The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew: Book Review and Giveaway

Review at a Glance

• Title: The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew
• My Rating: 4.5
• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Format: ARC*
• Publication Date: September 29, 2020
• Author: Denise Heinze

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The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew Book Blurb

Determined to set the historical record straight, and clear her conscience, Temperance Flowerdew — the wife of Virginia’s first two governors — puts quill to paper, recounting the hardships that nearly brought the Jamestown colony to its knees, and the extraordinary sacrifice of her servant girl, Lily.

When she steps aboard the Falcon in 1609, Temperance Flowerdew was not only setting sail from England to the distant shores of America, she was embarking upon a future of opportunity. She didn’t yet know how she would make her mark, but in this new place she could do or be whatever she wanted.

Willing as she is to brave this new world, Temperance is utterly ill-equipped to survive the wilderness; all she knows is how to live inside the pages of adventure and philosophy books. Loyally at her side, Lily helps Temperance weather pioneer life. A young woman running from lifelong accusations of witchcraft, Lily finds friendship with Temperance and an acceptance of her psychic gifts. Together, they forge paths within the community: Temperance attempts to advise the makeshift government, while Lily experiences the blossoming of first love.

But as the harsh winter approaches, Lily intuitively senses a darkness creep over the colony and the veneer of civilized life threatens to fall away — negotiations with the Indians grow increasingly hostile and provisions become scarce. Lily struggles to keep food on the table by foraging in the woods and being resourceful. Famine could mean the end of days. It’s up to Lily to save them both, but what sacrifice will be enough to survive?

A transporting and evocative story, The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew is a fiercely hopeful novel — a portrait of two intrepid women who choose to live out their dreams of a future more free than the past.

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | INDIEBOUND

Giveaway

The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew REVIEW

As a quick reminder, here is my rating structure:

• 1 star: Did not finish
• 2 Stars: Finished but I do not recommend
• 3 Stars: Liked but could use some improvements
• 4 Stars: Loved this book!
• 5 Stars: Rare. The unput-down-able, binge read obsession.

My Thoughts About The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew

The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew is a historical fiction novel about the Jamestown settlement and a real life historical figure we’ve never heard of named, Temperance Flowerdew.

This book serves as a stark reminder of the forgotten sacrifices of so many women throughout history. They seem to only cling to the edges of our history lessons, when in reality, they were the life giving, backbone of most stories.

With its slightly paranormal elements, TBATROTF is a phenomenally well written account from many different angles of the “starving time,” a winter in which the English inhabitants of Jamestown were reduced from 500 to about 60, temperance being one of the survivors.

The best part about this book was the writing style. While focusing mostly on Temperance and her maid Lily, intermittently the POV would shift to a different character, if only briefly to tell that person’s story or to give vital information.

The result of that chapter would give glimpses of how others actions, lives, and deaths affected Temperance and Lily. While at times disorienting to begin a new chapter in the thoughts of a stranger, I would almost always be in wonder as their particular story reached its end.

It’s an original way to approach a story and allowed the reader to see what was happening from all different perspectives.

This is a quick read, at less than 200 pages. Perfect for this fall weather, as darkness seems to loom throughout the book like an impending storm. October reading at its best.

not a fan of…

I really wish the book had been longer. I wanted to understand more of what happened, but I understand that there just isn’t a lot of source material to reference because women’s lives and accomplishments simply weren’t recorded. The book could have been expanded if we talked about Temperance’s husbands and brothers, since their records were left behind, but that ignores the premise of the book.

This is Temperance writing to give Lily a voice because she recognizes that even though she, herself, will be given a very minute amount of historical consideration, Lily will be given none.

Thanks so much to Denise Heinze, Blackstone Publishing, and HFVBT for my copy of The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew in exchange for an honest review.