Natchez: A Novel of the Deep South

by Pamela Jekel

Two hundred years of an American family are seen through the eyes of four women, from Anne, whose parents carved out an empire in rich New Orleans soil, to LeeAnn, a post-Civil War daughter struggling in a changing world.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Civil War, Fiction

482 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1995

Reviews

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, a story of Natchez and the surrounding area,from the early indians thru reconstruction after the civil war. The research that required to write such a novel is amazing! The story follows a family through several generations and included the lives of several local wildlife incidents which wasn't necessary but added another element of life in that region of the south. I found it to be a very interesting book.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was OK. I'm still not quite sure what the first section about a Frenchman named Henri getting a Native American wife had to do with the rest of the novel. I guess she was trying to establish the historical background of the Mounds. After reading the first "animal interlude," I skipped the rest. If you like historical fiction about the Old South, including caricatures of slavery, you will like this book.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natchez is a well written book depicting life in the South. You will be lost in no time and feel as though you are there on the plantation with them. There are many trials, hardships, heartaches and victories as they strive to have a better life. I especially liked the way Pamela wove history of the South into the story. A great antebellum, historical novel that I'm sure you would love!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best American historical book that I have read. I totally enjoyed the storees of so many generations starting with the Natchez Indians. I was sorry when I was done, I wanted it to go on!

[Margery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book interesting as we prepared to visit Natchez. Gave good background on the area.

[Becky Underwood Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a long book to read. It was worth it. At first, the synopsis on the back doesn't match the first 100 or so pages. If you keep reading, you will get the characters that are written in the synopsis on the back of the book. It's a good book about strong women. I really enjoyed it.

[Gwen Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spot on depiction of Natchez prior to/during and post Civil War. It has been discovered that Indian Mounds are not only tombs but built as high ground when the Mississippi River flooded.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was one hell of a ride.

[Monica Horn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of historical novels but this one didn't hold my interest. I know a "keeper" book. It's when I think about the plot and characters of a novel all day long and can't wait to pick up the story again at the end of the day! This didn't do that. In fact, I'd look at the book on my bedside table and think, "Ugh!" So I stopped reading half way through because I was not getting any pleasure from the story.
In the very beginning I was hopeful. It reminded me of Michener's Centenial. I enjoyed the storyline and characters. Then the story of the French trapper and his Native American bride ended abruptly and no mention was made of them again. huh? I'd been looking forward to following them as they began their life together! So, OK. Brand new characters entered. I felt like I was starting a new book. The reader follows this family for a little while and then abruptly it ends and you enter Part II. The story then picks up with the two main characters DEAD (although we learn no details as to how) and only their two children remain, but as adults. The "children" are in mid-life actually, and we know nothing about the decades that have passed and what their lives were like. huh? again! The daughter, Anne has grown into a easy to dislike character who viciously pokes fun at her kind brother. While there's nothing wrong with flawed characters, the reader really knows nothing about why she's like this. It doesn't matter anyway because now the main character seems to be Anne's grown daughter, Arden. But we know nothing about this girl or her groom. They have just appeared in the story, fully grown. Starting over again? I don't think so! Moving on.......
So, bottom line: If you want a true "saga" that transitions smoothly from generation to generation with the lives of characters overlapping as the years pass, then this is not for you.

[Vikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great historical fiction, four generation story starting in 1729. The setting was Natchez, Mississippi. I thought it was as good as Gone With the Wind. I think Pamela Jekel is a fine writer. I am sorry to see that our Library only has two of her books. I will try to get her other books on inter-library loan.
One thing about her writing style, she has little three page nature snippets that had nothing to do with the story interspersed in the book. They were great little works of fiction and I read the first few. But I felt that the little nature stories foreshadowed what was happening in the book. This may not be the case, actually. I don't like to know anything ahead of time about a book so I skipped these and read them after I finished the book. But on second thought, it might not have been foreshadowing. It just told what was happening around the plantation in the animal world. I loved them. I thoroughly enjoyed these little snippets and thought it was clever writing.