My Thoughts and More on Mary by Shannon McNear

 

About the Book

Book: Mary

Author: Shannon McNear

Genre: Historical/Christian/Romance Fiction

Release date: October, 2022

Worlds Collide Along the Shores of the Outer Banks

Immerse yourself in the “what if” questions related to the Lost Colony of Roanoke. What if an English boy and a native girl met in the wilderness? The push-and-pull between two very different worlds begins as one seeks simple friendship and the other struggles to trust. And can it—dare they—allow it to be more?

Sparks fly between Mushaniq, free-spirited daughter of Manteo, and Georgie Howe, whose father was brutally murdered by undiscovered native warriors before they’d been on Roanoac Island a full week. As Georgie struggles to make sense of his life and to accept that not all they call “savage” are guilty of his father’s death, Mushaniq grapples with her own questions about who Manteo has become. As tentative friendship becomes more, forged in the fire of calamity and attack upon their community, both must decide whether the One True God is indeed who He claims to be and whether He is worthy of their trust.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Mary is an interesting book for many reasons. One is that it is not only a sequel, but also a parallel book to the first, Elinor, in the Daughter of the Lost Colony series. It also is a fictional account of what may have happened to the lost colony of Roanoke and asks the question what if.

This story is mainly about Mushaniq, a young native girl, and Georgie Howe, a young boy from England who has lost his father in the new world. It is the story of how their very different cultures collide in a land that is destined to become a great nation through the providence of God. This story is told in different viewpoints, most notably Georgie, Mushaniq, and her father Manteo who was a native who went to live in London for a while. Manteo brings back knowledge from his experiences, a faith in God, and an understanding with the English.

This at times can be a hard book to read. The author did not shy away from difficult subjects, especially on how the different cultures lived, showing both good points and bad from each one. The struggles were more than just the outward appearance. It also showed that the spiritual struggles of men and women are not limited to just a culture or a time, but they are universal. King Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun. 

There is also the battle between the peoples, the killing and the kidnapping that was happening. As this one particular tribe tried to live with the English and as their lives were intermingling, some saw that there was a war that had deeper spiritual meaning. That they were actually fighting the little gods of this land as the truth of the One true Creator was sweeping across and breaking down barriers and people were turning to him. This story gave a lot of food for thought that I will be thinking on for a while. 

There are plenty of notes to help with some of the unfamiliar phrases and such. I also appreciated the incredible research the author went through. I learned some things I did not know. I look forward to the next in the series, it sounds like another harrowing one.

I was provided with a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in Charleston, South Carolina, Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. She’s a military wife, mom of eight, mother-in-law of three, grammie of two, and a member of ACFW and RWA. Her first novella, Defending Truth in A Pioneer Christmas Collection, was a 2014 RITA® finalist. When she’s not sewing, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies. Connect with her at www.shannonmcnear.com, or on Facebook and Goodreads.

 

More from Shannon

Why did I write Mary? The series started as an idea suggested by my editor and soon became something of an obsession. This installment was inspired partly by the Legend of the Coharie, a fragment of the very murky history surrounding the Roanoke Colony and the Lumbee people of North Carolina. According to this legend, George Howe, the son of the colonist by same name who was brutally murdered a few days after their landing on Roanoke Island, married a daughter of Manteo, the Native man who traveled twice to England, later led a group of the colonists inland for refuge and eventually became an ancestor of the Lumbees. Then, as my Lost Colony research expanded, my interest in the nuances of two cultures meeting and blending grew into a desire to pay tribute to what might have been the first (and possibly only) example of European and Native peoples living together in peace. Imagine if this had been the defining moment of our country’s founding?

As usually happens, fictional characters (even those based on historical figures) sooner or later run away with the story—and that’s the part I find most exciting! I hope you, the readers, also enjoy this tale of Mushaniq (squirrel in Carolina Algonquian) and Georgie, which serves as both a parallel story and sequel to Elinor.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 26

Remembrancy, October 27

Inkwell Inspirations, October 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 28

Texas Book-aholic, October 29

Hallie Reads, October 29

Inklings and notions, October 30

For Him and My Family, October 30

deb’s Book Review, October 31

To Everything There Is A Season, October 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 1

Holly’s Book Corner, November 1

Betti Mace, November 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 2

Connie’s History Classroom, November 3

Mary Hake, November 3

Bizwings Blog, November 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 5

A Reader’s Brain, November 6

Sylvan Musings, November 6

Through the Fire Blogs, November 7

Pause for Tales, November 8

Spoken from the Heart, November 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Shannon is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/22447/mary-celebration-tour-giveaway