Bound

Satucket #2

by Sally Cabot Gunning

Alice Cole spent her first seven years living in two smoky, crowded rooms in London with her family. But a new home and a better life waited in the colonies, or so her father promised a bright dream that turned to ashes when her brothers and mother took ill and died during the arduous voyage. Arriving in New England unable to meet the added expenses incurred by their misfortunes at sea, her father bound Alice into servitude to pay his debts.

By the age of fifteen, Alice can barely remember the time when she was not a servant to John Morton and his daughter, Nabby. Though work fills her days, life with the Mortons is pleasant; Mr. Morton calls Alice his "sweet, good girl," and Nabby, only three years older, is her friend, companion, and now newly married, her mistress.

But Nabby's marriage is not happy, and soon Alice is caught up in its storm; seeing nothing ahead but her own destruction, she defies her new master and the law and runs away to Boston. There she meets a sympathetic widow named Lyddie Berry and her lawyer companion, Eben Freeman. Frightened and alone, Alice impulsively stows away on their ship to Satucket on Cape Cod, where the Widow Berry offers Alice a bed and a job making cloth in support of the new boycott of British wool and linen.

At Widow Berry's, Alice believes her old secret is safe, until it becomes threatened by a new one. As the days pass, the political and the personal stakes rise and intertwine, ultimately setting off a chain of events that will force Alice to question all she thought she knew. Bound by law, society, and her own heart, Alice soon discovers that freedom as well as gratitude, friendship, trust, and love has a price far higher than any she ever imagined.

Library Journal hailed Sally Gunning's previous novel, The Widow's War, as "historical fiction at its best." With Bound, this wonderfully talented writer returns to pre-Revolutionary New England and evokes a long-ago time filled with uncertainty, hardship, and promise.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Book Club, 18th Century, Adult Fiction, Novels

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

A lifelong resident of New England, Sally Cabot Gunning has immersed herself in its history from a young age. She is the author of six critically acclaimed historically themed novels: The Widow’s War, Bound, The Rebellion of Jane Clarke, Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard, Monticello: A Daughter and Her Father, and her latest novel, released June 2021, Painting the Light. Elected fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society and president of The Brewster Historical Society, she has created numerous historical tours of her village.

Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and an assortment of short story anthologies.

She lives with her husband Tom in Brewster, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked The Widow’s War and so got the two sequels right after finishing it--but while Bound is as competently written as its predecessor, it’s the kind of book that rises or falls on its protagonist, and Alice did not work for me.

The book tells the story of Alice Cole, who arrives in 18th century New England as a girl, losing most of her family on the trip only to be sold into indentured servitude at the end of it. When the real story begins, Alice is 15 and winds up with a master who rapes and abuses her. She soon escapes, and spends most of the book living with Lyddie Berry (the main character from the previous book) and trying to put her life back together.

I think the heart of my frustration with Alice is that she’s a rather distant character; it’s certainly possible to connect with a character who’s mistrustful and virtually unable to form real relationships with anyone else in the story, but something was missing with Alice. I can’t help contrasting her with the protagonist in a very different sort of book, Diffenbaugh’s The Language of Flowers, which I recently read--Victoria is deeply damaged, and makes bad decisions, and hurts people who love her, and yet I cared about her throughout. Not so with Alice, who not only does all of those things throughout the book but never quite felt human or immediate enough for me to empathize with. Although she hardly speaks to anyone, somehow several people come to care about her, and yet she continues to be short-sighted and selfish and to throw people’s generosity in their faces. It’s understandable at first, but I wanted to see some strength from Alice, wanted to see her grow and learn to give back, at least a little. By the end, it seemed like the reader was meant to feel happy for Alice and believe that she was recovering. But all she ever does is run away, which after a certain point is not strength.

Even so, a 3-star rating means that the book does have its strengths. As I mentioned, it’s competently written. I like the way Gunning’s handled the Satucket books: coming back to the same town and a core group of characters with new eyes each time, and it’s fun to see the characters we met in the last book grow and change (even though Alice doesn’t). While this book deals less overtly with gender issues than The Widow’s War, I still appreciated Gunning’s not taking the conventional way out.

But what interested me most about this book (and an interesting facet of this whole series) is the focus on law and legal issues, which is rare in historical fiction. A large section of this book deals with colonial law and trials, and it was fascinating to learn about this and see how colonial courtrooms operated. These books are especially interesting for the way the characters take law that is mostly against them and manage to find a way to use it in their favor.

So my view on this one is decidedly mixed. The Widow’s War is unquestionably the best of the three Satucket books for me, but Bound is a quick read, and so if you liked the first one or have a particular interest in colonial law or indentured servitude, it’s probably worth a shot.

