Anna, Like Thunder: A Novel

by Peggy Herring

In 1808, the Russian Ship St. Nikolai ran aground off the Olympic Peninsula; this novel is based on this astounding historical event and the lives of the people affected.

In 1808, eighteen-year-old Anna Petrovna Bulygina is aboard the Russian ship St. Nikolai when it runs aground off on the west coast of Washington State on the Olympic Peninsula. The crew, tasked with trading for sea otter pelts and exploring the coast, are forced to shore into Indigenous territory, where they are captured, enslaved, and then traded among three different Indigenous communities. Terrified at first, Anna soon discovers that nothing—including slavery—is what she expected. She begins to question Russian imperialist aspirations, the conduct of the crew, and her own beliefs and values as she experiences a way of life she never could have imagined.

Based on historical record, Anna, Like Thunder blends fact and fiction to explore the early days of contact between Indigenous people and Europeans off the west coast of North America and offers a fresh interpretation of history.

"An intimate engagement with a little known ghost of North American history and memory." --Jaspreet Singh, author of Helium and November<

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Canada

389 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 24, 2018

About the author

Born in Toronto and raised on a farm near Tottenham, Ontario, Peggy Herring felt the first taps of love for the written word as a young girl when her grandfather gifted her with her first typewriter. This love led her to study journalism at Carleton University in Ottawa, and after graduation she embarked on a career with the CBC, which took her from the east coast of Canada to the west. After working in Nepal, London, Dhaka, and New Delhi, Peggy and her family returned to Canada, and currently reside in Victoria, BC. She is the author of Anna, Like Thunder (Brindle & Glass, 2018), This Innocent Corner (Oolichan Books, 2010), and her short fiction has been featured in a variety of publications, including The Antigonish Review, The New Quarterly, and Prism International.

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a galley proof of this title from BNC Catalist,
Loanstars, and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

This novel is based on a true account of the Russian ship, the St. Nikolai, which runs aground in 1808 on the west coast of North America.
A very enjoyable read. Good character development and beautiful descriptive language for the landscape and night sky.
I love two things especially about this book: the first is the juxtaposition of her mother's superstitious tales, her father's scientific rebuttals, and Anna's own supernatural encounters with a wolf.
The second is Anna's keen observations of the culture of the communities that rescue her; her wonderful, innate understanding of how these cultures differ from her own Russian culture; and the refusal of the men who were rescued to see anything but savages.
Her descriptions of some of these moments are exquisite. After running aground, setting out up the coast in hopes of finding another ship: "Tears well up in my eyes, surely from exhaustion, but also because I've never known anything as beautiful as this exists, and I realize how poor my life has been without this knowledge."
Recommended,

[Linda Albert Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating historical novel based on the experience of Anna Petrovna Bulygina, the 18-year-old wife of navigator Nikolai Isaakovich Bulygin, after their ship wrecks on the Olympic Peninsula in 1808. Captured and traded among the Coast Indians, Anna learns to live as the Makah and Quileute do, and when an opportunity to be exchanged for Native captives arises, she refuses, and urges the Russians to surrender to the native peoples so they can survive the winter. Lyrical writing style.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Herring, a Canadian author, weaves a fictional story of Anna and two written historical records: notes of a Russian fur trader from 1874 and an oral tradition of the Quileute Indigenous people. A Russian trading ship, St. Nikoli ran aground off the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula, 1808. There were 22 Russians aboard including 18 year old Anna Petrovna Bulygina, the wife of the navigator.

The crew took refuge in Quileute territory. Some of the communities were peaceful, welcoming but the Russians started warring. Surviving crew members tried to reach a far away coastline where there was the hope of meeting up with another trading ship. Some, including Anna, were traded among the differing tribes.

As Anna begins living among the Makahs - and learning their ways of surviving in an unforgiving environment, she begins to question her own values as a Russian imperialist. Should she risk leaving the Mahahs to find the expected landing site of a future Russian trading ship- and return to Russia? Or, should she accept her new life among the Makahs?

[Meg Birch · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging, important read.

It's intriguing to follow Anna's journey (what *would* a young Russian woman feel, think & experience in 1808 after being shipwrecked on land so completely different from her own?); irresistible because of Herring's elegant and nuanced prose; and important as a work that reveals some of the Quileutes and Makah ways of living that colonization trashed. Hard to describe details without creating spoilers, but I'll say I loved the humorous games that emerged between Anna and the kids (after she'd been there a while). And the scene when they go to collect seagull eggs! Wait for it.

This novel is a page-turner as Anna moves from bewilderment at the "wilderness" to adjusting manual labour to loving the beauty and appreciating the nuances of the people housing & feeding her.

