Scan barcode
A review by thebooktrail88
Song of the Sea Maid by Rebecca Mascull
5.0
Travel the journey here: Booktrail of the Sea Maid
A poor woman makes an important scientific discovery in times past but will she be remembered or ridiculed?
From London to the islands of Portugal, this is the story of a woman on the biggest mission of her life
Dawnay’s journey of discovery takes her from the poverty of a London orphanage to the stunning Berlengas archipelago, the island of Minorca and the cool crisp blue waters of the Mediterranean of the 18th century.
Travelling by boat in a time where single women did not travel alone and where travelling in explored territories was risky and dangerous. Her soul is described as a ‘nomadic one which cannot be cured by reading from the Arabian Nights’ like the son of her tutor, Mr Applebee.
This journey is one of discovery, exploration, wonderment, scientific importance and wonderful evocative images of seeing new lands, plants, animals, people and a whole new world.
‘They have slackened my rope and given me a taste of the world beyond my fence. And I will have more of it, mark my words’
From the heartbreaking days in the orphanage to the series of events which sees her boarding a ship to Portugal, I was with Dawnay all the way. Her voice, vision and intelligence puts others to shame and you just know she’s getting to Portugal one was or another
What would have happened had this lady and others like her had not made their discoveries? Would Darwin and other male scientists which followed have been able to do what they did? The author calls her the wrong person at the wrong time of history and that in itself is a sobering thought when reading the novel.
The research is outstanding but never gets in the way of plot. I was there with a notebook wanting to discover things as she did, marvelling at the pictures which formed inside my mind. The historical notes at the back of the books simply added to the overall excitement that this was based on real facts.
The clever weaving of real life historical events, such as the Lisbon earthquake really added to the overall atmosphere and time of the novel.
Quite a discovery!
A poor woman makes an important scientific discovery in times past but will she be remembered or ridiculed?
From London to the islands of Portugal, this is the story of a woman on the biggest mission of her life
Dawnay’s journey of discovery takes her from the poverty of a London orphanage to the stunning Berlengas archipelago, the island of Minorca and the cool crisp blue waters of the Mediterranean of the 18th century.
Travelling by boat in a time where single women did not travel alone and where travelling in explored territories was risky and dangerous. Her soul is described as a ‘nomadic one which cannot be cured by reading from the Arabian Nights’ like the son of her tutor, Mr Applebee.
This journey is one of discovery, exploration, wonderment, scientific importance and wonderful evocative images of seeing new lands, plants, animals, people and a whole new world.
‘They have slackened my rope and given me a taste of the world beyond my fence. And I will have more of it, mark my words’
From the heartbreaking days in the orphanage to the series of events which sees her boarding a ship to Portugal, I was with Dawnay all the way. Her voice, vision and intelligence puts others to shame and you just know she’s getting to Portugal one was or another
What would have happened had this lady and others like her had not made their discoveries? Would Darwin and other male scientists which followed have been able to do what they did? The author calls her the wrong person at the wrong time of history and that in itself is a sobering thought when reading the novel.
The research is outstanding but never gets in the way of plot. I was there with a notebook wanting to discover things as she did, marvelling at the pictures which formed inside my mind. The historical notes at the back of the books simply added to the overall excitement that this was based on real facts.
The clever weaving of real life historical events, such as the Lisbon earthquake really added to the overall atmosphere and time of the novel.
Quite a discovery!