“The historical novels Sally Watson has laid in Great Britain and America are separate and complete, yet are united by a family tree. They romp across four centuries, from 1582 London to 1892 Northern California. No one gets a starring role twice, but main characters sometimes reappear in another book in a relatively minor role as grandparent, sibling, cousin, lover or even a wayward eyebrow. The predominant family trait seems to be producing and marrying strong-willed women. Though the protagonists range in age from eleven to adult, and some are specifically juvenile and others definitely adult, the characterization, vocabulary, and plotting are appropriate to all ages from—say—eleven up.”
Wikipedia, Sally Watson page
It is rare for me to quote Wikipedia in a book review. But, for the most part, I think this is a lovely introduction to any review of the Sally Watson English Family Tree books.
I received a stack of Sally Watson books as a gift from our friends at Biblioguides, which was a delight. Lara, Sarah, and Tanya have talked about them many times, and I have always been curious. My reading piles are everywhere, however, and I just did not know when I would have time to sit and read. Despite having searched Audible in the past for Sally Watson books to no avail, I looked again. And there, quite magically, were three of the English Family Tree books just released as part of Audible’s new “Virtual Voice” catalog. And, to my dismay, the recording is mostly very good. I listened at 1.25x speed and the English accent was delightful. There were a few places where the AI didn’t know what a word was, and it made a garbled sound, but there was very little of that. And, for less than $5, it seemed to be an excellent value. So, into the world of Sally Watson I ventured. And I was rewarded!
This book is fun, exciting, so interesting, and genuinely hard to put down. I loved it, and I have four library patrons in mind who will have to fight over who gets to borrow it first. That said, there are some challenging bits in here that I think a parent may wish to know about. So, as you read on, know that I loved the book and am so glad to have it. But also know that I think it is best suited to a reader about 12 and older. After my general thoughts, I will highlight the challenges as I see them.
“A painter (supposing that God and Cromwell had approved such an unPurtain occupation) might have done a portrait of the small-boned figure with snowy cap and collar and grave young face. He would have doubtless called it ‘Industrious Puritan Child,’ in which he would have been mistaken on all three counts. For Lark was older than she looked, and her private thoughts were lamentably worldly, and her great industry was simply because Uncle Jeremiah had just arrived home last night and she was trying (though without much hope) to escape one of his interminable family prayers.”
Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth Lennox, called Lark by her family, was the daughter of English royalists loyal to King Charles I. When Elizabeth’s father was made lame in the defense of the Crown, he and his family escaped to France in exile. Before Lark and her mother and siblings could leave, however, her Puritan uncle, Jeremiah Talbot, descended on the Lennox home with Roundhead soldiers loyal to Cromwell. Uncle Jeremiah had always planned that his son, Will-of-God, would marry Elizabeth. And so, with her father in disgrace, Jeremiah removed Lark from her family under the pretense of doing the will of God to save her soul from the heathen royalist prejudices of her parents. For the last three years, Lark had been living in her uncle’s home secretly learning to hate everything about her Puritan relations.
In 1651, James Trelawney “had an adventurous spirit as well as a deep loyalty to his young King, Charles II, who had been crowned in Scotland last January.” Eighteen-year-old James is a messenger for the defeated Royalists, risking his life and liberty to send critical messages throughout England and Wales. When Lark runs away from her kidnappers, she quickly finds herself in trouble. But the adventurous James comes to her aid, and the two become companions on the dangerous journeys.
Headstrong and deceptively young-looking, Lark is convinced that she can make it to her sister in Scotland. James, however, instantly feels protective of the delightful, albeit stubborn, “young child” who seems to have fallen into his care.
James has important work to do, and yet he feels bound to deliver Lark into safe hands. Lark is not interested in being returned to her abusive extended family, nor is she interested in sitting on the sidelines while being babysat. A contest of wills ensues that is tempered only by one sticky situation after another.
