Customer Reviews

Bound: A Novel

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Following on her first book about life in 18th century Brewster, Cape Cod, "The Widow's War", Ms. Gunning has produced another even more thoughtful and thought-provoking book in the same venue. This book has more historical content but most importantly, the author continues to be able to see, in what seems to be a surprisingly authentic tour de force, into the minds of her 18th century characters. She never makes the mistake of applying 20th or 21st centuray mind-sets and reactions to her population. Ms. Gunning manages to be very tough--this is not chick lit--on the other hand she can make us believe in and care for her creations.....

Despite some characters that could have been fleshed out more - and I really wanted to know more about them! - this was a very good piece of historical fiction set in the 18th century in Boston and on Cape Cod. Being a Cape Codder myself, I very much enjoyed the local flavor of the story but even without the local connection I think you will like this page turner of a story. Recommended!

I picked up this book at my local (Cape Cod) library because it was about the area that I have lived in for most of my life. The librarian told me about the previous book, "The Widow's War". When I asked if I needed to read that first she said I did not. I do feel now after reading "Bound" first and then "The Widow's War" that it would be best to read them in order. They are both wonderfully written and books that I did not want to put down. I travel the same roads and locations every day that are in the books and now find myself looking for the "Widow Berry" and many of the other landmarks. Hope to meet the author at one of her local book signings.

Gunning picks a volatile time in history, beginning in 1756, when little Alice Cole arrives in Boston with only her father, her mother and brothers unable to survive the voyage. It is also a time of turmoil in the pre-Revolutionary America, King George's increasing taxation riling the colonies, who have begun to deliberate their options in an untenable situation. Long political arguments are commonplace, people deeply troubled by the King's increasing demands and resistant to unfair taxation. When the Cole family fails to survive the voyage intact, Alice's father pays for the passages by putting his seven-year-old daughter into indentured servitude, the family's grand plans sundered and years of bondage ahead.

Gunning uses her small protagonist to illustrate the rigors of colony life for those of low economic status. While slavery is an accepted practice, Gunning emphasizes the other form of slavery practiced at the time, indenture. Although the terms of ownership expire by a certain contractual date, unscrupulous owners frequently alter the papers of their servants. It is through Alice's experiences as an indentured servant that we understand the precariousness of such situations. Happily for Alice, the gentleman who buys her contract treats her well, a companion to his daughter, Nabby, only three years older. When Nabby makes an advantageous marriage to Emery Verley of Medfield, the fifteen-year-old girl becomes his property. The situation becomes impossible for Alice soon after the marriage and she flees the household. She finds a temporary home on Satucket on Cape Cod with a widow and her boarder, Freeman.

Alice's respite is short-lived, Verley's actions bearing unexpected consequences and a hearing before a court. Drawing from actual historical events, the author writes a chilling tale of bondage and betrayal, Alice literally fighting for her life. Such a young woman cannot even speak for herself in a court of law, depending on her attorney, Freeman, to tell her story of abuse effectively. Alice is fearful, even of the widow who has given her shelter, the romantic notions of a Harvard-bound young man exacerbating the situation. While tragic, Alice's story is not unique, a female at the mercy of society. With many mistakes and one good decision- to trust Freeman- Alice exemplifies the plight of indentured servants who have no voice and no rights. The approaching revolution mirrors the struggle in Alice's heart, freedom at the hands of others, security an illusion. Luan Gaines/2009.

What would it be like to not know the taste of freedom?

Alice Cole has been BOUND most of her life. As a young child, she was sold by her father as an indentured servant. For awhile, things were calm as her master was kindly and treated her as if she were part of the family. But then she is given to a new master...and things take a sudden turn for the worst. Alice commits the "ultimate sin" of an indentured servant by running away. However, in running away, Alice learns that the past is never truly gone unless you face it head on.

I have very mixed feelings about this book as it was certainly not an easy book to read. The entire concept of slavery and the indentured servant simply disgusts me to no end. People are not chattel, objects to be bought and sold. Sally Gunning makes this point very clear, particularly as Alice doesn't even understand some of the nuances of the entire process.

However, Alice is not easily likable. In fact, I wanted to feel compassion for her and for her situation but it was hard not to be angered by her behaviors. It was almost as if she didn't know how to accept the kindness offered by the widow, Lyddie Berry, and the lawyer Eben Freeman. Alice's entire personality has been shaped and molded by her various masters rather than by any true exploration of her life on her own terms so perhaps this is understandable.

BOUND is not a fast paced book but rather one that slowly develops as the story unfolds. There was one section that seemed to drag endlessly as it seemed all Alice was doing was spinning. The reasons become evident later but the pace stuttered for a bit during this particular section.

