The Abolitionist's Daughter

By: Diane C. McPhail

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

On a Mississippi morning in 1859, Emily Matthews begs her father to save a slave, Nathan, about to be auctioned away from his family. Judge Matthews is an abolitionist who runs an illegal school for his slaves, hoping to eventually set them free. One, a woman named Ginny, has become Emily's companion and often her conscience - and understands all too well the hazards an educated slave must face. Yet even Ginny could not predict the tangled, tragic string of events set in motion as Nathan's family arrives at the Matthews farm.

A young doctor, Charles Slate, tends to injured Nathan and begins to court Emily, finally persuading her to become his wife. But their union is disrupted by a fatal clash and a lie that will tear two families apart. As Civil War erupts, Emily, Ginny, and Emily's stoic mother-in-law, Adeline, each face devastating losses. Emily - sheltered all her life - is especially unprepared for the hardships to come. Struggling to survive in this raw, shifting new world, Emily will discover untapped inner strength, an unlikely love, and the courage to confront deep, painful truths.

In the tradition of Cold Mountain, The Abolitionist's Daughter eschews stereotypes of the Civil War South, instead weaving an intricate and unforgettable story of survival, loyalty, hope, and redemption.

©2019 Diane C. McPhail (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Beautiful writing. Great detail.

I am a fan of historical fiction, and this is now high on my list of favorites. The writing was beautiful, precise, and authentic. I was totally engaged and deeply moved by the story.

touching

This story kept me ingrossed in the lives of the characters. Emily's compassion, Ginny's strengths, and the bond these 2 had. The civil was in the south, was way more complex, then I could have ever imagined.

Excellent, compelling, thought provoking

I listened to most of this book during a road trip to Georgia. I could literally ‘feel’ the story in the landscape around me. The character construction was not only credible but intricate and the emotion evoked because of that was powerful.
It proved to be a thought provoking read for me and left me both saddened and also inspired to share with others. The historical content is accurate and intense. One of the best books I have read in a long time.

Disappointing, depressing book

The summary gives the impression that the book will tell more about the abolitionist educating and freeing slaves & buying up families of slaves that would otherwise be split up. But no, what you read in the summary is it. The book is named after Emily who is only a mediocre likable character. It feels more like the main character should be Ginny, a slave, who has far more distinctive moral qualities than Emily. It’s a sad, depressing book with a smattering of sick, descriptive scenes. I mean sick, disgusting, grossly unnecessary descriptions that add nothing to the story. All the male characters kill each other off. Then it just ends.

The depth of All of the characters.

I liked this storyline. The author followed through with each character. The sadness and emotional turmoil that occurred during that time period is heart wrenching.