The Wished-For Country
In the mid-17th century, the face of the American continent began to change. European settlements headed by men of varying convictions and motivations were not only thriving, but spreading, fed by a never-ending stream of colonists from across the ocean. Along with these colonists came their servants and slaves, adding to the diverse stew of cultures. The native populace perceived the threat to their way of life only just too late, leaving two choices for survival: to make alliances with the white men, or move away from the land of their ancestors. Neither choice was certain.
This is the setting of The Wished-for Country. In it, the lives of three diverse men converge in colonial Maryland. The way in which they simultaneously use and are used by one another is the crux of this narrative. Hallam, an indentured servant from England with a brutal need for dominance; Ezekiel, a slave with a gift for carving; and Tawzin, a former captive Piscataway with no illusions about white men, cross paths in this novel, each with a past life he wants to leave behind and possessed of a will to survive. Documented events and historical figures are incorporated into the story. Karlin provides an insightful look at the genesis of a new nation as he weaves the many threads of the story together. This was a challenging novel to read, for there is a good deal of violence and wretched behavior described vividly. But I definitely found it to be worth the challenge.