BOUND has many aspects that are unsettling and even a bit disturbing. In fact, I think that this is Sally Gunning's point, particularly after reading the historical note at the end. BOUND is a well written and thought provoking book although the intensity of the issues involved makes it a difficult read.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Loved this book - after reading another Sally Gunning book, knew she was a good author. This work of historical fiction is captivating reading. Sally Gunning draws you into the world of colonial America and the difiiculties women faced during that time. You will not be able to put this book down after you start reading.

Sally Gunning's novel, "Bound," is the story of a girl whose father dreamed of a better world, one he finally could not afford. After the death of his wife and two sons abaoard ship, her father sold her into indenture to pay his debts. Thus, at eight years old, aboard ship and newly orphaned, Alice Cole is sent off as servant to strangers. Despite those tragedies, her early years are quite positive a benign family and kindly master to serve. Alice's new world also includes a friend in her master's daughter. That world turns upside down when her childhood friend is married and Alice is sent to serve in her supposed friend's new home. There, her friends' new husband turns physically and sexually abusive, such treatment finally forcing Alice to runaway.

The remainder of the novel teeter totters back and forth between the kindly treatment of a seemingly mysterious mismatched couple who shelter her and give her room and board for which she worked in the house and gardens. After her devastating change of fortune, Alice can never seem to accept people who mean well, or to respond appropriately to those of good will. Rather, the reader watches helplessly as filled with suspicion and fear, Alice makes one poor choice after another always choosing the less happy trail. At one low point, Alice is accused of murdering her own baby (conceived in the rape of her former employer) and is tried for the crime.

Despite the decided darkness of "Bound," it is a wonderful book, one that feeds our need for fully developed characters whom we literally see grow before our eyes. Ms. Gunning has the "voice" of the historical period just right, never stepping outside the world of what might have been known in mid-8th century America. Another great thing about "Bound" is that this author also has an awesome, lyrical style and frequently introduces unexpected phrases that are so lovely one steps back to catch a breath and repeat the language in order to savor it on the tongue, e.g., "a slightly flattened moon had blossosmed out of the dark shoreline," "daylight hadn't quite finished with the room," "just as the sky had begun to shut down," etc., etc.

As part of the setting for this novel, we watch, too, as the colonies prepare for the inevitable revolution begun with the stamp tax and the role of women in colonial American. In the process of the colonies' preparation to oppose the stamp tax, we also learn about the manufacture of fabics and clothing construction -- and what's more, Sally Gunning personalizes the action with the sound of women's dresses and their walking in crinolines.

Like a good meal, Ms. Gunning leaves us with a full, satisfied feeling and we leave the table she has prepared with a certain knowledge of a place peopled by characters we know, an engaging, can't-put-it-down reading experience.

"Bound: A Novel" written by Sally Gunning (The Widow's War) and published by William Morrow; is a fictional accounting of Alice Cole and her journey from England to the American colonies. Learn how Alice goes from being a free 7 year old child with a father, to that of an indentured servant,or slave. An eye opening and thoroughly absorbing story told during the pre-Revolutionary years of 1756 to 1765, from Boston to Cape Cod.

Alice's father is forced, after the deaths of her Mother and brothers at sea, to put her in indentured servitude for 11 years. Her first family is a loving family that sees to her needs while she works off her service. The daughter, Nabby marries and Alice's service papers are transferred to Nabbies husband who then starts to abuse Alice. Alice manages to escape and finds herself working with/for Lyddie Berry (see THE WIDOW'S WAR) and her companion Eben Freeman. Shown kindness for the first time, Alice starts to relax into the day to dayness of it all. Until a secret Alice holds close to her heart ruins everything.

History and law, in this pre-revolutionary time, comes alive under Ms Gunnings clever story weaving, as she wraps the truth of the times with the fiction of one persons "story". This tale could have been told as a maudlin tear jerker, yet, refreshingly it was not. I do hope that a third book will make it's way from Ms Gunning's pen to let us know more about Nate (an important secondary character) and how his life unfolded after Bound ended.

I loved this thought provoking, eye -opening, enjoyable (albeit sad) read of the times and lives of our forefathers and if you are a fan of Historical Fiction, this is a book you will be sure to want to include in your library.

This book was initially bewildering. Sally Gunning begins her book in a style that at first made me believe it was a work written for juveniles. She introduces Alice, a seven year old girl who is about to embark on a sea voyage from London to the colonies to begin a new life with her family. The tone and style of the writing brought to mind a young adult novel. Her choice of words assumed an air of being pared down for a younger reading audience, and the narrative style was constrained. After getting past the first chapter, it became clear that the previous chapter was meant to infer that it was written as if in Alice's seven year old perspective. I thought that this was hindering, and not very adeptly done. In my opinion, it would have been better to use one writing style continuously throughout the book. The ultimate effect was that it was jarring, and I had a hard time getting into the story as a result.

