The Governor's Granddaughter

by Theresa Redmond

Margaret Gordon is born around the year 1800 on Prince Edward Island, a British colony under the shadow of her grandfather’s shameful political misdeeds and actions, leaving the Island’s settlers caught in an unjust landholding system and voiceless against entitlement and greed. Unfortunately, her father is little better, whisking her away to Scotland when she is just a girl to escape the consequences of his own wrongdoing. Still, despite growing up on another continent, Margaret never forgets where she came from, nor her desire to return one day and make up for the sins of her family.

During her absence from Prince Edward Island, the battle for fairness continues. Settlers and tenant farmers, like John LeLacheur, spend years fighting for the right to own the land they work so hard to clear and to have a say in how their colony is governed. Opposing them, however, are wealthy British aristocrats in London and their self-interested land agents, like Hellfire Jack Stewart, who do everything in their power to maintain the status quo and benefit from the labour of others.

The Governor’s Granddaughter tells a fascinating story of resilience, perseverance, female empowerment, and conflicting moral values. This sweeping story is lifted from the pages of Canadian history, detailing the social and political unrest that existed for generations following the colonization of Prince Edward Island, with a focus not only on the people who pushed for much-needed fairness and change but also revealing those who worked even harder to hold them back.

Genres: Historical Fiction

414 pages, Paperback

Published August 26, 2025

About the author

Theresa Redmond has a longstanding interest in Canadian history, earning a graduate degree in the area as well as working for many years on Indigenous land-rights issues.

Theresa's new historical novel, The Governor's Granddaughter, coming soon, shares a universe with her debut novel, Bound (FriesenPress 2022), which was named one of Bookmark’s TOP 100 Books for 2024, and won the Prince Edward Island Book Award for Fiction in that same year. In 2023, Bound was awarded the Silver Medal from the Independent Publishers Book Awards for Best Regional Fiction (Ontario East), as well as a Heritage Recognition Award from the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation.

Reviews

[Dana K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.

I love reading historical fiction set in colonial times. The adventure of starting off from a new place and finding ways to survive and thrive has always intrigued me. That said, we know that all new colonies are built by the rich on land already owned by others. This story really beautifully balances the day to day lives of several families with the political turmoil of colonial life.

While the title intimates that this story will be about one girl, she is merely a through line for a story that spans several generations on Prince Edward Island. Her life takes her from PEI to Kirkaldy, Scotland to London to Aberdeen and then finally home again. She has quite the full circle journey through so many societies and is both stricken by poverty and circumstance and raised to amazing heights.

John is a character we meet as a settler on the island who faces the harsh realities of tenant farming and constant pressure from landowners for rent. He is a part of the spearheading of settlers for rights on the island. There are lots of chapters focused on the politics on the island and back in England.

We also get the opposing POV of a land agent and an heiress landowner, who are rightfully written as clear villains.

So much to learn and take in with this story. It is equally charming and educational.

[Mana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theresa Redmond's The Governor's Granddaughter is a vivid historical account of Prince Edward Island in the early 1800s, centering on the conflicts between settlers who seek to own land and wealthy aristocrats who aim to maintain their hold on power. The protagonist of the tale is Margaret Gordon, who was forcibly transported to Scotland as a young child due to her family's history of political disgrace and injustice. Despite being taken away from her homeland, Margaret's desire to go back and make amends for her family's wrongdoings fuels the main conflict in the book. Her story is accompanied by the tenacious struggle of settlers like John LeLacheur, who oppose an unfair landholding system supported by figures like Hellfire Jack Stewart, escalating the conflict between exploitation and the pursuit of justice.

Margaret's journey is both unique and representative. She experiences profound feelings of loss, loyalty, and redemption as a result of her transformation from a dislocated child into a resolute woman, which mirrors the larger forces of the day. Well-drawn supporting characters include John, who exemplifies the tenacity and strength of the typical individual, and enemies who stand for rapacity and injustice, like Hellfire Jack. Their relationships deepen Margaret's struggle by illuminating how political fermentation is entwined with personal lives. The stakes feel urgent and genuine because of the character development, which feels organic and gives the actual events more emotional weight.

