetts on Cape Cod and this is where the story in this novel exists. She also included a map to show the various places talked about in the book. All in all I have to admit this was a well written novel. HISTORICAL FICTION HELPS ONE GET A GLIMPSE OF OUR PAST IN STORY FORM!


Recommended:
Yes


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