Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt

Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt – 432 pages  

ARC from Mira Books and Netgalley for an honest review

Book Blurb:

Nantucket in 1846 is an island set apart not just by its geography but by its unique circumstances. With their menfolk away at sea, often for years at a time, women here know a rare independence—and the challenges that go with it. Eliza Macy is struggling to conceal her financial trouble as she waits for her whaling captain husband to return from a voyage. In desperation, she turns against her progressive ideals and targets Meg Wright, a pregnant free Black woman trying to relocate her store to Main Street. Meanwhile, astronomer Maria Mitchell loves running Nantucket’s Atheneum and spending her nights observing the stars, yet she fears revealing the secret wishes of her heart. On a sweltering July night, a massive fire breaks out in town, quickly kindled by the densely packed wooden buildings. With everything they possess now threatened, these three very different women are forced to reevaluate their priorities and decide what to save, what to let go and what kind of life to rebuild from the ashes of the past.  

My Review: 4 stars

Click here to order on Amazon

Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt is a spectacular debut that takes place in 1846 Nantucket. The daughters in the title refers to the three main protagonists, each a compelling character that live in Nantucket.

I enjoyed all three of the MCs but due to my age, I probably related to Eliza the most. She was often left abandoned over and over again by her whaling captain husband, who sometimes stayed away for years at a time. I was most impressed by Meg Wright as she didn’t let her color stop her from what she wanted. She was a smart, outspoken free black woman. Maria Mitchell was an actual real person who ran the library and studied the stars. Her affection for women became her burden for her to bear.

As you can see, there are some hot topic themes running through the book that feel very modern. I guess the past is still the present in many cases.

The reaction of the townspeople during the fire spoke volumes and suddenly, even the rich were in the same situation as the poor: homeless, looking for loved ones and hungry. Tragedy can do that. Themes of classism, sexual orientation, race, slavery, marriage and motherhood are found throughout the book. That leaves much fodder for book clubs to talk about!

Well done!