[Maddie · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you need a real 'downer' then read this book. It's the typical modern 'histerical novel' I have learned to avoid. Well this story contains 3 of my favorite Pet Peeves: revisionism, modern ideals(read PC)and nihilism.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ⭐️

[Mari Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel to "The Widow's War" is even more exciting and captivating than the first book. The story of Alice has a lot more drama and action than the story of Widow Berry in "War". That being said, the character of Alice takes a decidedly negative turn about midway through the book. She starts out as an object of sorrow and pity but ends up one of disappointment and disgust. I am not sure why the author took her character in that direction but this reader didn't like having the character "turn" on me. I also thought that the ending was poor. It felt like the author either ran out of ideas or was tired of the book as the ending leaves the reader unsatisfied and confused. Also the author's inclusion of the endlessly complicated subplot of colonial politics and the Stamp Act detracted from the main story of Alice and the legalities of her situation.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gunning takes the reader into a world that is rarely described, pre-Revolutionary Massachusetts. Indentured servant Alice Cole, age 15, runs away from an abusive situation, finding herself under the wing of the widow Berry and her boarder, Mr. Freeman. Not yet free of her former master, Alice carries his child. Meticulous in detail, Gunning portrays Colonial Massachusetts as the groundwork is laid for a future revolution, and the homely details of life with apt description and a deft hand. Best of all, her young protagonist actually thinks and reacts to situations exactly as a person so young might.
This is an historical novel not to be missed.

[Kristine Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty good fiction read, like popcorn for the brain. Entertaining, but not really filling. However, the writing is excellent, managing to suggest a tone from the time period without causing the reader to puzzle over obscure language usage.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, about a young woman in indentured servitude prior to the Revolutionary War, kept me turning pages. Along with a lesson about the climate of the country during the various "Acts" that the British Parliament passed, you get a great cast of characters. In particular, Alice, the main character, is vivid and, I felt, more realistic. (I always hate novels in which the characters do something ridiculous simply because the author wants to mix things up a bit.)
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel until the last 10 pages, when I felt that the author was possibly setting up a sequel (or continuation, since this follows her The Widows War ). Here is where Alice does something that I wasn't sure was quite in character -- but because I'd been into the novel until that point, I decided to forgive her questionable choice.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy is outstanding. I have so enjoyed these novels that lean toward historical fiction. Compelling characters, riveting writing, familiar setting, and real life stories coming to life are all done quite well - again. And real TENSION as the story unfolds - gripping, page-turning tension - how will this go?? I love that! Alice, this story's main character, is brought to life in a wonderful fashion - her youthful thoughts, her tragic story, the twists and turns of her thoughts and allegiances, ring true. I found this to be a quick read because I couldn't put it down. Looking forward to Gunning's next book in 2016!

[☕Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ratings (1 to 5)
Writing: 4
Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Emotional impact: 4
Overall rating: 4

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
1767, Satucket, Mass.

This is exemplary historical fiction. Gunning has done an incredible job of compiling historical information and incorporating it all into a credible storyline.

After crossing the ocean from London, and witnessing the death of her mother and two brothers, 7-yr-old Alice is handed into indenture by her father. She faces 11 years of committed service, although she doesn't realize it at her young age. Slavery with a time limit. By necessity, she grows to be capable and wary. She doesn't understand different kinds of relationships, and hadn't had anyone who truly cared about her since the death of her mother. The result: A young girl who doesn't make wise choices. Circumstances lead her to a capable widow in a small fishing village. (This woman was the main character in the first book of this series.)

There's a strong sense of place and time, especially wrt the simmering revolution and the laws of the times.

The law regarding abortion was surprising, seeing that it was written under the stern beliefs of Puritans. This, from page 199:
"Are you familiar with the laws of our colony regarding the removal of a conception fetus, Widow Hall?"
"I am."
"And you understand that it is not a crime before quickening?"
"I do."
"And when does that first sign of life usually appear?"
"The fourth month would be the earliest."

I found this surprising and, in a way, gratifying.

2025
Rape scenes make for painful reads. Fortunately, details are kept to a minimum, but the cruelty is essential to the story. The ending is pretty abrupt.

[Joyce Ziebell · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Bound” by Sally Gunning left me disappointed, not just by the simpleton characterization of the protagonist Alice, but also of the novel's ending. There were a couple of times I shook my head in disbelief, but when I thought about the time period and the youth of the main character, I decided those points were believable.

Alice Cole, sold by her father into 11-years of indentured service is not unlike other women of the era, no voice and no power. Her hardship situation compounds her inability to look to the future and envision possibilities for herself. Her master Mr Morton is kind, though by age 15 he transfers Alice into the hands of his daughter's new husband, where both treat her badly. She runs away; meeting people in Boston that offer help and safe haven in Satucket

The good elements of this novel are the exploration of relationships, the ability to learn trust, independence, and how unconditional love can change attitudes. The back-story are the beginning rumblings in mid-1750s of America for dislike of British rule of the colonies, though Gunning never adequately integrates her history lesson with Alice's life-changing experiences.

