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Olive the Lionheart: Lost Love, Imperial Spies, and One Woman's Journey to the Heart of Africa
From the Edgar-nominated author of the bestselling Mrs. Sherlock Holmes comes the true story of a woman's quest to Africa in the 1900s to find her missing fiancé, and the adventure that ensues.
In 1910, Olive MacLeod, a thirty-year-old, redheaded Scottish aristocrat, received word that her fiancé, the famous naturalist Boyd Alexander, was missing in Africa.
So she went to find him.
Olive the Lionheart is the thrilling true story of her astonishing journey. In jungles, swamps, cities, and deserts, Olive and her two companions, the Talbots, come face-to-face with cobras and crocodiles, wise native chiefs, a murderous leopard cult, a haunted forest, and even two adorable lion cubs that she adopts as her own. Making her way in a pair of ill-fitting boots, Olive awakens to the many forces around her, from shadowy colonial powers to an invisible Islamic warlord who may hold the key to Boyd's disappearance. As these secrets begin to unravel, all of Olive's assumptions prove wrong and she is forced to confront the darkest, most shocking secret of all: why she really came to Africa in the first place.
Drawing on Olive's own letters and secret diaries, Olive the Lionheart is a love story that defies all boundaries, set against the backdrop of a beautiful, unconquerable Africa.
In 1910, Olive MacLeod, a thirty-year-old, redheaded Scottish aristocrat, received word that her fiancé, the famous naturalist Boyd Alexander, was missing in Africa.
So she went to find him.
Olive the Lionheart is the thrilling true story of her astonishing journey. In jungles, swamps, cities, and deserts, Olive and her two companions, the Talbots, come face-to-face with cobras and crocodiles, wise native chiefs, a murderous leopard cult, a haunted forest, and even two adorable lion cubs that she adopts as her own. Making her way in a pair of ill-fitting boots, Olive awakens to the many forces around her, from shadowy colonial powers to an invisible Islamic warlord who may hold the key to Boyd's disappearance. As these secrets begin to unravel, all of Olive's assumptions prove wrong and she is forced to confront the darkest, most shocking secret of all: why she really came to Africa in the first place.
Drawing on Olive's own letters and secret diaries, Olive the Lionheart is a love story that defies all boundaries, set against the backdrop of a beautiful, unconquerable Africa.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 11, 2020
183 people are currently reading
6976 people want to read
About the author
Brad Ricca
17 books266 followersBrad Ricca is the award-winning author of Lincoln's Ghost (forthcoming 2025), the Eisner-nominated graphic novel Ten Days in a Mad-house with artist Courtney Sieh (2022), True Raiders (2021), Olive the Lionheart (2020), the Edgar-nominated Mrs. Sherlock Holmes (2017), and Super Boys (2014), winner of the Ohioana Book Award in Nonfiction and a Booklist Top 10 Book on the Arts. He is also the author of American Mastodon, winner of the 2009 St. Lawrence Book Award. His indie film Last Son (2010) won a Silver Ace Award. He is an English major with a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where he lives with his family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
August 15, 2020
I have always enjoyed reading about early African explorers. I preordered this book and was excited to receive it on publication day. I have been fortunate to have travelled to some remote regions in Africa and wanted to like this book. I regret that I was disappointed.
There is no doubt that the aristocratic Olive MacLeod was an exceptional and fascinating woman. She was brave, daring and inquisitive and wrote about her observations and experiences in areas where no white woman had gone before. I learned much more about her from internet articles than from this book.
I found the writing style to be poorly executed and far from cohesive. It tended to be melodramatic and used misdirection for effect. It jumped about in time, topic and style, causing me to become distracted and bored, and Olive was not a boring woman. There was a lot of superfluous descriptions and information, whereas other parts required more elaboration. I found myself plodding along in an effort to finish the book.
The sense of elitism and entitlement of the white explorers in Colonial times was disturbing, as was their racist views of native tribes and the explorers' superior attitude towards their porters. Olive's expedition leader, experienced explorer, Talbot, only enjoyed the sight of the magnificent African wildlife when he was shooting them.
The premise was a good one. Olive goes to Africa in 1910 in search of Boyd Alexander explorer and ornithologist. He was described as her fiance, but there doesn't seem to be any definite promise to marry him, just a longing to see him again after his return from Africa in 12 months' time. Her letters to him were vague and she had difficulty expressing her feelings, but they became more romantic as time passed. When his letters stopped, she went to Africa to find out if he was still alive, or to discover how and why he died.
As the expedition travelled through Africa, they encountered the hardships of rough terrain, insects, snakes, wild animals, swamps and mountainous regions. Olive met village people and tribal chiefs, always taking careful notes on what she learned. I was confused about their travel route but there was a map at the end. This would have been very helpful if I were reading the hard copy, but it was not very useful on a Kindle or iPad.
Governor Temple of the British Protectorate of Nigeria limited their movements by putting obstacles in their way, which the expedition disregarded. He made it be known that in his opinion, white women had no place in Africa. I was surprised to learn that Olive married him and the couple subsequently travelled together to many parts of Africa. They wrote about their journeys and collected tribal artifacts which are now in a museum.
April 1, 2020
I received a copy of this biography of Olive MacLeod from goodreads as a giveaway promotion.
Olive MacLeod and Boyd Alexander we’re engaged to be married when Boyd goes to Africa on an expedition. He promises Olive he will return in one year.
