Review of The Satin Moth
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Ruth Shirk
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Review of The Satin Moth
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Satin Moth" by Jennie Dodd.]
In <i>The Satin Moth,</i> Jennie Dodd spins a tale filled with complex characters and rich family dynamics. The story begins with readers being introduced to Maddie, a young girl, and her interactions with her cousins, aunts and uncle, especially cousins Rowan and Clarissa. Maddie's backstory is poignant and sets the tone for the rest of the book. I could easily picture myself as a young girl pulling similar stunts with my cousins.
Next, Dodd takes the reader back to an African village in the 1750s, where readers meet a talented female warrior named Nabila. Nabila gives a doll to the king's daughter, who she takes care of when not performing military duties. The girl drops the doll during a military display, which the whole village is attending. Instantly, the girl forgets about the doll until she is about to fall asleep. When she remembers, she sneaks out of her sleeping quarters to hunt for the doll and is captured by slave traders. Upon discovering the girl's disappearance, Nabila and her partner go searching for the girl. After a horrific accident, which kills the partner, Nabila is also captured by the slave traders.
Nabila and the girl find themselves sold to work on a Caribbean sugar plantation, owned by the first lord of Eastlyn Castle. Dodd effectively illustrates the grim realities of African slave holding pens and slave ships, even though some readers may find her words a little gory. Especially onboard the ship, <i>The Black Stag</i> Dodd does an outstanding job of presenting the story from different viewpoints.
A powerful storm occurs and <i>The Black Stag</i> is lost at sea. The slaves and most of the crew perish. A miracle saves Nabila's life and she becomes a slave and trusted employee at Eastlyn Castle.
The lord's family suffers tragic fates for over 300 years. The first-born daughter of each generation dies while giving birth. Their offspring die when they are 13 years old on Christmas Eve. As Nabila, renamed Bella, performs her duties, questions arise. Could she have anything to do with this longstanding curse? Maddie and her cousins are determined to find out the truth and break the curse. Their journey takes them into a world of witchcraft as they strive to rewrite the family's dark legacy.
If you are captivated by witchcraft, history and family narratives, then this story is for you. While the story could benefit from better proofreading, the storyline easily shines through. There are a few instances of non-borderline profanity. The themes of faith and spirituality are woven throughout this story, but people of all beliefs can easily enjoy it. i give this book a 4 out of 5 since, I really loved the storyline and found the characters very realistic, but the grammar errors were tough to get around in some areas.
******
The Satin Moth
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
In <i>The Satin Moth,</i> Jennie Dodd spins a tale filled with complex characters and rich family dynamics. The story begins with readers being introduced to Maddie, a young girl, and her interactions with her cousins, aunts and uncle, especially cousins Rowan and Clarissa. Maddie's backstory is poignant and sets the tone for the rest of the book. I could easily picture myself as a young girl pulling similar stunts with my cousins.
Next, Dodd takes the reader back to an African village in the 1750s, where readers meet a talented female warrior named Nabila. Nabila gives a doll to the king's daughter, who she takes care of when not performing military duties. The girl drops the doll during a military display, which the whole village is attending. Instantly, the girl forgets about the doll until she is about to fall asleep. When she remembers, she sneaks out of her sleeping quarters to hunt for the doll and is captured by slave traders. Upon discovering the girl's disappearance, Nabila and her partner go searching for the girl. After a horrific accident, which kills the partner, Nabila is also captured by the slave traders.
Nabila and the girl find themselves sold to work on a Caribbean sugar plantation, owned by the first lord of Eastlyn Castle. Dodd effectively illustrates the grim realities of African slave holding pens and slave ships, even though some readers may find her words a little gory. Especially onboard the ship, <i>The Black Stag</i> Dodd does an outstanding job of presenting the story from different viewpoints.
A powerful storm occurs and <i>The Black Stag</i> is lost at sea. The slaves and most of the crew perish. A miracle saves Nabila's life and she becomes a slave and trusted employee at Eastlyn Castle.
The lord's family suffers tragic fates for over 300 years. The first-born daughter of each generation dies while giving birth. Their offspring die when they are 13 years old on Christmas Eve. As Nabila, renamed Bella, performs her duties, questions arise. Could she have anything to do with this longstanding curse? Maddie and her cousins are determined to find out the truth and break the curse. Their journey takes them into a world of witchcraft as they strive to rewrite the family's dark legacy.
If you are captivated by witchcraft, history and family narratives, then this story is for you. While the story could benefit from better proofreading, the storyline easily shines through. There are a few instances of non-borderline profanity. The themes of faith and spirituality are woven throughout this story, but people of all beliefs can easily enjoy it. i give this book a 4 out of 5 since, I really loved the storyline and found the characters very realistic, but the grammar errors were tough to get around in some areas.
******
The Satin Moth
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: A Long Night of Chaos by Paul Clark
