What We're Reading: Mary

The Woman Who Fell From The Sky
by Barbara Riefe

This is an interesting historical fiction novel, which takes place in North America, during the French and Indian wars.
The heroine, Margaret Addison Lacroix, is an English gentlewoman, who has been married by proxy, to a French Army officer. En route to join him in Quebec where he is stationed, Margaret is shipwrecked, and the stranded vessel is attacked by Mohawk Indians. By fleeing the ship, she is the only one to survive, and is rescued by a group of friendly Oneidas. Most of the group believes that she is Ataentsic, the legendry goddess who fell from the sky. Even though the brave and stoic leader of the group, Two Eagles, is skeptical, he feels that she needs help, and agrees to escort her up to Quebec. Through many adventures, and some separations, Margaret and Two Eagles slowly fall in love. It is with much relief that when they finally reach Quebec, they find that Margaret’s alleged husband did not really perform the reciprocal marriage by proxy. It is also a relief to the reader, since during the whole book Lacroix has been shown as the cruel, cheating and dishonest person he really is. In contrast, Two Eagles has been stoic, loyal, and very protective towards Margaret.
A great deal of actual historical detail is woven into this book. There are also ongoing comparisons of, the more base aspects of, Indian and European cultures. Overall, it’s a good read, with short, action packed chapters, and characters that are consistently developed.