It's important to note that Herring spent years listening, learning, researching about these cultures as she wove this novel. She is a non-Indigenous person writing a non-Indigenous character who is living among Indigenous people. To quote Herring's afterword: "Writing this book has helped me on my own path to decolonization, and for that I am grateful."

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book in spite of some slightly bothersome aspects that always seem to pop up in historical novels. I think the author was extremely conscientious in her research. I grew up un the Pacific Northwest and am a student of the culture and traditions of the Native Americans living in this remote NW corner of the continent. Herring's description of the land and the sky are lyrical. Her research into the customs of the Native people who called this rich area home is wonderful. Herring did a masterful job of integrating the actual people who were a part of this Russian shipwreck into her story in a realistic way. For anyone interested in first contact accounts, this is a great read . It is a study in contrasts between the outlook of the Russian fur traders and the Native people who inhabited this remote region. The book is a page-turner that moves swiftly. An excellent addition to anyone's library who wants to expand their knowledge of First Nations people and their initial contact with White explorers.

[J Lipoti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying the beauty and ecology of the Olympic peninsula, I was intrigued to read this historical fiction book about a Russian ship which ran aground. The Russian characters of the 1800's had all the stereotypes of their era, but the heroine of the story, Anna (Madame Bulygina), is able to break through her prejudices about native peoples, using only a few words and her intuition and empathy. Perhaps it was her upbringing - with her scientific father and superstitious mother - that gave her the ability to accept nuances of communication and see the humanity of the characters beyond language. As much as I enjoyed the story of discovery (seeing the North American plants which resembled the Russian flora), I was more interested in the appreciation for the interconnectedness of the plants and animals and the sustainable habits which allowed the coastal First Nations to live in harmony with nature.

[Liz Rachel Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The characters feel so genuine, and Peggy Herring's writing brings them and their situations to life. The book shares enough historical detail to make the setting seem truly real, while keeping momentum by focusing on Anna and her interactions with other characters.

In an author's note, Peggy Herring mentions how she was influenced by the work of Dr. Jeannette Armstrong (Syilx-Okanagan). Dr. Armstrong asks non-Indigenous writers to consider writing honestly and bravely about colonial and imperialist history and to examine the sources of the racism that persists in social structures today. Peggy Herring took this challenge to heart. With the support of many Indigenous individuals and communities, she learned much about Indigenous culture, language, and history in the Olympic Peninsula area, and she used her deepened understanding to create a remarkable book.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I saw this book displayed in a bookstore, I read the back and was taken by the description so came home and requested it from my library. I awaited it with mounting anticipation, certain it would be wonderful. SOOO disappointed! After about 60 pages I started flipping forward, speed reading as I went, to no avail. I found nothing to keep me invested in these flat unlikeable characters with names it took me long seconds to pronounce,who spoke too often in words I didn’t understand. The main character, Anya, or was it Anna, was obsessed with the North Star from page one, it seemed, and she just didn’t feel like a flesh and blood woman to me. I didn’t like anything about the story, it felt cold, black, white and grey, and when I feel like this at the outset of a book, it just doesn’t deserve any more of my time. Not my cuppa tea!

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I enjoy historical fiction, and this promised to tell an intriguing story of Russian imperialists on the Washington coast. Nope. My interest in the subject helped me put up with the writing for 186 pages. “After a long time and a short time” I quit, BECAUSE YOU CANT USE THAT ONE PHRASE 294 TIMES IN ONE BOOK!
Honestly, I should have known this book didn’t have a hope after the sex scene in the first chapter. Who does that? Even E.L. James let’s us warm up a bit! The protagonist is insipid and I found I cared less and less about her as the story went forward. She was just irritating and I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes at her. With so little historical evidence of her character, Herring had an opportunity to craft an interesting, strong, enterprising woman, but instead we get a whiny, self-important wimp. Ugh.

[Nicole Keaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. Interesting enough but I didn’t invest anything in the characters. Couldn’t really love the heroine. The only person with a personality to speak of was Timofei and Anna loathed him. I grew a little weary of some themes that I felt a little too contemporary for our time and maybe not accurate to theirs. In hindsight we see how imperialists destroyed the environment but would a scared 18 year old be musing about such things? Highly unlikely. These themes made me feel like it was a tsk tsk-ing for the reader instead of weaving a story. And maybe this is small, but I was so bugged that I was forced the change how I imagined Maria a million times because she didn’t reveal she was an elderly Aleut until the book was mostly over. Also, the tense she wrote the book in totally gave away the ending.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about the book. I really liked the content. It was original and important in ways that I hadn’t realized until I read it. We need more books about indigenous people that portray their every day lives, as this one did. As well as the impact of colonialism and Europeans coming to their land.

