Laurel
Set in North Carolina in 1783, this multi-racial family drama features a compelling group of characters, at the centre of which are Nicholas and Lilyan Xanthakos, a young married couple whose baby daughter, Laurel, has been kidnapped by white slavers. Circumstances surrounding the kidnapping lead to a lot of soul-searching and guilt on the part of everyone involved. From this fateful day, Lilyan’s world shatters: her contentment with her family life narrows to a pinpoint of light at the end of a long and frightening tunnel. The plot takes us on a 200-mile journey from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Charleston, onwards towards Baltimore, then Okracoke Island. But this isn’t just a search for a stolen child. The narrative is filled with character background, including one back-story which lands Lilyan in jail, where, in miserable circumstances, she aids others less fortunate than herself.
Laurel is a rapid page-turner, not because it’s light (far from it) but because it’s full of action and adventure, historical facts and fascinating tidbits, including an interesting glossary. Each chapter is aptly headed with a Cherokee legend or saying, a historical fact, or a biblical reference. Driving the narrative is the steadfast love between Nikki and Lilyan, which envelops them even when they are parted for long periods of time, and the narrative of their love is beautifully described, never feeling cliché. We see the world mostly through Lilyan’s eyes – the search, the new leads, the excitement and the disappointments. Her family has endured hardship and war; some, including Lilyan, have committed acts they aren’t proud of, but they are brought to life as flawed, fallible people and are easy to relate to. The motivational aspects of this novel fit perfectly in context.
