Posted in Book Reviews
Here's a book review by a daughter of Trivium Pursuit's Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn on yet another book by early 20th century author Allen French:"A review of the book, The Colonials: Being a narrative of events chiefly connected with the Siege and Evacuation of the town of Boston in New England, written by Allen French, published in 1902.
The year: 1772.
The setting: by the shores of Lake Huron in Michigan.
The characters: a young woodsman named Francis Ellery with his companion Benjy; a young English lieutenant; a young Indian captive, Alice Tudor; and an Indian named Anneb.
Frank wants to go to his home in Boston to get his inheritance from his dishonest uncle and see his younger brother, but he meets Alice, and she pleads with him to take her away from her captor Anneb and back home to her family in England. Frank bargains with Anneb for Alice. Anneb is a kind Indian and agrees to let Alice go as long as the English lieutenant will take her back along with Frank. The lieutenant is all too happy to have the girl to take care of -- too happy. He has villainous plans, but Frank and Benjy guess his plans and there is a fight in the lieutenant's cabin. The lieutenant is wounded in the forehead, and Benjy is wounded. At this moment the Indian Anneb shows himself in the door. He has guessed that those he had given Alice in the care of would fight over her, so he takes Alice and disappears with her into the night. Frank escapes with the wounded Benjy before he can be caught by the lieutenant's soldiers, but it is too late for Benjy, for the wound he received was a mortal wound. Before he dies, Benjy tells Frank that if he goes after the girl there will be nothing but trouble. But Frank remembers how Alice had pleaded with him and cannot bear the thought of her living her life with the Indians. He follows her and her captor into the wilderness. When he finally catches up with Anneb, his family, and Alice, he finds them nearly starving. Anneb (the only one fit to hunt for food) had broken his leg and the rest could not find food to eat in the cold winter. Frank stays with the Indians and Alice through the winter to hunt for them. Then an evil Indian (who was formerly known to Aneeb) wants Alice for a wife, and comes to their cabin. Of course Frank and Anneb will not give Alice up to him. The Indian returns a few days later with several other Indians, and the fight is on. All of the Indians are killed and Frank and Alice barely escape before their cabin is burned. Then begins the long track to the nearest friendly fort. Frank has no more bullets for his gun, and both Alice and he are nearly starved. There is one last piece of food, and Frank eats it so he will have the strength to pull Alice on the sled to the fort. He has the strength to pull her there, then collapses. Several days pass and Frank is still alive, although he looks as if he is dead. The men at the fort have contacted Alice's brother and decide to tell Alice that Frank is dead so that they can reunite her to her brother before he leaves for England. Truly believing that Frank is dead, Alice leaves. The men at the fort start to dig a grave, for they believe that they will need it soon. But will they?
The next part of the book begins several months later, in Boston. The city is full of British soldiers, and the war is pending. A stranger arrives in Boston and takes over as manager in the Ellery rope works. Everyone seems to like this stranger. He is so honest and upright.
Here this review must stop, or else I will give away the exciting story that then unfolds in Boston.
This book is one of the best books that I have read (or actually, heard, for Mom read it out loud to us). It is well written, the language is not too simplistic, it gives a good account of the history that was going on at that time, and, last but not least, it is a very captivating and exciting story that will not let you go until the end. I would recommend it for ages ten and up.
Ava Bluedorn
(written long ago)"
