In 1790 the United States has a new Constitution. George Washington presides as the first elected president. Abroad, France and Britain are at war. And by 1795 seafaring Americans are accosted on the high seas by French privateers and British naval ships.
Tensions rise as American merchants continue to trade. Among them, Hasket Derby and Captain George Crowninshield busily build maritime empires while their sons seek a new way forward.
Captain Elias Derby — Grew the Derby family business in Isle de France and India. Back in Salem, he’s ready to enter his father’s business. But Hasket Derby isn’t a man to relinquish control.
Edward Crowninshield — Seeks obscurity in Marblehead until his father forces him to return to the sea.
Captain Geordie Crowninshield — Sails Crowninshield family ships to ports from the West Indies to East Asia until his father calls him back to shore.
Captain Jacob Crowninshield — Brings the first elephant to America and makes his fortune.
Captain Nathaniel Silsbee — Defies every obstacle to rise from obscurity to captain his own ship.
Meanwhile, women shape their roles in new ways.
Eliza Derby — Builds the largest mansion in New England.
Lizzie Rowell — Arrives in Salem with desperation, determination, and dreams.
Sarah Gardner — Bakes a bride cake before she’s a bride.
Inspired by real people and true events, this is a story about early America.
Wagner-Wright paints a vivid picture of late 18th century America, offering rich details of daily life and society amid the story’s broader themes of commerce, competition, and personal ambition. Her adept use of technical maritime language highlights the novel’s many voyages, allowing readers an inside seat to the coastal runs and whipping storms that characterized a merchant’s life in the 1700s, and detailed descriptions of trade routes, major ports, and the goods exchanged provide a compelling backdrop. Likewise, Wagner-Wright’s inclusion of historical embargoes—and their impact on maritime families—seamlessly weaves into the story, threading layers of complexity into the plot.
Each chapter delves into the lives of its ensemble cast, revealing the individual struggles of characters like Nathaniel West and Lizzie Rowell, as they navigate the unpredictable, dangerous, but strangely rewarding life of 18th century Salem, strikingly portrayed in one captain’s words after a devastating storm blows his ship miles off course: “If I fail, I’m no worse off than I am now, but if I succeed, I’ll prove myself.” The book’s pacing may not be relentless, but Wagner-Wright’s careful adherence to historical events and the personal dramas behind them makes it a worthy read.
Takeaway: In-depth study of Salem’s maritime families in the late 18th century.
Comparable Titles: Anya Seton’s The Winthrop Woman, Paul C.R. Monk’s Call of Freedom.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