As much as I like to think that I usually know what happens by the end of the book, or have a bunch of possible scenarios in my head, this one left me wondering, where's the growth for this young woman. Despite this Gunning managed to bring to light the overlooked indentured servitude of poor whites, and that oft times the households served were most undesirable conditions.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and did read it in about three sittings over a weekend. Great fictional entertainment. I found no fault with the characters, plot, or the room left at the last third of the book for the reader's interpretation of how emotion played out the final choices.

In fact that is what I believed was the saving grace of this story, the questions it did raise toward the conclusion-could Alice understand, identify, or acknowledge what 'love' is (due to her trauma and suffering)? When things 'changed' among the three at the end-who had the most strength in setting the path straight again? Does good EVER triumph over evil? Was the courtroom decision fair in both cases? What really happened to the baby, and was it Alice's fault?

The book also came together in a black and white manner of writing, it was so matter of fact, without exceptional drama or explanation of how a young girl could witness such horrors and continue on in life. It just-was. How people survived, how hunger and poverty paved the road of people's lives. How love, lust, and decisions plotted individual courses.

Great book. I did not read the first that apparently was written, as I did not even know about it until reading some of these reviews.

[Alethea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second novel by Gunning in her "Satucket series" that I've read; each book is its own self-contained story revolving around this town. This installment delves deeply into the first true kind of American slavery, indentured servitude. Alice Cole is on her way to Philadelphia from England with her father, mother, and two brothers. But after the deaths onboard ship of the latter three, upon docking, Alice's father essentially sells her to a gentleman named Morton. When Morton's daughter, Nabby, Alice's friend, is married, Morton signs her indenture over to Nabby's new husband, Mr. Verley. Once in his home, Alice is raped repeatedly. She manages to escape and finds refuge with a widow; however, Alice realizes that she is pregnant and the remainder of the novel explores freedom and what it truly means to have and to earn your freedom in life. Great series.

[Donna Jo Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice Cole is bound as a servant at age 7 when her father suffers from lack of funds upson coming to the American colonies. At first she is treated well, but at age 15 her contract is reassigned and life darkens. Each bit of happiness seems destined to be torn away.
We meet many of the characters from Gunning's earlier (and most excellent) book The Widow's War. Gunning once again examines the legalities of the mid 1700s and how it affects women. She adds to that the conditions of servitude in a country seeking to rid itself of servitude to England. (There is much talk here about non-importation act and the Stamp Act.)
This is a really good historical fiction, even better than The Widow's War.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good historical fiction brings the era to life, illuminating things that we may not have known before. Bound highlights the life of an indentured servant in pre-Revolutionary Massachusetts, showing how casually children could be forced into that life (in this case, a father selling his daughter so as to pay for passage to the Colonies) and what that life could look like for the child, both good and bad. Where the book fails is the pregnancy plot, and the unnecessary addition of Sam Adams and the start of the revolution. The indenture issues alone would have been enough for this book stand on.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good historical fiction. Verbiage from the times and descriptive passages of everyday life, but not so descriptive as to take away from the plot. I did have a hard time picturing the main character - as much as she was said to be very beautiful, no physical description of her is ever given. I was afraid that this was going to be a book that I liked until the end, but was pleasantly surprised that it ended not too happy, not too sad, not too weird. I greatly enjoyed reading this novel and would read others by this author.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A law, an indenture, none of it requires your obedience unless it speaks to a natural justice. When did you agree to slave your life away to fill another’s pocket? What right has anyone to lay claim to what’s yours unless you consent to it?"

This is just a stunning, powerful book. I haven't felt so transported to a time and place from reading in such a long time, and yet it manages to feel more topical than it seems possible for a book set in rural colonial Cape Cod to feel. Adored this and can't recommend it enough.

[Liz Burkhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read the first book but this sequel was enjoyable as a stand-alone. I actually liked the first half of the book better than the second. It was an interesting look at a subject I didn't know much about, white slavery in the 1700's.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book pulled me in right away. I loved the fact that the author is taking on a subject that I haven't seen much of in historical fiction-- indentured servitude. I thought the historical facts were meshed seamlessly into the novel-- it covered pre revolutionary Massachusetts, indenture laws, and even women's rights (I for one did not know that a colonial Massachusetts woman could legally end a pregnancy before quickening or about 4 months and I have lived here all my life).