After a wretched sea voyage, in which most of her family dies, Alice is deposited on the shores of New England only to be sold to a stranger in indentured servitude by her father, who apparently didn't have enough money for the family's voyage. Alice is whisked away to the Morton household to begin her service. The book glosses over the several years that Alice gives her service to the family, who is kind to her and treats her as if she is one of them. When the older Morton daughter, Nabby, marries, Alice's indenture contract is given to Nabby's husband, and there begins Alice's strife and struggles. When Alice sees the confusion of the new household and the devastation that settles at her feet, she runs away from her new station. In her escape, she meets the Widow Barry and a man named Eban Freeman who help her and give her refuge from her misfortune. Alice, however, is hiding a secret. This secret threatens to destroy her new found life, and puts her at odds with everyone around her. As the novel progresses, Alice's problems become multiplied and she is caught in a web of deceit and danger. Alice must face extreme adversity with only the widow and Freeman at her side.

One pleasant aspect of the book was the amount of historical period detail that was given. Though it wasn't filled with minutiae, it was very informative and interesting as a whole.<span id="writely-comment-id-dc9ctdmv" class="writely-comment" style="background-color: rgb(255, 227, 192);"></span> On the other side of the coin, I found the sub-plot involving the boycott of British products and it's political ramifications to be a dull plot contrivance. It wasn't detailed enough to be meaningful or historically informative. I believe that it detracted from other elements in the story that could have been delved into further.

Another flaw in the book was the lack of growth in Alice's character. She remained suspicious and manipulative throughout the story, and used such ill judgment at times that it was frustrating to behold. Although I can understand that her circumstances and experiences led her to behave this way, she never seemed to revise her opinion that everyone around her was a secret enemy, waiting to betray her, regardless of how kindly they treated her. It was most aggravating to see her mind work out the most negative conclusions to every trial she faced, though the hope in her situations was plain to see. I felt as though she remained closed-minded and wary to the detriment of further emotional exploration within herself.

The other characters in the book seemed very two-dimensional. The widow was mostly quiet and taciturn, and it was hard to gauge the love for Alice that prompted her to want help the young girl. It was obvious that she came to love Alice, but what were her motivations for that love, where had her love for the girl originated? Freeman was only slightly more understandable. It was clear that he was suspicious of Alice, as she was of him, but in time he began to see Alice from a different perspective. What was not clear was why he continued to trust and respect her as she went along betraying him time after time. Even in the conclusion of the book, Alice continues to act dishonestly and rashly, and he meekly forgives her without a word of dissent. Why?? I just didn't understand the reasoning behind his forgiveness and love.

Though I had many problems with this book, I was amazed at how involving it actually was. I felt compelled to keep reading and discover what fate held in store for Alice, and what she would do with it. I think most of the problems for me came in the execution of the book, as the plot was very interesting and fluid, whereas the style and character development fell flat. I wanted to love this book. In the end I only liked it.

I love to read historical fiction. When I read really well written historical fiction, I feel I get a double pleasure, both from reading an exciting story and learning something about history at the same time. However, I hate to discover anachronisms in historical novels, and I especially cannot tolerate psychological anachronisms. By that I mean having the novel's characters act or think in ways that would not be typical or even imaginable from their historical point of view.

No such problem exists in Bound by Sally Gunning. Not only is this story about a young girl bound at age seven as an indentured servant in colonial New England rich in historical and accurate detail, but the girl Alice Cole acts exactly as you would expect her to, given her family, fortune, education, and surroundings. If Alice had acted self confident, brash, and entitled as a 21st century child might have done, we would not have believed the harrowing dilemmas she finds herself facing, nor would we have believed the various stratagems she devises to save herself. She makes the mistakes an undereducated, undervalued, ill informed servant girl would make. She is forced into situations that her unprotected status seems to invite. She does not know whom to trust, and she sometimes abuses the trust of those who seek to help her. Yet something universal, the need for protection, safety, and for affection strengthens and guides Alice, making her feel and think like a human being, rather than an object to be owned and abused.

Early in the book Alice, now a young teenager and with several years left to her indenture, flees her abusive employer and seeks refuge with a friendly widow named Lyddie Berry living on Cape Cod. But even in the early colonial times when local travel took days and the printed word was scarce and illiteracy common, an escaped servant could not hope to remain hidden for long. Soon Alice finds herself bound in more ways than her indenture papers would commit her and facing judgments that could take her life as well as her freedom.

The dramatic and dangerous colonial politics of the 1760's serves as the backdrop for this story of a young girl discovering the meaning of freedom and how much she is willing to risk to attain it. Reading Bound is to step back into those tumultuous, world changing times and at the same time to care, very much, about the fate of one young servant girl.