The Indigo Girl

\”The Indigo Girl\” is a great example of what I wish all historical fiction could be. Far too often for my patience or taste, I\’ll start reading something that makes it clear that the author thought all you needed to do was state the year, slap some period clothes on your paper-doll characters, and make a quick trip to Wikipedia, and there you have historical fiction. You don\’t, and the number of stinkers that have appeared in the genre in recent years has practically ruined historical fiction for me until one like this comes along. Not having known Eliza Pinckney\’s maiden name (so not recognizing the name Lucas), I actually didn\’t realize this was about \”that\” Eliza (whom I know only because I\’m a huge American history buff) until about a third of the way through the book when the character started sounding similar to her. Besides knowing that she turned indigo into a major cash crop for the colonies — an accomplishment that\’s a LOT more important than it sounds — I knew nothing about her life. I would have enjoyed the book just as much if it were not based on real life. The love story is beautiful and heart-grabbing without pulling cheap punches like unnecessarily schmaltzy situations or dialogue, and without trying to pander to our present-day voracity for sexuality by having the characters behave in ways they would not have, given the mores of the times. Again, good historical fiction. While I know it has nothing to do with the words that are inside, I like the cover art in that the woman\’s face is indistinguishable, suggesting that she has more or less faded into history. It\’s a shame this woman does not more often rate a place among the most vital contributors to early America, male or female.

The premise of a teenager in the colonies growing Indigo plants is quite an interesting storyline – however, the actual execution was SO typical. The free-spirited girl ahead of her time. The stuffy, mother who just wants her to get married. The doting but stern father. The loving nanny slave. I found the chapters where the protagonist was conversing with \”society\” the most insufferable portions of the book. You barely get to see her working on the actual Indigo plants for a tiny portion in the back half even though the author calls out the protagonist\’s gift for horticulture numerous times. But what I found the MOST egregious was the depiction of slaves. SO many times the protagonist refers to them as \”servants\” and is set up so that she treats them more like \”friends\” or even \”family.\” Almost painting it as if the lives of slaves were not that bad, and they were there on their own volition (a \”loyal\” slave is literally depicted coming back to the plantation when he had a chance to escape). There are \”good\” slaves who do her bidding and there\’s a \”bad\” slave. The protagonist can\’t for the life of her, figure out why the \”bad\” slave hates her so much even though she saved her from a beating. It was made to seem that the \”bad\” slave should\’ve been grateful to the protagonist for treating her like a human, and in the end, the \”bad\” slave learns her \”lesson\” (this book literally sets it up so that it seems like the universe punished the \”bad\” slave through a miscarriage). Just yikes, yikes, YIKES all around.

I began this book knowing very little about Eliza Lucas Pinckney and finished it with a new female historical hero. While The Indigo Girl is historical fiction, it is a book that is based on a very real woman who left an indelible legacy in American history. Eliza Lucas took over running her father\’s plantations, at the age of sixteen and at a time when it was unheard of–in fact \”indecent\”–for a young woman to even have such aspirations, and realized that it was necessary for her to make a large profit in order to keep her family\’s business afloat. She decided to take a chance, one that many told her she could not succeed at, and planted indigo. What follows is a story of strength, compassion, and a commitment to bettering the circumstances and living standards of not only Eliza\’s life, but that of the slaves on her father\’s plantations, as well. Eliza agreed to teach the slaves and their children to read, in return for their shared knowledge in indigo farming and processing. After some poor outcomes, she eventually became successful in developing indigo as one of the most important cash crops of Colonial South Carolina. The accomplishments of may great women in history often become eclipsed by their male counterparts–as was the case with Eliza Lucas Pinckney. Although it was obviously very well-researched, the addition of fictional characterization, within The Indigo Girl, is necessary and enjoyable. I loved the characters (even the ones I \”loved to hate\”) and the relationships between them and felt that Ms. Boyd\’s talent for storytelling and creating believable characters and dialogue made Eliza\’s history come alive. This is an overwhelmingly beautiful story and I was left engulfed in emotions, at the end.

I was very disappointed. This was a harlequin romance with the name of an actual person from history as one of the people in it. But, true historical fiction this was not.

I enjoyed two thirds of the book. Found the indigo history interesting. But afraid got quite bored after a while. Like another reviewer I found the slave Ben\’s part in the story contrived in fact the whole thing a bit B movie ish. I also felt Gone With The Wind was in the distant background in a very poor way

Galaxyaudiobook Member Benefit

- Able to comment

- List watched audiobooks

- List favorite audiobooks

- Bookmark will only available for Galaxyaudiobook member