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Caintuck Lies Within My Soul: The Jemima Boone Story
An award-winning historical novel, Caintuck Lies Within My Soul, is a masterful, historical biography which relates the story of Jemima Boone, Daniel Boone's fourth child and second daughter. Jemima's thrilling tale, especially her dream of moving west of the Appalachian Mountains to live on America's first frontier, begins with her childhood in North Carolina. All comes to fruition when during America's Revolutionary War, the Boone family’s arduous and dangerous journey into Kentucky sees them settle at Fort Boonesborough. Jemima, her sister Suzy, and her mother, Rebecca, arrive to find themselves the first three white women in Caintuck.
Jemima's experiences in the new settlements include by her capture by Indians and the 1778 siege of Boonesborough, which lasted ten days. Based on years of detailed research, this historically-accurate novel relates one of America's great adventure stories as experienced through the eyes of a woman.
Jemima’s life is one of a young woman who finds courage, happiness, and love while becoming an American Revolutionary War veteran. Caintuck Lies Within My Soul won awards from Royal Dragonfly (2020) and Incipere Awards (2021) in historical fiction.
Jemima's experiences in the new settlements include by her capture by Indians and the 1778 siege of Boonesborough, which lasted ten days. Based on years of detailed research, this historically-accurate novel relates one of America's great adventure stories as experienced through the eyes of a woman.
Jemima’s life is one of a young woman who finds courage, happiness, and love while becoming an American Revolutionary War veteran. Caintuck Lies Within My Soul won awards from Royal Dragonfly (2020) and Incipere Awards (2021) in historical fiction.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2020
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32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 19, 2021
Living in Castlewood- or in that day Castle's Woods, in Russell County Virginia, and being a fan of history in general, and local history particularly, I tried really hard to read this book. I rarely lay aside a book I have started, but I am giving up on this one.
It reads as dry as an old textbook, peppered with historical facts, and stereotypical imaginary conversations in vernacular dialect, where the "women-folk" apparently do nothing but have and talk of babes, holding down the homestead, while the "men-folk" hunt and the children work. Granted that is probably an apt description of the conditions, but law, this is one boring book . I feel like I'm reading a bad script from the old tv show Daniel Boone. Jemima, and all the long hunters and the pioneer families of my mountains lived exciting lives. They deserve better.
It reads as dry as an old textbook, peppered with historical facts, and stereotypical imaginary conversations in vernacular dialect, where the "women-folk" apparently do nothing but have and talk of babes, holding down the homestead, while the "men-folk" hunt and the children work. Granted that is probably an apt description of the conditions, but law, this is one boring book . I feel like I'm reading a bad script from the old tv show Daniel Boone. Jemima, and all the long hunters and the pioneer families of my mountains lived exciting lives. They deserve better.
April 2, 2020
C. M. Huddleston's depth of knowledge and research are evident in her latest historical fiction, Caintuck Lies Within My Soul. She introduces readers to Daniel Boone and his wife, Rebecca, early in their marriage as Jemima is born in 1762, the fourth of the couple’s ten children. This section is written in a third-person point of view to lure readers into the setting and 18th-century time period:
Still small for her age, Jemima unfailingly did her chores, never complaining, as long as she had time to fish, hunt ginseng, and wander the surrounding hills. She still begged her older brothers to teach her to shoot, but always out of her mother’s hearing. Rebecca had promised her daughter that she could learn just as soon as she turned eight years old.
As Jemima grows to adolescence and moves west with her family, the author reveals her protagonist in a captivating first-person voice, even hinting of a misdirected flirtation that will appeal to young adult readers:
As Simon left our cabin, he pulled me outside for a private word. 'Jemima, while I applaud your brave actions comin’ to my aid today, I’d prefer you stayed safely out of harm, as I like my women alive when I court them.'
'I guess you better stay out of the way of Indians, then as I also prefer my beaus alive and in one piece,' I stammered. 'Besides, I was savin’ my Daddy, not your worthless hide,' I shouted.
Thinking I’d ended this conversation, I’d turned toward the cabin when Simon whirled me around and kissed my thoroughly. That man did know how to kiss a girl.
This transition to the main character's voice makes the passages feel as if Mima is talking directly to readers. It took a while for me to get used to the dialogue written in old-timey dialect, but it gives the book a more authentic feel and does not distract.
