BOUND

A debut historical novel explores slavery, land rights, and botany in colonial Canada.

With her intellectual curiosity, Moorish father, and aversion to marriage, Suzanna Torriano is unusual in 18th-century London. But it’s when she travels to St. John’s Island in Canada (now Prince Edward Island) as the mistress of its new governor, Walter Patterson, that Suzanna truly stands out. Eager to learn about her new home, Charlotte Town, Suzanna explores the markets and forests and develops her interest in “finding and identifying plants,” hoping to send notable discoveries to a prominent botanist in London. But she also learns that her new home still permits slavery and that Patterson’s decision-making is propelled by a greedy lust for power. He becomes obsessed with luring British loyalists to the island, even if it means pushing out hardworking tenants. He also believes that slavery is necessary for the island to prosper, and his complete aversion to emancipation is repugnant to Suzanna. When a pregnant enslaved woman is unfairly charged with stealing money from her owner’s desk—a crime punishable by hanging—Suzanna yearns to help her. But there are many distractions, including Ian MacDonald, a handsome Scottish settler. Redmond is an impeccable researcher, and she expertly conjures the sights and smells of St. John’s Island. Descriptions of scents, such as “freshly-pulled onions piled on carts, stacks of newly-mown hay, occasional whiffs of salt from the harbour, and musk of human and animal sweat,” immediately transport readers to another time and place. Unfortunately, her characters often feel like one-dimensional pawns, and the story would have benefited from more scenes between Suzanna and Ian. Nevertheless, lovers of historical fiction—particularly Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series—will find much to enjoy here.

Despite a few flaws, a well-researched, engaging tale about a colonial island’s diverse inhabitants.