I think the author is there a respectful to the indigenous people, and it was interesting to hear about their ways of life. I also thought Anna was an interesting character. I had some trouble with the structure of the book itself, the ending didn’t quite seem to fit with the rest of the book, and sometimes the pros was not as engaging as it could’ve been. All in all, an interesting book by a local author on a topic that we should all be reading about.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for historical settings, and the fact that this takes place in and around BC and has Russian and Indigenous characters had me hooked from the summary. Anna was a fascinating FMC and her growth and reflection in understanding the different ways Russian and the various Indigenous peoples she associated with do things and create and nurture culture was so fascinating. I also think it’s important to note and acknowledge the amount of research the author put into this story, the use of Indigenous language, the flushed out and beautiful care that went into the Indigenous characters, and her overall acknowledgment of trying to tell this true story while not speaking for Indigenous peoples.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

[Emmy B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good enough that I finished it…but not because it was well written or the characters were well developed or the plot was at all interesting. I couldn’t quit it because the situation was so unique that I was fascinated and was always wondering what would happen next. The characters are flat and predictable and the writing is repetitive- we don’t need to be bashed over the head constantly with the themes. But I appreciated someone taking the time and effort to fictionalize such a cool historical account and am happy I finished it.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gem and deserves a wide readership! Peggy Herring is a skilled storyteller and the telling of the story itself is a compelling, page turning read. The care for historical detail is exceptional, and an opportunity to learn about a not we’ll know history of European exploration on the coast, and a unique and respectful insight into what life of Indigenous peoples on the coast may have been like.

[Elaine Cougler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was prepared to love this book as it deals with our history, a favorite theme of mine. For the most part, I did enjoy Herring's rendering of this true story but I got a little annoyed with events later in the tale. Anna grows tremendously for most of the book and Herring's storytelling skills are most useful. Without language between Anna and her captors, Herring succeeds in showing just how a person might communicate and she also lets us see what Anna is thinking and questioning.
For me the book fell down in the last few pages where Anna's journey ends. I became somewhat confused and felt I needed a clearer denouement.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked One Thousand White Women, you use read this story of Russian sailors (including one woman) stranded amongst indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest in 1808. Based on a true story, this book uses storytelling to explore themes of colonialism, racism, environment, and money, and it asks the question: Were the Russians rescued, or were they captured?

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the book is intriguing- a young Russian woman, stranded in the Olympic Peninsula and taken in by the indigenous peoples of the area- but the ending felt very jarring. I found Anna's character growth quite interesting to follow and the research the author put into portraying the Quileute and Makah in a historically accurate and respectful manner was phenomenal.

[Patricia Gottschlich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific! This book is based on historical record. In1808, a Russian tradeship ran aground on the Olympic Peninsula, on the northwest coast of Washington state. The crew and the captains wife, Anna are forced ashore and encounter the indigenous people there. The author blends fact and fiction to portray Anna's year among them.

[Sharon J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read! I liked how her character and her courage developed over the story. I also learned a lot about how the local First Nations people fished and foraged for food. Very interesting and it certainly held my attention.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I found this book initially hard to get into, once the story got going I found myself sucked in and wanting to know what would happen next.
I’m glad I kept reading initially.
The amount of times this book says “after a long time and a short time” did drive me slightly crazy.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several books about whites being captured by Indians, mostly by Plain Tribes. Some were memoirs some were historical fiction. This is the first I ve read about captivity by Pacific NW tribes. There is a effort by author to tell the story with the perspective of the tribal communities. Even using actual Indian language of the Makah and Qulieutes . It tells How having whites among their community affected the them. It was beautifully written . I did loose a bit interest in the last chapters.

[John Bunge · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting, fictionalised story of the encounter between Russian traders and the First Nations on the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula, from a young woman's perspective in the early 1800's.

[Laura Long Aractingi · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating is somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. Meanders a bit more than I would have preferred. However, I enjoyed the fact that the story, which is loosely based on some historical records, is from a time period and region that I had not previously read much about.

[Kirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely fitting read following Eowyn Ivey's Bright Side of the Moon.

[Cathy Converse · Rating 5 out of 5]

An 18 year-old Russian girl gets shipwrecked off the Pacific Northwest Coast in 1808—intriguing, compelling, eloquent.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read with well researched history and a story to hold the interest.

[Ann Rahfeldt · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprising story.

[Penny]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...#

[Jazzydonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative fiction story on early Russian attitudes on exploration and exploitation of the west coast of America in the 18th/19th centuries. A fun, easy quick read.