Tessa Bridal
Forfatter af The Tree of Red Stars
Om forfatteren
Tessa Bridal has over thirty years of experience working with museums, and as a consultant nationally and internationally, and received the American Association of Museums Education Committee Award for Excellence in Practice, given to individuals who have greatly influenced the work of the museum vis mere education field. She is the author of a prize winning novel, a contributor to several anthologies, has served as editor of newsletters and museum publications, and author of Exploring Museum Theatre, also published by AltaMira Press. She can be contacted at tessa.bridalcommat;icloud.net. vis mindre
Værker af Tessa Bridal
Satte nøgleord på
Almen Viden
- Køn
- female
Medlemmer
Anmeldelser
Hæderspriser
Statistikker
- Værker
- 6
- Medlemmer
- 109
- Popularitet
- #178,011
- Vurdering
- 3.8
- Anmeldelser
- 2
- ISBN
- 19
- Sprog
- 5
This is an historical fiction set in Uruguay in the 18th century. The author Tessa Bridal was born and raised in Uruguay, her ancestors having moved there from Ireland 100 years ago.
The story is about Isabel Keating, a young Irish woman who finds herself fleeing from home after inadvertently killing her abusive husband. She ends up on board a ship, dressed as a man, mistakenly headed for South America, when she had intended to travel to America, aww chucks, whoops!
On the plus side she meets the ship’s owner, the handsome and wealthy Garzón Moreau, a half French and half Charrúa Indian trader and smuggler. They travel to Montevideo, then to the Jesuit mission where they meet the inimitable Father Manuel working with the Guarani people. Garzón wishes to employ the Guarani to work for wages, a plan which raises the ire of the Spanish and Portuguese colonists who view them as their entitled property and a natural source of free labour.
The story has many interesting side characters like Irish landowner Charlie FitzGibbon, Yací a Minuane man who Father Manuel has developed a deep spirit connection to, Orlando a mysterious boy with a gift for languages, and Wimencaí a traditional healer and midwife.
The author has clearly done detailed research into the times, and writes lush and vivid descriptions of the place and the customs, such as the Minuane beliefs about dreaming. She outlines the conflict and deals between the Portuguese and the Spanish, the deadly impact of colonialism, and the tensions between the Catholic missions and the crown.
I found this an enjoyable read that gave me a sense of place, culture and history, despite some improbable storylines. I would like to also read The Tree of Red Stars sometime.… (mere)