I enjoyed the way the history and fiction blended to make an absorbing story. The characters were well developed. The setting was compelling. The pace worked well for allowing the plot to unfold interestingly. ( )

really makes me wonder how much is historical & how much is fiction. ( )

Wow!!! I really cannot say enough great things about this book. There were times that some of the characters frustrated me a little bit but the author made those characters grow and meld into beautiful people by the end. Which brings me to the conclusion…
I loved the ending to this book! The author seemed to wrap everything up perfectly and give the story and characters the resolutions they deserved. This ended up being one of those books that I had to sit and absorb after I finished with it because there was so much to think about. If you are interested in historical fiction then start on this book right away.
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Characters were not appealing and was slowwwww. Thomas Colman the minister was a jerk and Jocelyn continued to love him 20 years ridiculously ( )

I read [Roanoke] by Angela Elwell Hunt and [White Seed: The Untold Story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke] by Paul Clayton back to back.

I enjoyed both of these books about the lost colony of Roanoke Island off the coast of North Carolina. The Hunt book was written from a Christian perspective, which I thought resulted in a story that was more accurate for that event at that time in history. The Clayton book did not paint the picture quite as well, but provided different viewpoints as to the possibilities of what happened.

Both of these books were faithful to the dates, people and events which had been recorded. From the list of passengers, each author fashioned stories for their major characters. Hunt’s Thomas was a minister of the gospel. I thought this character was the weakest part of her story, with the workings of his mind too repetitious, and I thought, unlikely. Clayton’s Thomas was an indentured servant, turned soldier, and seemed more believable. Clayton’s minister did not.

Both faithfully rendered the setting of Roanoke Island and the beginning of the settlement there, as Governor White has described it well upon his return to England to procure more supplies. The story of his trials in trying to get ships to return, of Raleigh’s unhelpfulness, of the queen’s denial of ships due to the increase in aggression of Spanish ships in the waters, and English ships needed for protection and combat. Of the false starts when the captains of the ships he finally received continually broke off their course to chase Spanish ships for treasure. Of his frustration in not being able to get back to the settlers - one his daughter, one his new granddaughter born on Roanoke just before he had to leave. Both of the author’s tellings of these events rang true.

Their imaginings differed greatly about what might have occurred on the island between White’s leaving and finally being able to return years later. Although he was able to debark to the island, his search there yielded no colonists. Because of the weather, White was not able to be taken to the mainland, and was returned to England never knowing what may have become of his people.

Though I had some quibbles with both, the possibilities made for fascinating reads, both of them. ( )