What do you think?
Rate this book
Indentured: A Pathway to America
On a bright summer day in 1746, ten-year-old Ulrich Kessler stands at the bow of the wooden ship Webb, scanning the horizon for a longed-for glimpse of colonial Philadelphia. Desperate to leave the poverty and strife of the family's homeland in Germany, Ulrich's father, Johann, has signed an indenture contract for his family, expecting that they will be placed together on a Pennsylvania farm to work toward a free and secure life in the New World.
But the Kesslers' Atlantic crossing is marked by unforeseen cruelty, disease, and death. When they arrive in Philadelphia, they are put on auction blocks and sold to unscrupulous masters. Soon, Ulrich finds himself alone in the world.
Indentured: A Pathway to America, a work of historical fiction based on the Kesslers' true story and written by their descendants, describes betrayal, fear, and grief -- even a tragic double murder -- but it is ultimately a story of hope and love. Ulrich and the generations that followed him persevered, eventually settling in frontier Kentucky, creating an American family that came of age with the new nation.
But the Kesslers' Atlantic crossing is marked by unforeseen cruelty, disease, and death. When they arrive in Philadelphia, they are put on auction blocks and sold to unscrupulous masters. Soon, Ulrich finds himself alone in the world.
Indentured: A Pathway to America, a work of historical fiction based on the Kesslers' true story and written by their descendants, describes betrayal, fear, and grief -- even a tragic double murder -- but it is ultimately a story of hope and love. Ulrich and the generations that followed him persevered, eventually settling in frontier Kentucky, creating an American family that came of age with the new nation.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2021
6 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 16, 2022
This book was amazing. The fact that the authors were able to write something of this scope about their ancestors is inspiring. The amount of historical research that went into this novel is evident, and there are many details included that create a meaningful and realistic setting. I learned so much concerning indentured servitude, surveying roads, farming in the 18th century, and more. There was also a brief section included at the beginning of the work that included a historical overview of the setting that helped to situate the story. The authors were able to include all of this information while incorporating interesting and relatable characters.
There were only a few things I disliked. The prologue to the book was set in 1838 and focused on one of Daniel’s children. I felt that this was unnecessary and a little disorienting since those events are not addressed again until the end of the book. The last quarter of the book largely focused on characters that were adjacent to the Kessler family but weren’t heavily involved except for a brief amount of time. That part of the book felt a little out of place to me.
The setting and historical information included were well written and created a beautiful backdrop for the story. This story was full of realistic hardships, and especially in the last quarter of the book there were many instances of rape, abuse, and murder that may be upsetting to certain readers. I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in historical fiction, stories centered around immigrant families, or America during the 18th and 19th centuries.
There were only a few things I disliked. The prologue to the book was set in 1838 and focused on one of Daniel’s children. I felt that this was unnecessary and a little disorienting since those events are not addressed again until the end of the book. The last quarter of the book largely focused on characters that were adjacent to the Kessler family but weren’t heavily involved except for a brief amount of time. That part of the book felt a little out of place to me.
The setting and historical information included were well written and created a beautiful backdrop for the story. This story was full of realistic hardships, and especially in the last quarter of the book there were many instances of rape, abuse, and murder that may be upsetting to certain readers. I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in historical fiction, stories centered around immigrant families, or America during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Displaying 1 of 1 review