Despite their opposing goals, the two become an excellent team at fooling the Puritans and their Roundhead soldiers. And the more they work together, the more affection develops between them. Lark is well aware of her age, but James is baffled by the maturity and clear thinking of what he thinks is a child. Ultimately, their relationship comes to a head and they are put on the same path until both must leave England together in the opposite direction either of them intended to go.
This story is so much fun. The writing is excellent and the story itself has layers to it. This is rich food for the feast we seek to lay before our children. Lark does a lot of introspection and matures a great deal through the perilous adventures. Not only does she become more humble and wise, but she also learns how to pray for the grace to see and correct her faults and to be charitable towards the feelings and needs of others. Good examples are there for our young readers to explore.
A discerning parent may wish to read along (or listen in) so as to be able to discuss certain aspects of the story with your reader. The story is similar in style and level to many of the books reprinted by one of my favorite small presses, Bethlehem Books. However, it does contain some complex ethnic and religious situations. Also, there is some strangeness about the budding romance. I think Watson handles these things mostly well, but you will want to know they are there.
First, the Romani people. James is a high-born English noble. But in his work for the Crown, he often finds himself in scrapes. We learn in this book that some time before, he has become a blood brother of a Gypsy boy. When James and Lark are hiding from Roundheads, they are discovered by a clan of Romanis and are taken in. The two spend some time with the clan, and they all develop a strong attachment to each other. However, the Romani people are described in ways that are probably accurate but also unflattering. While Sheba and her people are heroes in this novel, they do steal and swindle, and they live by a very different code than we are accustomed to.
Second, corporal punishment. Historical novels reflect their time and whippings and spankings were commonplace at that time. In this story, however, there is a fair amount of conversation about the moral responsibility of men to correct their women physically. In one scene a gypsy girl is terribly disrespectful to the boy she hopes to marry. He carries her off, and Lark can hear what sounds like Willow being spanked. When the couple re-emerges, Willow has in fact gotten what her people think was due to her. But Willow is delighted because it means that she and Neco are now engaged.
Later on, Will-of-God discovers Lark and plans to beat her into submission. Of course, James would never let that happen, and between him and Lark they improvise an interesting situation that puts Will-of-God off his game. However, the narrator tells us that James has just about had it with Lark’s willful ways, and he is sure she does deserve a spanking, but no one will give it to her except for him. That never does happen, but I found it unsettling that even James thought it right to spank the woman he intended to marry.
Third, the romance between Lark and James. This is one of the most fun elements of the story but also one of the trickiest bits. James believes that Lark is a child. And yet, for good reason, he develops true romantic feelings for her.
In 1651 the age of consent for girls was between 12 and 14 years old. Lark is old enough to be engaged, if not married. To protect herself from being married off to Will-of-God, Lark had done everything in her power to retain the appearance and mannerisms of a child. And because of the acting they were doing to travel unnoticed, she persists in letting everyone believe she is James’s little sister. And, because she doesn’t want James to stop traveling with her, she lets him continue to believe in her youth as well. This works well to keep the story innocent and chaste. James is terribly confused by Lark’s true age, and he never gives in to his growing feelings for her. But, she is completely in love with him. And the Romani know better. Lark acts like a jealous girlfriend when Willow is around and flirting with James. This further confuses James and adds a brooding romantic tension to the story.
Finally, Watson has no love for the Puritans and her characterization of them is completely negative. One way in which she leads the reader to dislike them is in their righteous defense of male authority over weak women. Despite the cultural norms and prejudices of the time, however, Watson gives us many strong female characters. The leader of the Romani people is the matriarch Sheba. One of the strongest royalist characters is a woman innkeeper named Doll. James’s mother is fantastic and takes center stage for a few pages. Lark’s grandmother plays a pivotal role at the end. And Lark is always pretty impressive.
None of these observations would prevent me from loving and sharing this book. It does, however, help me to resolve that this book should not be given to many readers younger than 12. I think the complexities around these cautions merit a more mature reading.
Learn more about this and other Sally Watson books at Biblioguides.