Daughters of Nantucket

by Julie Gerstenblatt

Set against Nantucket’s Great Fire of 1846, this sweeping, emotional novel brings together three courageous women battling to save everything they hold dear…



Nantucket in 1846 is an island set apart not just by its geography but by its unique circumstances. With their menfolk away at sea, often for years at a time, women here know a rare independence—and the challenges that go with it.

Eliza Macy is struggling to conceal her financial trouble as she waits for her whaling captain husband to return from a voyage. In desperation, she turns against her progressive ideals and targets Meg Wright, a pregnant free Black woman trying to relocate her store to Main Street. Meanwhile, astronomer Maria Mitchell loves running Nantucket’s Atheneum and spending her nights observing the stars, yet she fears revealing the secret wishes of her heart.

On a sweltering July night, a massive fire breaks out in town, quickly kindled by the densely packed wooden buildings. With everything they possess now threatened, these three very different women are forced to reevaluate their priorities and decide what to save, what to let go and what kind of life to rebuild from the ashes of the past.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, LGBT, Romance, Adult Fiction

432 pages, Hardcover

First published March 14, 2023

About the author

Julie Gerstenblatt holds a doctorate in education in Curriculum and Instruction from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Cognoscenti, among others. When not writing, Julie is a college essay coach, as well as a producer and on-air host for A Mighty Blaze. A native New Yorker, Julie now lives in coastal Rhode Island with her family and one very smart shichon poo. Daughters of Nantucket is her first novel.

Reviews

[Taury · Rating 2 out of 5]

Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt had such great potential. A good theme, good history, good start of a plot. As you begin this book on the great fire of Nantucket in 1840. You start to wonder if that is 1940 or our more recent time of perhaps 1980’s. The wording. The way the book is put together with women rights. And rights for blacks. Lesbianism. Adultery. I am not saying these things didn’t happen. I am saying it wasn’t openly spoken about. The entire book is written in modern day language. Modern day problems. The historical part of this book is a fire, a great fire on Nantucket. In reality. The book went into make believe story line. This is stated in the authors notes. I am super disappointed. I had great expectations

[Natalie Jenner]

DAUGHTERS OF NANTUCKET vibrates with fascinating history, evocative setting and one of the more colorful casts of characters in recent literature. Gerstenblatt has brought to life an island full of competing intentions, thwarted love and enterprising souls--even with the historic Nantucket fire of 1846 looming, you will wish you could step back in time to visit with them all. A novel to be both savoured and raced through, and the kind of book that makes reading such a joy.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that the premise of Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt sounded really interesting and for reading as many books as I have set on this island, I decided it would be a good time to read a historical fiction novel about it. To show how little I know about the history, I can tell you now that I didn't even KNOW a fire had occurred there, let alone back in 1846, and even though parts are fictional of course, it was still enlightening. It also had a very literary feel to it due to many other topics covered in the story including bigotry and segregation, so in that way, it was a bit reminiscent of a Jodi Picoult or Diane Chamberlain novel.

Daughters of Nantucket seemed incredibly well-researched and while it didn't move me the way that I thought it would, I was definitely invested in the story and there was no doubt I would see it through to the end. There is an author's note in the back that was helpful, and although it wasn't in my ARC (tear), there is a map included at the front of the finished copy. I honestly want to grab one now just to look at it, and I like the idea that the author thought to include one. I would also recommend giving the audiobook a listen because Keylor Leigh did a great job. She didn't really give the different characters any defining voices, but she was pleasant to listen to and I really enjoyed her narration. This was an interesting, informational, and (I thought) realistic read that I would pick up if you are a fan of historical and literary fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel has a strong start and a lot of potential, but quickly drops off into a rather flat and emotionally surficial experience. The first chapter has some moments of almost glittering prose – phrases that send a chill up the spine:

“You are married to a soldier gone off to fight an infinite war. […] You will be wedded to a ghost. […] Your marriage will be made up of three beings: a wife, her husband, and the sea between them. And because of that, you will—for better or worse—be free.” (pg. 30-31)

However, these moments are not representative of the quality of writing in the rest of the book, or of the mood, which becomes rather trite and soapy rather than hauntingly emotional as I had hoped. The author notes in the acknowledgements that she wrote the first 40 pages as part of a class – and it is clear that this part of the book received the most attention and editing.

The remaining 400-some pages are excessive, in that a lot of information is very repetitive, and some strategic editing could have really trimmed this book down. Omniscient narration describing character thoughts and rare dialogues between characters are frequently bogged down with awkward expositional information, including stuff that the reader already knows because they have been told several times already! As one example: did you know Maria used to be a teacher??