Alice was a compelling character. She didn't always make the best choices and did some things that many readers don't agree with, but I found that realistic. I think she acted very much like a traumatized girl from that time period. She lost her entire family at once and although her first master was kind, she grew up without being loved. She had no agency. Any ability to make choices or decisions had been taken away from her. Then she was pulled out of the only home she knew and was abused horribly. Given all that, I think her failure to talk to the widow, her inability to trust, her misreading of Mr. Freeman all made perfect sense. Despite all that she had been through, Alice, ultimately, is a survivor.

I do agree that I wish the book had ended differently, but I do appreciate that the ending we got was open enough that I can imagine Alice's life going in many different directions from there.

I loved the Widow Berry and will have to read The Widow's War.

Oh, and I really admire the amount of research that Sally Gunning does, and the excerpt at the end of the book showing actual primary documents from the case that inspired Sally's story.

[kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel had me somewhat confused and not until I read another review did I completely realize why. First, I have to say I read the book in a 24 hour timeframe as I had to know how the story ends. That alone makes me give it 4 stars. The author didn't write obvious solutions, I didn't know where the plot was going, I loved the setting, Cape Cod 18th century. I enjoyed learing the way the law and court worked during this time. The people came to life and really seemed to act correctly for the timeframe. The author did her job. The protagonist, Alice, a young girl was always a mystery to me as to how she responded to events. No plot spoilers here.
My main reason for writing this read "The Widow's War" first. I didn't.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is well written and is filled with pre-revolutionary war history and life in Massachusetts. The story moved well with Alice moving from one predicament to the next. I found it easy to read and the author did a good job with the language - making it fit in the time period without overwhelming and slowing down the pace. The problem I had with the story was that I felt like Alice no voice - it seemed like she rarely answered questions that were posed to her or ever just chatted with anyone. Getting a word out of her was like pulling teeth. Although we knew what she was thinking I would have liked more dialogue from her.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit the cover of this book is very compelling. It is a beautiful painting of a young woman The story is of a very young girl and her mistrails during the prerevolutionary war years. of course as most of the lives of women in history it is filled with abuse and neglect and unfair treatment. The story line jumped around abit and left you wondering what happened to that group of people. I won't aspoil the ending as it makes the book worhthwhile to read till the end. I learned the difference between a slave and an enduntured servant. I never really understood the difference.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at the library under newer fiction.

A pretty easy read, I enjoyed that it was historical fiction told from an uncommon perspective. It wasn't earth shattering, but good. I found myself equally cheering on and suspicious of the lead character and had a hard time predicting what she would choose to do. Themes of overcoming adversity and ones "position" in life are throughout.

I was a bit disappointed that Alice did not *do* more to facilitate the kindnesses she received, but then, what could a girl in her position really do ...

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction book about a young white girl who was sold into slavery by her own father shortly after arrival from England. It takes place just before the revolutionary war on Cape Cod. I am always drawn to books about people living in oppresive circumstances and overcoming them. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about indentured slavory in Massachuessets and the years leading up the revolutionary war.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound stands alone, but could also be considered a sequel to The Widow's War by the same author. Both are exemplary historical fiction by an author new to the genre. The characters are so real they become like old friends and stay with you long after you're done with the books. I highly recommend them to historical fiction lovers and everyone else, and I'm hoping there are many more like these in Gunning's head.

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I began reading this book and found it wasn't "awful" to read, but neither was it very compelling. The writing was straight-forward, but it didn't particularly grasp my attention.
I could have finished it (other than the fact it was one of those library books that's full of cat hair and other unnamed sticky gross substances), but I didn't really care if I did or didn't.

I picked up the next book on my list, was immediately sucked in, and went "Ah, yes ... THIS is why I read..."

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The further I read in this book, the more captivating it became. It was thoroughly interesting to discover what indentured servants experienced - mostly injustices and hardships, and how difficult it was to escape or endure until one's debt is paid.
The female protagonist, Alice Cole, was a fascinating character - her actions kept me guessing. An overall good read for fans of historical fiction.

[Allen Elggren · Rating 5 out of 5]

White slavery in America. Excellent discriptions of survival level life in the early settlements of Mass., with the almost impossible status of those, especially children, indentured in the great state of Mass. After reading this, i believe we white folks need reparations. Indeed, I had no idea that white slavery, indentured was as prevelant today as it is.

Excellent, well written book about the period just before the Revolutionary war.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was interesting and I wanted to find out what next. It was gloomier than I like in a story and hard to read at times but that was because of the subject matter. I felt for Alice and her position. At times I admired her courage but at other times aggravated by her behavior especially to those who cared about her. She didn't make sense to me at times. But considering all she had been through it's understandable her view of others and situations would be skewed.

[TK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gunning does amazing things when she writes about unconventional women during the Revolutionary War period of our history. She hasn't written a character yet that I haven't grown to love (unless, of course, it's the character I'm meant to hate). A smart novel for smart people to read on many levels, although I suppose even less-smart people could enjoy BOUND merely for it's excellent plot.