Cate of the Lost Colony By Lisa Klein

Title: Cate of the Lost Colony

Author: Lisa Klein

Published: October 2010 by Bloomsbury

Pages: 336 

ISBN: 9781599905075

 Source: ARC from Around The World Tours

 

Description: The greatest unsolved mystery of American history--what happened to all the colonists who landed on Roanoke Island in 1587? This novel traces the fortunes and misfortunes of one Cate Archer, banished to Virginia by a jealous Queen Elizabeth because of her dalliance with Sir Walter Ralegh. What will be her fate in this dangerous New World?  

I Give This ...

 

 I had high hopes for this book.  A pretty cover, Elizabethan England, the lost colony of Roanoke, romance, and danger makes for a pretty fantastic build up.  I was not disappointed.  It's a little slow to start, and one charcter annoyed me, but overall I truly loved this book.  

The setting was marvelous.  I tend to love anything set during Tudor England (particularly King Henry VIII or Elizabeth I).  I think the author did a fantastic job with the royal setting and what it might have been like to serve Queen Elizabeth I.  I first had the impression that the book was set more in the colonies, but it's actually about half and half.  I was impressed with the descriptions of Roanoke.  I confess I don't know any more details than the few provided by the history books.  I felt this did an accurate job of portraying the life of early colonists. 

I loved Cate.  She's a head strong character, which is perhaps why Queen Elizabeth banished her.  She never seems to know when to hold her tongue.  But, in the end, this character flaw is perhaps what saved them all.  I confess to never really liking Sir Walter Raleigh.  But, I've learned it seems to be a character flaw of the men Queen Elizabeth loved and controlled.  I also like Manteo.  His contribution both to the fictional story and in real history greatly intrigue me.  He's role in the events make the story that much more real knowing he's a real character in the history books.

The story itself is wonderful.  I loved the first half set in England.  I think it gives a good account of England during that time period.  I don't think any characters (including the Queen's) actions differ from any other fiction or nonfiction work set in the same time period.  If I thought I loved this first half of the book, it possible I loved the second half even more.  I loved watching Cate charge and make friends with the Indian women.  I thought it was great that she didn't sit and wait for Sir Walter to come for her.  I also thought the ending gave a highly plausible cause and reasoning to what happened to the lost colony of Roanoke.  I can't recommend this one enough, and will be looking for the author's other works!