Huddleston chronicles Mima through marriage, birth, and Indian scares. I especially enjoyed the true-to-life scene with the family gathered round patriarch Daniel reading a then-current book written about his accomplishments.
I highly recommend "Caintuck Lies Within My Soul: The Jemima Boone Story" for older readers and young adults. I can also see the book being used in the classroom for supplementary reading in an American history course. History buffs will not be able to get enough of this tale, and they will be impressed by C. M. Huddleston's respect for research and accurate portrayals.
Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from the author and freely offer my honest opinion of this novel.
Still small for her age, Jemima unfailingly did her chores, never complaining, as long as she had time to fish, hunt ginseng, and wander the surrounding hills. She still begged her older brothers to teach her to shoot, but always out of her mother’s hearing. Rebecca had promised her daughter that she could learn just as soon as she turned eight years old.
As Jemima grows to adolescence and moves west with her family, the author reveals her protagonist in a captivating first-person voice, even hinting of a misdirected flirtation that will appeal to young adult readers:
As Simon left our cabin, he pulled me outside for a private word. 'Jemima, while I applaud your brave actions comin’ to my aid today, I’d prefer you stayed safely out of harm, as I like my women alive when I court them.'
'I guess you better stay out of the way of Indians, then as I also prefer my beaus alive and in one piece,' I stammered. 'Besides, I was savin’ my Daddy, not your worthless hide,' I shouted.
Thinking I’d ended this conversation, I’d turned toward the cabin when Simon whirled me around and kissed my thoroughly. That man did know how to kiss a girl.
This transition to the main character's voice makes the passages feel as if Mima is talking directly to readers. It took a while for me to get used to the dialogue written in old-timey dialect, but it gives the book a more authentic feel and does not distract.
Huddleston chronicles Mima through marriage, birth, and Indian scares. I especially enjoyed the true-to-life scene with the family gathered round patriarch Daniel reading a then-current book written about his accomplishments.
I highly recommend "Caintuck Lies Within My Soul: The Jemima Boone Story" for older readers and young adults. I can also see the book being used in the classroom for supplementary reading in an American history course. History buffs will not be able to get enough of this tale, and they will be impressed by C. M. Huddleston's respect for research and accurate portrayals.
Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from the author and freely offer my honest opinion of this novel.
February 2, 2022
Awesome
I absolutely loved this book. It is amazing how strong women were & how loyal to family. The history of the 1700’s through the 1800’s instills in me a sense of pride. The strong, loyal, courageous & hard working people who paved the way before us is inspiring.
A must read for anyone who truly loves our history.
I absolutely loved this book. It is amazing how strong women were & how loyal to family. The history of the 1700’s through the 1800’s instills in me a sense of pride. The strong, loyal, courageous & hard working people who paved the way before us is inspiring.
A must read for anyone who truly loves our history.
January 17, 2022
Excellent
The story is documented, but the author adds incite to make the story interesting and readable. I have enjoyed all of C. M. Huddleston's work.
The story is documented, but the author adds incite to make the story interesting and readable. I have enjoyed all of C. M. Huddleston's work.
August 10, 2023
Jemima Boone and her family are certainly interesting, determined characters. This is a work of historical fiction, although the author did research in order to provide dates, locations, and historical figures. It was interesting that Jamima, the second daughter of Daniel Boone, was eager to move to Kentucky which was not a state at the time, but a county of Virginia. Daniel Boone tried several times to settle there, but seemed to have many problems with the natives who did not willingly give up their land. Also this story begins before the Revolutionary War which became a backdrop for the timeline. Interesting that the big seige of Boonesborough involved the British & Indian warriors fighting together against the settlers. I was disappointed that her story just seemed to stop with the reading of a book about her father, by her father, and their discussion about it. Jemima was alive and so was her father and they had a place to live in Kentucky with family. They had moved around a lot, but I wondered if they would stay in this place or how their lives ended.
January 22, 2023
Very well done. I really felt I was reading Jemima Boones account. This seemed to me very accurate in almost all ways. My family history originated in the vicinity of the Boones near the Yadkin with one marrying Squire Boones daughter.
Because of this my interest was high, and was well rewarded by this book.
Because of this my interest was high, and was well rewarded by this book.
March 2, 2023
As a fan of history, quite enjoyed this book.
May 31, 2023
It captured me enough that I thought about it whenever I put it down, but not enough to recommend it to friends.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews