Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Call of Zulina

Title: THE CALL OF ZULINA
Author: Kay Marshall Strom
Publisher: Abingdon Press
August 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4267-0069-9
Genre: Inspirational/historical

Grace Winslow is the privileged daughter of a English sea captain and an African Princess. But when Grace is being forced into a loveless marriage with a slave trader just to add more gold to her gambling, drunk of a father’s coffers, Grace decides her only option is to flee. Where, she doesn’t know.

But when Grace heads off toward town with nothing but the cloths she had on, she finds herself almost forced up the hill to Zulina, slave quarters where her father stores the slaves before shipping them out to sea. But once there at the slave house, Grace finds herself a captive, and in the midst of a slave revolt.

Despite being held for ransom, viciously maimed, and threatened with death, Grace finds herself sympathizing with the plight of the captives, and understanding for the first time the brutality and ferocity of the family business. She is especially moved by the African Caberto’s passion, determination and willingness to sacrifice anything for freedom. Will Grace risk everything to follow her heart?

I will admit that THE CALL OF ZULINA has been in my to-be-read pile for awhile, and I’ve been hesitant to pick it up and read it. Another historical, and this one set in Africa. I didn’t think it would be that good. But THE CALL OF ZULINA is far from being just another historical. This one stands head and shoulders above the rest. I couldn’t help but falling in love with Grace, half English, half African, and fitting in no where. I couldn’t help but feel for the Africans captures and torn from their homes and families, and no one caring whether they lived or died. I couldn’t help but hope the prisoners would succeed in their quest for freedom even though the odds where severely stacked against them.

THE CALL OF ZULINA is a book that I very highly recommend. The story grabbed my interest from the first page and held it until the end. Even though the book is in some places very violent, and very graphic, it moves the heart, and I recommend reading this book with a box of tissues close. If you read one book this year, make sure it is THE CALL OF ZULINA, book one of the Grace in Africa series. This book is a winner. $13.99. 320 pages.

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