The themes have a powerful impact on current social challenges like power disparity, inequality, and the pursuit of justice. Prince Edward Island's land dispute fights against structural injustice and the unequal distribution of wealth that is observed globally. By connecting a specific agency to broader social transformation, the novel's emphasis on womanish commission from Margaret's point of view also adds an intriguing dimension. These rudiments encourage historians to speculate about how contemporary discussions about political representation and land rights reflect historical struggles for justice.

Redmond's writing style strikes a mix between vivid description and a captivating narrative tone. Compendia are transported to social eras by the rich atmosphere created by the clear and vivid language, which avoids overpowering readers with antique jargon. The plot develops in a simple but gripping way, giving the characters and their visitors the opportunity to shine. This strategy aids in preserving a deep emotional bond and a feeling of urgency. Even though the plot could occasionally use a little more guile in overcoming obstacles, the author's obvious sense of purpose and commitment to the story's main problems make the novel, if anything, emotionally compelling.

Perusing The Governor's Granddaughter makes a lasting impact by demonstrating flexibility and fortitude in the face of hardship. It encourages contemplation on the profound ways in which history creates identity and the importance of moving on by disobeying the past. The novel enhances Redmond's other work by bringing attention to marginalized voices in Canadian history and fits in nicely with the literary fabrication that emphasizes social conflicts. It is a worthwhile book because of its mood, which combines hard reality with brave and heartwarming moments. The book stands out for its honest portrayal of a complicated era and its mortal stories, even though some compendia would desire a somewhat more subtle rhythm.

[Suzan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Governor‘s Granddaughter brings the early settlement of Prince Edward Island to life in an engaging way. I liked the multiple points of view, showing the different perspectives and conflicts around land rights. It made the history feel alive, and I learned quite a bit about this part of Canada. I also enjoyed that many of the characters are based on real people, which added depth and authenticity. The writing is beautiful, and the story kept me interested throughout.

[Chelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read based on the history of Price Edward Island and true people who fought to start a new life in what they believed would be a better place. This novel is told through various characters all a part of the fight for colonization of PEI. Some just want to own their piece of land that they've worked hard to clear, build on and maintain. Others are out for themselves and how they can benefit off of other's hard work and the main character, Margaret is the most intriguing of all of the characters. After her father has made some questionable decisions, he heads to Scotland with the two girls to find work to repay his debts. However tragedy strikes on the crossing and the two girls are left with an aunt they've never met. Their aunt Eliza does the best she can to raise the girls and treats them as her own, even finding the means to give them an education. After they have come of age, they are told about a benefactor who has helped with their expenses and who this person was to their family. This only seems to intrigue Margaret even more, now she really wants to know the truth about her family's past, her grandfather's troubling past on PEI and how she got to become who she is. Never in her dreams could she have imaged that it would all come full circle with the help of her mother introducing her to a young man who'd one day become her husband and take her back to PEI. Back to where it all started and where she is determined to prove who she is right the wrongs of the past. There was so much to this novel, so many storylines and characters and it was so well written and they all came together with the different point of views. Thank you kindly to the author for the complementary ebook. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me an eARC copy of The Governor’s Granddaughter in exchange for an honest review!

From the blurb: “Margaret Gordon is born around the year 1800 on Prince Edward Island, a British colony under the shadow of her grandfather’s shameful political misdeeds and actions, leaving the Island’s settlers caught in an unjust landholding system and voiceless against entitlement and greed. Unfortunately, her father is little better, whisking her away to Scotland when she is just a girl to escape the consequences of his own wrongdoing. Still, despite growing up on another continent, Margaret never forgets where she came from, nor her desire to return one day and make up for the sins of her family.”

This historical fiction grabbed my attention because 1) it details the resilience and (often overlooked) intelligence of women during the 1800s, and many of the characters were real people. I also didn’t know much about this time and place in history, and the setting was really intriguing.

I really found myself rooting for Margaret during reading. While she certainly benefits from status at certain points in her life, due the circumstances of her childhood and upbringing, she remains grounded and it makes her a great character to follow along her journey.

This book was a good read and really well researched. I liked this from the author’s note at the end: “The Governor’s Granddaughter is based on Epekwitk / Prince Edward Island, the unceded territory of the Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq. I am thankful to live here.” You can really feel the passion and love the author poured into this novel in the text.

This was a pleasure to read!

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful glimpse into what another time period was like through the politics, values, and development of socioeconomic systems of the historical era on Epekwitk/Prince Edward Island in the early 1800s. Theresa Redmond's imagery is stunning, especially the depictions of the beauty of the natural world. The characters are based on real people with some adaptations made for this story. I always appreciate how the characters and events shift from several different countries and colonies in a way that makes the passage of time incomprehensible. I tend to get wrapped up in the story and lives of the characters and am quite unaware of how tedious and challenging travel was during this era. The vocabulary is unique, accurate for the time period, and I find myself looking up unfamiliar words to gain a deeper understanding of the context. The Governor's Grandaughter takes place after the first novel, Bound, and contains themes of female empowerment, resilience, perseverance, and various competing moral values. I absolutely love the dedication page sentiment "For everyone with a sense of place, wherever that may be in the world". Thank you @tres.redmond for the Advanced Reader Copy. I highly recommend any books by this author for readers who enjoy genuine, detailed historical fiction.

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[Starry · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a second novel, it would be easy to believe that the first, Bound, outshines The Governor's Granddaughter. Bound possesses an intense, emotionally charged and compelling focal point that makes you want to devour it at high speed. The Governor's Granddaughter delivers a slow burn in the pursuit of fairer rights and conditions both in the colony of PEI and in the mother country.

The frustration of witnessing the tenants who contribute the most to Prince Edward Island receive punitive treatment over rent collection while it was, in most cases, the proprietors and land agents who were the deadbeats, slowly gives way to a more just and promising period in the island's history and concludes with a relieving sense of hope.

I appreciated the way this is accomplished through the personal story of Margaret, the Governor's Granddaughter. Her departure as a very young child from PEI and her eventual return bookend this period in history and bring healing closure.

A very enjoyable read and a wonderful example of historical fiction offering substance and integrity more than romance, although the sweet and wonderful relationship of Margaret and Sandy warms the heart.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This richly detailed story tells the history of the settling the lands in and surrounding Prince Edward Island. I enjoyed the multiple points of view that are presented to show what was happening from various interests regarding the land rights.

History comes alive through this story, and I learned quite a bit about this part of Canada. It does contain swearing and adult themes, so readers that are mature are more suited for this book.

I received a copy of the book, but I was not obligated to write a positive review.

[Gosia Nealon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book inspired by early Prince Edward Island history in the first half of the nineteenth century. The research the author did shines through this historical fiction book. It’s interesting that the characters are based on real people as it gives even more historical depth to this novel.
The story is interesting and the writing is beautiful. While reading, I could sense the author’s fascination with history. Great book!

[Jean Wylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging story of a history not well known to most of us. I became fond of these characters, even the not so nice ones, and cared about their struggles and the decisions each needed to make along the way. I have not been a loyal fan of the historical fiction genre, but this book was a real page-turner for me. Well done, Theresa.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. I liked Bound just a little bit better as the politics of this one didn't interest me as much as the personal stories but it is still a wonderfully immersive historical fiction surrounding the colonization of Prince Edward Island and the characters working for its good or theirs!

[Ashlee F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for letting me read this ARC! All opinions are my own. I really enjoyed it!! It’s such an interesting look at early settler life and politics on Prince Edward Island. I also loved the mix of POVs and narratives! If you read her other novel, BOUND, it is set in the same time period and area!

[Gosia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is packed with historical information during European settlement in Prince Edward Island.

Margaret, the governor's granddaughter, was forced to leave Prince Edward Island with her sister and be raised by her aunt in Scotland. She marries and moves to London, but her heart longs for Prince Edward Island, despite the hardships her grandfather caused on the island.

Another fascinating character is John, a young and ambitious man whose dream was to own land and become a farmer. Along the way, he encountered numerous obstacles from landowners and land agents who placed high demands on him and the other settlers.

I should mention two other characters I didn't like but who significantly complicated the lives of others. They were Jack Stewart, who caused a lot of problems for the settlers, and the immature Jane, who only cared about herself.

This book is based on real historical events and characters. It shows that not only Scotland and Ireland but also Prince Edward Island struggled with a system in which wealthy and powerful Englishmen owned most of the land.

The author presents the history of the new colony in a fascinating way. Through four characters, she portrays the lives of the early settlers and the conflicts between landowners, land agents, the government, and the queen.

Spanning over 50 years, the novel weaves together themes of resilience, survival, and belonging. It's a well-researched, engaging, and informative book.