Olive and Boyd exchange letters. These letters are actually in the book. Suddenly letters from Boyd stop. Olive boards a ship along with her companions Mr. and Mrs Talbot to find out what happened to Boyd. She endures many hardships and danger along the way.
I enjoyed this story about a brave woman in 191O who goes to Africa to seek what happened to her finace. However I felt the writing at times was drawn out and confusing. The letters that were exchanged from Olive and Boyd seemed to be after the events took place. There also were notes but they were in the back of the book and it was cumbersome to look back on for each chapter.
I felt the story did not flow well.
That said it was an amazing adventure that Olive went on.
Olive MacLeod and Boyd Alexander we’re engaged to be married when Boyd goes to Africa on an expedition. He promises Olive he will return in one year.
Olive and Boyd exchange letters. These letters are actually in the book. Suddenly letters from Boyd stop. Olive boards a ship along with her companions Mr. and Mrs Talbot to find out what happened to Boyd. She endures many hardships and danger along the way.
I enjoyed this story about a brave woman in 191O who goes to Africa to seek what happened to her finace. However I felt the writing at times was drawn out and confusing. The letters that were exchanged from Olive and Boyd seemed to be after the events took place. There also were notes but they were in the back of the book and it was cumbersome to look back on for each chapter.
I felt the story did not flow well.
That said it was an amazing adventure that Olive went on.
July 8, 2020
3.5 / 5.0 stars
Biographer Brad Ricca has a penchant for discovering and sharing long forgotten rich historical stories which are as personal as they are informative. His research and footnoting in this particualr story is herculean. These citations provide the gravitas of this tremendous and epic story of Olive MacLeod, a young, fearless and driven explorer and adventurer - driven by her own heartache. Her quest for answers to the mysteries surrounding her fiancé's (famous naturalist Boyd Alexander) 1910 disappearance and presumed demise in Central Africa takes her deep into to the heart of that wild and uncharted land - encountering places and cultures never previously observed by any European woman. Accompanied by the Talbots, a seasoned British couple well acquainted with the African land, Olive is greeted and acknowledged by many African dignitaries and leaders. She and the Talbots, accompanied by a sizable entourage, endure harsh weather, subterfuge and poisoning. They encounter much wildlife along their travels such as water buffalo, hippopotamus, cobras, lions, scorpions, crocodiles, giraffes, elephants and baboons. The native peoples are captivated by the foreigners' hair, expecially that of Olive as her flaming red tresses reach nearly to the floor when unpinned.
The material for this book is drawn from the journals of Olive MacLeod and Boyd Alexander as well as the correspondence between the two of them. As rich as this story is, there is much which is uncomfortable to a sensitive reader. There is violence, perfidy and the harsh realities of life's greatest disappointments. Yet, too, there is also much within this tale which is to be celebrated. Olive starts out as a naïve, unseasoned and plucky young woman and through her nine month African exploration finds out the tough stuff of which she is made. She overcomes her heartache and soars to great heights through her discoveries, whether they be physical or psychological. This is a story which begged to be told and we are all that much richer for its telling.
I am grateful to author Brad Ricca and publisher St. Martin's Press for having provided a complimentary advance reader'd edition of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Biographer Brad Ricca has a penchant for discovering and sharing long forgotten rich historical stories which are as personal as they are informative. His research and footnoting in this particualr story is herculean. These citations provide the gravitas of this tremendous and epic story of Olive MacLeod, a young, fearless and driven explorer and adventurer - driven by her own heartache. Her quest for answers to the mysteries surrounding her fiancé's (famous naturalist Boyd Alexander) 1910 disappearance and presumed demise in Central Africa takes her deep into to the heart of that wild and uncharted land - encountering places and cultures never previously observed by any European woman. Accompanied by the Talbots, a seasoned British couple well acquainted with the African land, Olive is greeted and acknowledged by many African dignitaries and leaders. She and the Talbots, accompanied by a sizable entourage, endure harsh weather, subterfuge and poisoning. They encounter much wildlife along their travels such as water buffalo, hippopotamus, cobras, lions, scorpions, crocodiles, giraffes, elephants and baboons. The native peoples are captivated by the foreigners' hair, expecially that of Olive as her flaming red tresses reach nearly to the floor when unpinned.
The material for this book is drawn from the journals of Olive MacLeod and Boyd Alexander as well as the correspondence between the two of them. As rich as this story is, there is much which is uncomfortable to a sensitive reader. There is violence, perfidy and the harsh realities of life's greatest disappointments. Yet, too, there is also much within this tale which is to be celebrated. Olive starts out as a naïve, unseasoned and plucky young woman and through her nine month African exploration finds out the tough stuff of which she is made. She overcomes her heartache and soars to great heights through her discoveries, whether they be physical or psychological. This is a story which begged to be told and we are all that much richer for its telling.
I am grateful to author Brad Ricca and publisher St. Martin's Press for having provided a complimentary advance reader'd edition of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
September 17, 2020
Early 1900’s: 30-year old Olive Macleod, leaves her home in Scotland to travel to Africa ostensibly to find out if her fiancée, explorer Boyd Alexander – oops – no he wasn’t actually her fiancée, is really dead as per the news received by his family in England.
Olive’s journey through Africa is detailed as it relates to the peoples of Africa, her travelling companions, the Talbots, animals and fauna, etc. which is all fine and good, but became a bit boring after awhile.
Olive seems to have known Boyd for about 10 minutes before he went off on his expedition to Africa. While he did ask her to marry him before he left she was ambivalent having been ‘promised’ to another.
Next we read a plethora of letters from her sounding a bit disturbed, even manic, and seemingly desperate to know when his expedition would end and when he would be coming home. I couldn’t help wondering if those letters would not have annoyed Boyd rather than inspire him.
Anyway, the writing is oddly simplistic and I did not find Olive the Lionheart as the title suggests. I seem to have missed that part.
Olive’s journey through Africa is detailed as it relates to the peoples of Africa, her travelling companions, the Talbots, animals and fauna, etc. which is all fine and good, but became a bit boring after awhile.
Olive seems to have known Boyd for about 10 minutes before he went off on his expedition to Africa. While he did ask her to marry him before he left she was ambivalent having been ‘promised’ to another.
Next we read a plethora of letters from her sounding a bit disturbed, even manic, and seemingly desperate to know when his expedition would end and when he would be coming home. I couldn’t help wondering if those letters would not have annoyed Boyd rather than inspire him.
Anyway, the writing is oddly simplistic and I did not find Olive the Lionheart as the title suggests. I seem to have missed that part.
August 10, 2020
Okay. So. I love the premise of this book and that's why I was initially drawn to it. But. I don't know. I think this is a great story but I was not a fan of this execution. I think the ~fictionalization of Olive was a mistake and I would've much rather just read her journal entries than having them rewritten. (So I guess I should've just picked up the book she actually wrote. Whoops.)
The writing in this book is a little strange and disjointed. It doesn't really flow and the way the story is told isn't super enthralling? The book tries to create ~tension and mystery where there really isn't any? And then disappoints when that tension or mystery isn't delivered. Honestly. I could've done without the little headings for each chapter because they were super misleading. I stopped reading them about halfway through.
But overall, it was the writing in this book that didn't really work for me? It was a lot of simple sentences (most of which started with Olive did this or Olive went here) that didn't really flow or make you want to keep reading. It was very distracting. When reading one single paragraph, every single sentence shouldn't start with "Olive"?? So this whole book felt more like a rough draft than the final product. Personally, I felt like it could use A LOT of editing.
This book also felt like it was a little too ~modern for the time period and setting? Olive is a Scottish woman who lived in England and traveled to Africa during the 1910s. Though if you hadn't told me all of those things upfront, I wouldn't have been able to tell by reading this. It all felt very modern and American. Which is honestly why I preferred her writings. They felt more appropriate for the time period and felt more like her. The rest of the book was rather impersonal and it made it harder to connect with Olive.
Plus, it felt like there was a lot of unnecessary information that didn't really need to be in this book. So I spent most of the book bored, forcing myself to continue. If this hadn't been an arc, I'm honestly not sure I would've even finished it.
So. I loved the story. I loved the idea behind this. I just don't really think this was the proper execution for it. My favorite parts of this were Olive's letters and her journal entries. The stuff that was actually written by Olive. So I think this story would've been better told by her than by someone else. And I also think her often mentioned photos should've been included. They would've greatly enhanced this story.
Overall, I don't know. I'm glad to know that Olive exists because she was fascinating. But at the end of the day, for reading about her for 340 pages, I don't really feel like I've learned much. Unfortunately, this didn't really capture my attention and was just something I wanted to be done with. So I think I would've been better off researching her in some other fashion.
Again. I think this is a great story idea. I just don't think this is the proper execution.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!
The writing in this book is a little strange and disjointed. It doesn't really flow and the way the story is told isn't super enthralling? The book tries to create ~tension and mystery where there really isn't any? And then disappoints when that tension or mystery isn't delivered. Honestly. I could've done without the little headings for each chapter because they were super misleading. I stopped reading them about halfway through.
But overall, it was the writing in this book that didn't really work for me? It was a lot of simple sentences (most of which started with Olive did this or Olive went here) that didn't really flow or make you want to keep reading. It was very distracting. When reading one single paragraph, every single sentence shouldn't start with "Olive"?? So this whole book felt more like a rough draft than the final product. Personally, I felt like it could use A LOT of editing.
This book also felt like it was a little too ~modern for the time period and setting? Olive is a Scottish woman who lived in England and traveled to Africa during the 1910s. Though if you hadn't told me all of those things upfront, I wouldn't have been able to tell by reading this. It all felt very modern and American. Which is honestly why I preferred her writings. They felt more appropriate for the time period and felt more like her. The rest of the book was rather impersonal and it made it harder to connect with Olive.
Plus, it felt like there was a lot of unnecessary information that didn't really need to be in this book. So I spent most of the book bored, forcing myself to continue. If this hadn't been an arc, I'm honestly not sure I would've even finished it.
So. I loved the story. I loved the idea behind this. I just don't really think this was the proper execution for it. My favorite parts of this were Olive's letters and her journal entries. The stuff that was actually written by Olive. So I think this story would've been better told by her than by someone else. And I also think her often mentioned photos should've been included. They would've greatly enhanced this story.
Overall, I don't know. I'm glad to know that Olive exists because she was fascinating. But at the end of the day, for reading about her for 340 pages, I don't really feel like I've learned much. Unfortunately, this didn't really capture my attention and was just something I wanted to be done with. So I think I would've been better off researching her in some other fashion.
Again. I think this is a great story idea. I just don't think this is the proper execution.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!
December 2, 2019
I’m torn between 3 and 4 stars for this one — I loved the concept and idea, and appreciated that the author tried to use as much primary source material from Olive (the badass™️) as was available/possible.
The thought of a (single) woman in 1910 (!!!) journeying to Africa to find her disappeared fiancé was a great hook, but I didn’t particularly care for the first half of the book. I wish her letters had been weaved more seamlessly into the narrative.
Also, I just kept thinking about colonialism in Africa and its impact on the continent/world, so that colored my perceptions of the book.
I did really enjoy the last half, although I think that Olive’s lost fiancé kind of sucks.
The thought of a (single) woman in 1910 (!!!) journeying to Africa to find her disappeared fiancé was a great hook, but I didn’t particularly care for the first half of the book. I wish her letters had been weaved more seamlessly into the narrative.
Also, I just kept thinking about colonialism in Africa and its impact on the continent/world, so that colored my perceptions of the book.
I did really enjoy the last half, although I think that Olive’s lost fiancé kind of sucks.
October 30, 2020
What an adventure! The detail that is in this book is so great you may feel the heat of the day as Olive and the Talbots as they travel through Africa mapping, collecting samples of wildlife, exploring uncharted areas.
And searching for a lost boyfriend of Olives that had been killed while he was exploring Africa, she wanted to find his grave and place a cross on the grave. She knew the location but there were two versions of how he lost his life.
The Africans were amazed about the color of Olive's hair, Red, and the Chiefs always wanted to meet with party but Olive was the real reason. Her hair color traveled faster than she so when they visit a village everyone turned out to see the lady with red hair.
Because she was single Olive faced a lot of resistance about the traveling in Africa. but she proved more once she was up for the task.
Thank you Goodreads and Mr Ricca for making this book available.
And searching for a lost boyfriend of Olives that had been killed while he was exploring Africa, she wanted to find his grave and place a cross on the grave. She knew the location but there were two versions of how he lost his life.
The Africans were amazed about the color of Olive's hair, Red, and the Chiefs always wanted to meet with party but Olive was the real reason. Her hair color traveled faster than she so when they visit a village everyone turned out to see the lady with red hair.
Because she was single Olive faced a lot of resistance about the traveling in Africa. but she proved more once she was up for the task.
Thank you Goodreads and Mr Ricca for making this book available.
August 11, 2020
Olive MacLeod’s family DID NOT CONSENT to the publication of these private letters and personal diaries. Brad Ricca was able to obtain them, and has been flouting UK copyright (which does cover these materials) by publishing in the US (which does not). The family has actively been trying to stop publication by trying to work with both Mr. Ricca and the publisher, but has not been successful. Not cool, Brad.
August 11, 2020
Disappointing from start to finish. The terrible title in itself gives away it will be bad.
June 20, 2020
I was totally on board with this book's premise but, almost from the beginning, it was a disappointment. Mostly due to the lame attempts at misdirection in an effort to create excitement in the narrative; the most egregious example being Olive's "disappearance" which was just her being in her tent. I suspect I would have enjoyed Olive MacLeod's book about her trip (which was titled Chiefs and Cities of Central Africa) much more than this awkward modern reimagining that tries to frame Olive as a lovesick puppy searching for her fiancee.
I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher.
I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2020
Oh, how I wanted to love this book. The cover is beautiful... and the idea of a woman in the early 1900's exploring Africa and doing things on her own. I read about 20% and could not go on any longer. The family history was great, but the writing style was hard to read. It could not quite keep my attention.... it went from a letter entry to another random thought... and then a different style of writing then. It did not seem cohesive and perhaps I would have enjoyed reading about Olive if written by someone else?
Thank you to netgalley and St Martins press for my advanced copy for my honest review.
Thank you to netgalley and St Martins press for my advanced copy for my honest review.
May 20, 2020
I loved this book so much! I love who Olive was in such a hard time to be a woman. She was so brave, strong and amazing! Following her adventure was an adventure and so inspiring. Also, learning more about Africa was wonderful. I can’t wait to share this with my friends! I highly recommend this!
Just keep in mind this is a biography, so it reads slower like them, rather than a fiction. But it is totally worth the work of reading non-fiction!
Just keep in mind this is a biography, so it reads slower like them, rather than a fiction. But it is totally worth the work of reading non-fiction!
August 11, 2020
From my reading, Olive MacLeod seems like the kind of person that wouldn't stand for treachery. She'd have the courage to do the right thing. An extraordinary woman's story told by a man without the character of his subject.
November 7, 2024
Parts of this book were 3 stars but the writing style just didn't grab me. She was definitely an interesting and brave woman, especially for the times, but the story didn't flow, just a series of matter-of-fact paragraphs interspersed with digressions of the battles fought in that part of Africa in the early 1900's.
March 17, 2024
The sheer entitlement and judgmental attitude of the main characters, who are white Europeans, over everything and everyone they encounter in Africa is just repulsive. They are some of the coldest and less endearing book characters that I've ever read about. The correspondence between Olive and Boyd is excruciatingly painful to read because it doesn't follow the book's chronology and flow and shows how much of an emotionally immature woman Olive is. The author feels more like a dead inside journalist than an author. This could have been a great book about the African continent being discovered and explored with all its richness nature wise and people wise but it completey fails to do so. The short chapter resume after each chapter title is oftentimes misleading and serves more like a click bait than anything. What a waste of reading time.......
August 8, 2020
First of all, this cover is AMAZING! It is the kind of cover that made me not even care what the book was about, I knew I wanted to read it. And I lucked out because what was under the cover was good too!
This is a non-fiction account of Olive MacLeod. In 1910, she found out that her fiancé had gone missing while in Africa. So…she packed her bags and went to find him. Olive MacLeod is the kind of woman I would have liked to know. She was fiercely independent, wildly disregarding of the early 1900’s social restrictions, and extremely adventurous!
There were so many wonderful things about this story. I really enjoyed reading Olive’s letters, which were used throughout the book. I thought they provided really interesting first-hand accounts of Olive’s personality. I did not like how their placement fit into the actual book. It felt abrupt at times, pulling me from the story. They were excellent additions to the story, and I would not have wanted them removed, but I would have liked them to flow seamlessly into the pages.
I loved adventurous encounters with wildlife that Olive has on her journey. Every type of animal that you think lives in Africa seemed to have crossed paths with Olive. The descriptions of the landscape really drew me into the story.
Overall, I thought this was a very interesting account of one woman’s journey through Africa. I liked getting to know Olive and learning about who she was. I think that the story could have been enhanced with some maps to show her route through Africa, and some better choices in the way the story unfolded. It was, however, an exciting book with so many interesting details and encounters!
To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend Olive the Lionheart to readers that enjoy historical stories with strong female characters!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
My full review of this book will post to my blog on 8/10/20.
This is a non-fiction account of Olive MacLeod. In 1910, she found out that her fiancé had gone missing while in Africa. So…she packed her bags and went to find him. Olive MacLeod is the kind of woman I would have liked to know. She was fiercely independent, wildly disregarding of the early 1900’s social restrictions, and extremely adventurous!
There were so many wonderful things about this story. I really enjoyed reading Olive’s letters, which were used throughout the book. I thought they provided really interesting first-hand accounts of Olive’s personality. I did not like how their placement fit into the actual book. It felt abrupt at times, pulling me from the story. They were excellent additions to the story, and I would not have wanted them removed, but I would have liked them to flow seamlessly into the pages.
I loved adventurous encounters with wildlife that Olive has on her journey. Every type of animal that you think lives in Africa seemed to have crossed paths with Olive. The descriptions of the landscape really drew me into the story.
Overall, I thought this was a very interesting account of one woman’s journey through Africa. I liked getting to know Olive and learning about who she was. I think that the story could have been enhanced with some maps to show her route through Africa, and some better choices in the way the story unfolded. It was, however, an exciting book with so many interesting details and encounters!
To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend Olive the Lionheart to readers that enjoy historical stories with strong female characters!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
My full review of this book will post to my blog on 8/10/20.
November 1, 2020
I somehow finished this audiobook even though it bored me to death. I would have DNF'ed it but I kept it playing while working and next thing I knew, it was finally over!
The premise of this book (and the title) was interesting - based on actual letters and journals written by Olive MacLeod, this book is supposed to tell the story of Olive's adventures in Africa as she searched for her missing fiancé, Boyd Alexander.
I think it's important to note that this is a fictional novel, inspired by true events and letters written by Olive MacLeod. The title of the book promises an emotional and adventurous journey but failed to deliver on both accounts.
Unfortunately, I thought the characters were flat and dull. I couldn't connect with Olive and honestly didn't understand why she was writing love letters to her dead fiancé whom she didn't know and didn't want to marry in the first place. It was never clearly explained why she suddenly fell in love with the idea of Boyd and felt the need to travel to Africa.
The story was also all over the place and difficult to follow, especially in audiobook format. One second she's still in Scotland, the next she's in Africa, then we're reading letters between Olive and Boyd (from before her journey? during? after? I don't even know - it seemed like nothing was in chronological order), and then back to her journey in Africa, some more letters to her dead fiancé, more travelling, life in Scotland, and finally updates on the situation in Africa... It was all so disjointed, it left me feeling lost and uninterested.
The premise of this book (and the title) was interesting - based on actual letters and journals written by Olive MacLeod, this book is supposed to tell the story of Olive's adventures in Africa as she searched for her missing fiancé, Boyd Alexander.
I think it's important to note that this is a fictional novel, inspired by true events and letters written by Olive MacLeod. The title of the book promises an emotional and adventurous journey but failed to deliver on both accounts.
Unfortunately, I thought the characters were flat and dull. I couldn't connect with Olive and honestly didn't understand why she was writing love letters to her dead fiancé whom she didn't know and didn't want to marry in the first place. It was never clearly explained why she suddenly fell in love with the idea of Boyd and felt the need to travel to Africa.
The story was also all over the place and difficult to follow, especially in audiobook format. One second she's still in Scotland, the next she's in Africa, then we're reading letters between Olive and Boyd (from before her journey? during? after? I don't even know - it seemed like nothing was in chronological order), and then back to her journey in Africa, some more letters to her dead fiancé, more travelling, life in Scotland, and finally updates on the situation in Africa... It was all so disjointed, it left me feeling lost and uninterested.
August 13, 2020
Olive MacLeod is a thirty-year-old Scottish aristocrat. In 1910, she received word that her fiancé, the famous explorer Boyd Alexander, went missing in Africa. Olive decides to Africa determined to find out what happened. Olive and her two travel companions, the Talbots, traverse across the diverse landscape of Africa to find the truth. They cross paths with dangerous animals, native chiefs, politicians, a haunted forest, and a murderous leopard cult. As Olive and the Talbots travel across Africa, they uncover secrets that might hold the key to her fiancé's whereabouts.
The book is based on true events and gleams highlights from Olive's own diaries and letters. The author wrote the book in the same writing style and language if Olive was writing the book. I thought it was a great idea until I found myself rereading things over and over to understand it. I was excited to read about a female explorer taking the world by the horns. However, I felt quite disconnected from Olive. I had a hard time understanding some of her motives and her reactions. For example, Mr. Talbot was showing her how to de-feather a bird. She volunteered for the job but, purposely wasn't following his instructions. I felt like she took the job to prove that she was an asset to the journey and her not following the instructions was counter-intuitive. Unfortunately, I found the novel boring and moved slowly that halfway through the novel I just abandoned the book.
The book is based on true events and gleams highlights from Olive's own diaries and letters. The author wrote the book in the same writing style and language if Olive was writing the book. I thought it was a great idea until I found myself rereading things over and over to understand it. I was excited to read about a female explorer taking the world by the horns. However, I felt quite disconnected from Olive. I had a hard time understanding some of her motives and her reactions. For example, Mr. Talbot was showing her how to de-feather a bird. She volunteered for the job but, purposely wasn't following his instructions. I felt like she took the job to prove that she was an asset to the journey and her not following the instructions was counter-intuitive. Unfortunately, I found the novel boring and moved slowly that halfway through the novel I just abandoned the book.
June 12, 2020
I won an Advance Reader's Edition of Olive the Lionheart by Brad Ricca from Goodreads.
Olive the Lionheart by Brad Ricca is well written, researched, and documented, and it reads like a novel. The author uses letters, diaries, and other sources to take readers on a trek through central Africa in 1910 and 1911, as Olive MacLeod endures extreme heat, rugged trails, and life-threatening encounters with man and beast in her search for her fiance's grave. Along the way, she experiences many joyful and exhilarating moments, as well. Olive the Lionheart touches readers' hearts in surprising ways.
Olive the Lionheart by Brad Ricca is well written, researched, and documented, and it reads like a novel. The author uses letters, diaries, and other sources to take readers on a trek through central Africa in 1910 and 1911, as Olive MacLeod endures extreme heat, rugged trails, and life-threatening encounters with man and beast in her search for her fiance's grave. Along the way, she experiences many joyful and exhilarating moments, as well. Olive the Lionheart touches readers' hearts in surprising ways.
September 3, 2020
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I wanted to love it, to be able to write a rave review. Unfortunately, I have to be honest and say I was very disappointed. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what bothered me, but I guess it was several things. I suppose Olive was an exceptional woman, but I just wasn't convinced. I didn't like her at all, or, for that matter, any of the other characters, at least the human ones. Not that that necessarily means I won't like a book.
I'm always one to preach that we should not judge people in the past by our own standards, but I confess that this book really made me uncomfortable. Not just with the attitudes towards people (women, "inferior" natives, that kind of thing----I can understand all that and mark it up to the ignorance of the past), but with the gratuitous slaughter of animals to supposedly prove the superiority of the human race. Okay, okay....I apologize for the wimpiness. I just cry for any creature, human or animal, that is mistreated, and it was so prevalent in this book that it affected my being able to read it.
I confess I skimmed over many sections just because I was curious to see how it ended: did she actually complete the journey through Africa; was her fiance dead or alive; what the heck happened to them all afterwards. I didn't really enjoy it, and I'm glad it's over. I'm very sorry I could not write a more positive review.
I'm always one to preach that we should not judge people in the past by our own standards, but I confess that this book really made me uncomfortable. Not just with the attitudes towards people (women, "inferior" natives, that kind of thing----I can understand all that and mark it up to the ignorance of the past), but with the gratuitous slaughter of animals to supposedly prove the superiority of the human race. Okay, okay....I apologize for the wimpiness. I just cry for any creature, human or animal, that is mistreated, and it was so prevalent in this book that it affected my being able to read it.
I confess I skimmed over many sections just because I was curious to see how it ended: did she actually complete the journey through Africa; was her fiance dead or alive; what the heck happened to them all afterwards. I didn't really enjoy it, and I'm glad it's over. I'm very sorry I could not write a more positive review.
August 14, 2020
I was provided a free copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I'll start out with letting you know I lived in Africa for four years growing up (Zimbabwe and Ethiopia). So I love stories about Africa, and even enjoy hearing about the colonial days. So obviously when I saw this book available on NetGalley I jumped on it and was very excited to read it. I had never heard about Olive MacLeod. However, as you can see by my rating, this book was a big disappoint. I struggled through it, and only made myself finish because it is an ARC and I feel obligated to give it full review.
The writing style was off. Very simplistic. Trying to create more drama. I don't know if it was just my copy or the finalized version too, but from one paragraph to the next there were frequently huge jumps in topic/location/time that often made it confusing to follow. Literally at the zoo talking about a lion, period, next paragraph (no extra spacing) intently studying the Rosetta Stone at the British museum. 🤷🏻♀️
Olive sounded like an amazing woman, and it sounds like she was a pioneer in white womens' exploration and even being allowed in Africa, but she has written her own book based on her journals, so I'd probably read those if I wanted to know more about her. This fictionalized version probably did not do her justice.
It was published on Tuesday, so you can get a copy if you want, but I did not enjoy it. Although, people like different things, so...
#NetGalley #OliveTheLionheart
I'll start out with letting you know I lived in Africa for four years growing up (Zimbabwe and Ethiopia). So I love stories about Africa, and even enjoy hearing about the colonial days. So obviously when I saw this book available on NetGalley I jumped on it and was very excited to read it. I had never heard about Olive MacLeod. However, as you can see by my rating, this book was a big disappoint. I struggled through it, and only made myself finish because it is an ARC and I feel obligated to give it full review.
The writing style was off. Very simplistic. Trying to create more drama. I don't know if it was just my copy or the finalized version too, but from one paragraph to the next there were frequently huge jumps in topic/location/time that often made it confusing to follow. Literally at the zoo talking about a lion, period, next paragraph (no extra spacing) intently studying the Rosetta Stone at the British museum. 🤷🏻♀️
Olive sounded like an amazing woman, and it sounds like she was a pioneer in white womens' exploration and even being allowed in Africa, but she has written her own book based on her journals, so I'd probably read those if I wanted to know more about her. This fictionalized version probably did not do her justice.
It was published on Tuesday, so you can get a copy if you want, but I did not enjoy it. Although, people like different things, so...
#NetGalley #OliveTheLionheart
September 20, 2020
I’m intrigued by any book about an independent female who was ahead of her time and was thrilled to receive an advance copy of OLIVE, THE LIONHEART. Olive McLeod was a Scottish aristocrat who traveled to Africa at the age of 30 to retrace her fiance's 12 month journey that ended in his death. She made the expedition with only a married couple as her guides in the year 1910. Unbelievable!
In the author’s notes he tells of his struggle to tell Olive’s story and ended up basically re-writing the book using mostly Olive’s journals and letters so that she could tell her own story. Unfortunately, that presentation landed flat for me. I think I needed the embellishments that bring historical fiction to life. Ironically, as I scanned through the reviews on Goodreads, there are a couple of posts claiming that the author used Olive’s artifacts without permission of the family.
In the author’s notes he tells of his struggle to tell Olive’s story and ended up basically re-writing the book using mostly Olive’s journals and letters so that she could tell her own story. Unfortunately, that presentation landed flat for me. I think I needed the embellishments that bring historical fiction to life. Ironically, as I scanned through the reviews on Goodreads, there are a couple of posts claiming that the author used Olive’s artifacts without permission of the family.
May 6, 2020
This non-fiction book about Olive McLeod is truly unique. Olive exemplifies two very different examples of a woman in the early 1900's. The first being the woman of a higher class whose main goal in life it would seem would be to enter into a respectable marriage and make a good home for her husband. The other woman, whom we see in the amazing setting of wild and beautiful Africa, is nothing short of the most courageous adventurer of her time.
The story is told mostly told through diaries, Olive's own and her 'fiance's', as well as letters that both of them wrote to each other. After the initial introduction to the man she believed she would marry, Olive learned that he was missing in Africa as she awaited his return. From there, she - against all odds it seemed to me- put together a trip with a Mr. Talbot and his wife, to go to the areas of Africa where her fiancé had traveled.
The parts I truly enjoyed were the descriptions of the African continent - forests, deserts, lakes, waterfalls. It was a dream I was trying to keep up with as she and her companions traveled... the natives they met and the colonialists who greeted them as well. I would have liked several things in the book, mainly at least a couple maps of the areas they travelled. [Yes, I googled the names and was fascinated. Photos would also have enhanced the book.]
The ending was not really the end of the story because there was an Epilogue, certainly, but also there was short-shrift, in my opinion, of 'the rest of the story'! Perhaps even a second book would have been warranted, and the author, Brad Ricca would seem to be up to the task.
What an amazing woman Olive was.
I won this uncorrected paperback proof in a Goodreads giveaway.
The story is told mostly told through diaries, Olive's own and her 'fiance's', as well as letters that both of them wrote to each other. After the initial introduction to the man she believed she would marry, Olive learned that he was missing in Africa as she awaited his return. From there, she - against all odds it seemed to me- put together a trip with a Mr. Talbot and his wife, to go to the areas of Africa where her fiancé had traveled.
The parts I truly enjoyed were the descriptions of the African continent - forests, deserts, lakes, waterfalls. It was a dream I was trying to keep up with as she and her companions traveled... the natives they met and the colonialists who greeted them as well. I would have liked several things in the book, mainly at least a couple maps of the areas they travelled. [Yes, I googled the names and was fascinated. Photos would also have enhanced the book.]
The ending was not really the end of the story because there was an Epilogue, certainly, but also there was short-shrift, in my opinion, of 'the rest of the story'! Perhaps even a second book would have been warranted, and the author, Brad Ricca would seem to be up to the task.
What an amazing woman Olive was.
I won this uncorrected paperback proof in a Goodreads giveaway.
April 4, 2020
1910 Olive finds out her fiance Boyd Alexander was killed on an expedition in Africa. Olive decides to go find out for herself what is going on. How did he die, or is he even dead??
I found that the first part of this book moved a little slow, but then the story starts to piece together, and the story picks up about half way into the book. The author was able to describe Africa in 1910 with such clarity that you could almost taste the dust in the air. Olive's story is just amazing! Not many men could handle what Olive did and because of the time period she wasn't taken very seriously. She saw more, did more, experienced more than any woman in 1910 could even hope of doing.
There was an underlying theme in this book that was very subtle, but maybe could have been even more to the forefront. Olive obviously was suffering with depression, or some sort of mental illness. I won't say more than that. But since this story was told from Olives diary, I'm not sure how the author could have changed this one aspect of the book.
Thank you to St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. And a huge thanks to the author, Brad Ricca for such an interesting book!
I found that the first part of this book moved a little slow, but then the story starts to piece together, and the story picks up about half way into the book. The author was able to describe Africa in 1910 with such clarity that you could almost taste the dust in the air. Olive's story is just amazing! Not many men could handle what Olive did and because of the time period she wasn't taken very seriously. She saw more, did more, experienced more than any woman in 1910 could even hope of doing.
There was an underlying theme in this book that was very subtle, but maybe could have been even more to the forefront. Olive obviously was suffering with depression, or some sort of mental illness. I won't say more than that. But since this story was told from Olives diary, I'm not sure how the author could have changed this one aspect of the book.
Thank you to St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. And a huge thanks to the author, Brad Ricca for such an interesting book!
July 7, 2020
This is a true story of Olive MacLeod's , journey to Africa to find out what had happened to her Fiance, who was killed while there on an expedition. She leaves England in 1910 at the age of 30, with a couple who were more experienced travelers and whom would be her companions along the way, a Mr and Mrs Talbot.
This was a very interesting story taken mainly from Olives diaries and letters, by both herself, and Boyd Alexander her fiance. the author made the story flow, without changing any of the details.
Wonderful adventures and encounters with the local tribes and animals that lived along the route that they took, trekking 3,700 miles in nine months to visit her fiance's grave and to find out what really happened to him.
The story gives us a feel for what was happening in Africa, during that time period, as they would go through, British, French and German territories.
The descriptions are wonderful and one gets a great feel of the different tribes and there customs.
Olive was truly a strong and fascinating person.
I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book.
This was a very interesting story taken mainly from Olives diaries and letters, by both herself, and Boyd Alexander her fiance. the author made the story flow, without changing any of the details.
Wonderful adventures and encounters with the local tribes and animals that lived along the route that they took, trekking 3,700 miles in nine months to visit her fiance's grave and to find out what really happened to him.
The story gives us a feel for what was happening in Africa, during that time period, as they would go through, British, French and German territories.
The descriptions are wonderful and one gets a great feel of the different tribes and there customs.
Olive was truly a strong and fascinating person.
I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book.
October 9, 2021
You know it's a good book when it motivates you to seek out, find, and read other books on the heroine and subject matter.
I absolutely loved this book. The story perfectly encapsulated the time period and its colonial exploration mentality through the eyes of those that lived it. It is told through the journals and letters of those involved plus news articles and reports written during the time. So you get to hear exactly what those involved were thinking, as if you are there riding along with them. It's wonderful!
Yes, it includes the prejudice and colonial Africa mentality of the time plus the severe lack of animal conservation, both of which are utterly horrible, but you can not change what was. So I'm glad the author didn't take those parts out—he gives it to you as it was, and I learned so much about the people of the period.
This book has found its place into my very rare collection of "books I will repeatedly read". It's the type of story you will learn a new detail from every time you read it.
Olive McCloud was something else. I'm recommending this book to everyone who enjoys history, anthropology, or just a good heroine story.
I absolutely loved this book. The story perfectly encapsulated the time period and its colonial exploration mentality through the eyes of those that lived it. It is told through the journals and letters of those involved plus news articles and reports written during the time. So you get to hear exactly what those involved were thinking, as if you are there riding along with them. It's wonderful!
Yes, it includes the prejudice and colonial Africa mentality of the time plus the severe lack of animal conservation, both of which are utterly horrible, but you can not change what was. So I'm glad the author didn't take those parts out—he gives it to you as it was, and I learned so much about the people of the period.
This book has found its place into my very rare collection of "books I will repeatedly read". It's the type of story you will learn a new detail from every time you read it.
Olive McCloud was something else. I'm recommending this book to everyone who enjoys history, anthropology, or just a good heroine story.
August 11, 2020
Brad Ricca didn't ask for the family's permission to publish the letters in this book, this is unethical publishing!
January 10, 2021
This was was a book about olive took through the interior of Africa lots happened on this gal animals trips on rivers
February 22, 2022
Using Olive McLeod's diaries that were hidden in a castle on the Island of Skye in Scotland for many decades, Brad Ricca tells her story, as she falls in love with a British African explorer, Boyd Alexander, in 1910. They become engaged but Olive calls it off and Boyd heads for another trip to Africa. While there he is killed and Olive decides she needs to find out what happened to him. She joins a couple, the Talbots, and for eight months they explore the region around Lake Chad in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad. It is interesting to hear what that area was like and how people were living in that area then. It was a very colonial era but most of this region was run by chiefdoms. Olive is able to find a waterfall that is named for her. The trip ends at Boyd Alexander's grave in Nigeria. This is an area of Africa I do not know well, but my brother worked in Chad for three years. The book reads like a novel, but is non-fiction. I felt it read well and it was interesting to find out about this area of Africa, this romance/mystery, and that colonial time period.
Want to read
August 11, 2020Atmospheric account of the life of Olive MacLeod, a red-headed Scotswoman who at the age of thirty embarks on a treacherous journey through Africa to find out what happened to her fiancé. Thoroughly researched, the author had access to Olive’s diaries and letters, this is the tale of a fearless young woman. She travels to Africa in 1910 during the New Imperialism period when almost 90% of the vast continent was under European control. Even so, it was a dangerous place especially for a woman. At first I found her letters to Boyd to be rambling and saccharine, but on further reflection I think they serve to show her mental state at the time. For me the book was interesting, Olive was an incredible woman, but I thought it bogged down in the middle with all the details about her trek through Africa. In some ways it was a sad story; barely engaged and she loses her beloved Boyd. Yet Olive persevered and remained undaunted in her quest. If you like true stories about remarkable women then you’ll want to read this. 3.75 stars
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