Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk, a Native American of the Wampanoag tribe of Martha's Vineyard, was the first Native American to graduate from Harvard. This fictional account of his life is told by Bethia Mayfield, the daughter of the pastor who educates Caleb on Martha's Vineyard. Both Caleb's and Bethia's lives are marked by death when they are still teenagers. Bethia feels like Caleb is her brother and she stops at nothing to save his life.
Bethia is a wonderful narrator, showing us exactly what life was like on the island in the mid-17thCentury. As the daughter of a Calvinist minister, Bethia is torn between her religion and the Wampanoag beliefs she learns about from Caleb. Her home life is disrupted when Caleb comes to live with her family after the deaths of most of his tribe. This is exacerbated by the jealousy and hatred of Caleb by Makepeace, Bethia's older brother, because he believes a “salvage” shouldn't be smarter than an Englishman.
As with Brooks' other novels, this is a beautifully written story of love, family, and hope.
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