The plot is a bit jumpy, but the history and the descriptions of Bermuda and the New World, as well as the sea voyage are rich and alive. The characters and their hardships are believable, though Serena, much of the time, was merely an observer. I was mostly disappointed with the book's summary on the cover, which says that Serena's view of Anthony Foxcroft would change. It doesn't. She suffers many hardships but her emotions are only described through her actions, which at times makes her seem like an unfeeling character. The other characters are similarly described, but as the story is not told from their perspective, it doesn't matter. Overall, I enjoyed the book and its connection to history. O'Dell obviously did a lot of research, and though the story started slow for me, the last half made up for it. I recommend this book to O'Dell fans and to those who enjoy historical fiction.
I read this book in one night in middle school. I was prompted to re-read by a discussion of what love is with my sister-in-law. At one point the romantic hero tries to get the herione to fall in love with his house so that she might therefore fall in love with him. He says that his sister married a man who trained pigeons because she loved to watch them tumble in the air. He concludes that you can never tell what women with fall in love with. I then said to Cheryl that I married David because he played the piano and I didn't but always wanted to own one.I just love Scott O'Dell! His characters are real and flawed and strong. I ate him up as a growing young woman. He wrote so many about strong young women. This one is about Jamestown. I had no idea Pocahontas was such an important part of the colonies survival. Or that the early settlers died of salt poisoning.
What do You think about Serpent Never Sleeps (1988)?
Having been a long-time Scott O'Dell fan, I was pleasantly surprised to come across this one. This is a fictional story about a young girl from England who by chance meets King James and ends up heading to the "New World" on a ship filled with settlers, food and supplies that was sent to help the starving settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. I read this one along with my 11-yr-old son and we both enjoyed it thoroughly. I learned a number of details and gained a surprising perspective on the events surrounding the Jamestown settlement and Pocahontas, who ends up being a key character in the latter part of the book. Highly recommended.
—Lori
