I swear, sometimes historical fiction as a genre just seems like one long book about World War II after another. Don’t get me wrong, the war is obviously a critical piece of world history, and I’ve read some great books that fall into this category. But if, like me, you are looking for something different—perhaps an exciting page-turner of a novel set in Colonial America?!—then you won’t want to miss Leah Angstman’s debut, Out Front the Following Sea. Set in 1689 New England at the dawn of King William’s War, this novel plays upon a few well-known tropes: the persecution of witches, the horrors of colonisation, and adventure on the high seas. Yet it also provides a rich look at a lesser-known piece of American history and spins a captivating tale full of unforgettable characters.
Out Front the Following Sea is the story of audacious young Ruth Miner who, with no family to speak of, flees the hometown that accused her of witchcraft in search of a better life. Racing away from a difficult past, she runs toward the only familiar thing left – the ship on which her childhood friend Owen sails. As she joins him at sea, an obvious kinship grows into something much more. However, a ship is not a suitable place for a young woman like Ruth to put down roots; so, Owen finds a family who will house her in exchange for work. But as he leaves her to head back out to sea, it doesn’t take Ruth long to realise that a new place doesn’t mean a perfect new life, it just means new challenges.
It will be no surprise to readers that Angstman is not only a writer, but also a historian. Based on extensive research and full of vibrant details, the world of colonial New England portrayed here is rich and moody. The burgeoning conflict between England and France, as well as the response of Native Americans to the theft of their land and their lives, is placed front and center. The tone is often dark, and rightly so, as Angstman makes clear that the history of colonisation in this country is not the happy collaboration white Americans have wanted to portray for hundreds of years. She also does not shy away from commenting on the subjugation of women in this world, using Ruth as a sharp contrast to the role expected of her, a voice speaking out for what is just in a world meant to silence her.
Alongside the very serious subject matter of this novel, there is also plenty of fun to be had. Action spills over from one page to the next. As soon as one issue resolves, another dilemma arises, creating a constant tension which drives the story ever forward. And, oh, the chemistry between dear young Ruth and her rugged sailor Owen! Let’s just say if you are a fan of the magnetic pull between iconic characters like Claire and Jamie in Diana Gabaldon’s beloved Outlander series, then the drama and devotion of this pair is sure to ensnare you.
In short, Out Front the Following Sea is exactly what one would hope: a well-researched historical adventure with captivating characters and a riveting plot. Don’t take your eyes off of Leah Angstman…with a debut this good, I can’t wait to see what’s next and you won’t be able to either!
Out Front the Following Sea is available now from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore. Many thanks to Lori Hettler at TNBBC Publicity and Regal House Publishing for providing me with an advance copy for review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Out Front the Following Sea is a historical epic of one woman’s survival in a time when the wilderness is still wild, heresy is publicly punishable, and being independent is worse than scorned — it is a death sentence. At the onset of King William’s War between French and English settlers in 1689 New England, Ruth Miner is accused of witchcraft for the murder of her parents and must flee the brutality of her town. She stows away on the ship of the only other person who knows her innocence: an audacious sailor — Owen — bound to her by years of attraction, friendship, and shared secrets. But when Owen’s French ancestry finds him at odds with a violent English commander, the turmoil becomes life-or-death for the sailor, the headstrong Ruth, and the cast of Quakers, Pequot Indians, soldiers, highwaymen, and townsfolk dragged into the fray. Now Ruth must choose between sending Owen to the gallows or keeping her own neck from the noose.
Steeped in historical events and culminating in a little-known war on pre-American soil, Out Front the Following Sea is a story of early feminism, misogyny, arbitrary rulings, and the treatment of outcasts, with parallels still mirrored and echoed in today’s society.