“Although Maria, now twenty-seven, has left behind the formal profession of teaching children, educating others will always be a love of hers…” (pg. 36)

“Not only did Maria teach at the local grammar school, but she also opened and ran successfully her own school for a year…” (pg. 36)

“Maria thinks back to the year she opened her own school for girls.” (pg. 73)

“As a former teacher, [Maria] knows she has a tendency to teach—but she is an activist at heart, and feels compelled to share her knowledge…” (pg. 97)

“Although [Maria] loves the work she’s done at the library, and the years of teaching she did before that…” (pg. 99)

The dialogue between characters during the promised “great fire” is long, awkward, and chatty – like the people have absolutely no urgency to act while their town burns. In one instance, a fireman informs Maria: “We’re doing everything we can to save the Atheneum. That place is important to us all, Nantucket’s greatest treasure” (pg. 254). That second sentence is completely unrealistic and needless exposition at this point in the book, when we have had many opportunities to encounter descriptions of how culturally valuable the Atheneum is to all the townspeople. Unfortunately, this is typical of dialogue from the book, as if all of the characters know the reader is listening in, are concerned that the reader may not have been paying attention earlier, and are therefore trying to be as helpful and contextual as possible when they speak to each other.

Despite the length of this book, challenges that characters faced were often resolved immediately with little effort. Romantically rebuffed by someone because they resolved to never love again? Convince them to change their mind instantly with just a quick line of dialogue! Can’t shake a puppy-eyed suitor who thinks they are destined to be with you? Immediately (and conveniently) meet a young lady desperately looking for a man, make quick introductions and voila: puppy-eyes suddenly finds a new (and now mutual) crush! Your parents arrange an unwanted marriage? Just tell them “no thanks” and they’ll say “ok, my bad!” Firefighters tell you they need to blow up your home to create a firebreak? Again, just tell them “no thanks” and they’ll say “oh, alright then. Please excuse us.”

There was huge potential in the setup of this novel for some difficult, multifaceted, and nuanced exploration of some social and political issues in 1840s Nantucket, but the actual execution fell flat. Characters were one-dimensional and socio-political issues were presented with no complexity. There are no characters who have complicated or nuanced opinions on issues of the day: who have reservations about sudden changes, who worry about retaliation, who don’t want to ‘rock the boat’ politically, who are more radical than others, who are misinformed, frightened, or unsure.

Because the characters in this town are so one-dimensional, everyone rallies with rousing celebration and agreement around any action taken in the name of fighting for equality. There are several literal “and then everyone clapped” moments that feel unrealistic and cringe-worthy:

“The customers, Black and white alike, applauded. One man even bought a new pair of boots just to celebrate. He called them his ‘stomping on injustice’ shoes.” (pg. 179)

Notably, the scene above depicts community members’ responses not to a major success or “win,” but simply to hearing about an individual’s plan to take a specific action in response to a recent policy change. Strangely, no one has any opinions about the plan other than that it is completely perfect and an absolute stroke of genius. No one thinks the plan is too risky/too safe, too extreme/too conservative, too fast/too slow. No one questions its likelihood of success. This community has a hive mind of total agreement, just like any typical small town, right?

Bonus round of “and then everyone clapped”:

“Applause! For finally the men have stopped being fools! Hooray!” (pg. 244)

In my opinion, the pacing of this novel is off. The fire promised on the blurb on the back of the book doesn’t happen until page 230. The after-effects of the fire (hundreds of people homeless, island out of food and supplies) are mostly glossed-over as if the characters think: “oh yeah, times are hard. But anyway…” They are more concerned about their social standing among friends, their letter writing, their next entrepreneurial endeavor, etc. Don’t read this book expecting a nitty-gritty disaster and recovery account – the fire is mostly just an exciting excuse to get the three main characters into the same building so that they can be emotionally “bound to each other forever” (*tearful hugs*) and have a bit of personal growth.

The ending is weak, if only for what it does include rather than what it doesn’t. Imagine the last page of a novel where the author just literally writes “something will happen with [socio-political issue] and something else will happen with [other socio-political issue]. Something will happen to [character].” Literally. Basically: ‘No one knows what the future will bring… But something will happen for sure.’ Yeah, that’s how the future works. Something happens. OK. Cut out the useless “something will happen” stuff (which also happens to come across as rather ominous, although that’s surely not the intent) and the ending would be improved.

[Lisa Burgos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction, strong women, overcoming great odds. Well researched.

[Rochelle Weinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

The days leading up to the Great Fire of 1846 find three extraordinary women fighting individual battles. Meg, Eliza, and Maria struggle with identity, equality, and forbidden love, and when the fire descends upon their beloved island, they are thrown together, left with hard-hitting decisions: what to save and what to let go. Tragedy can change the course of anyone's life. It can also teach one to prioritize. As this trio withstands the flames, they uncover truths about each other, and themselves, valuable lessons extending way beyond the material. Gerstenblatt writes a gorgeous novel rich with history and memorable characters, and while this tiny nugget of history spans over the course of a few days, the story packs a powerful punch. Loved! TY to Get Red PR for sharing an advance copy.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

My novel is about three women whose lives intersect in the days leading up to and immediately following Nantucket's Great Fire of 1846. The women's experience of personal drama, secrets, and jealousy hit just as the fire hits town. Eliza Macy is struggling to conceal her financial trouble. Meg Wright, a pregnant free Black woman, is trying to relocate her store to Main Street. And Maria Mitchell loves running Nantucket's Atheneum and studying the stars. Maria Mitchell is the only main character based on a historically accurate person. The book starts before the fire and chronicles the journey of these three women, sprinkling history in as the stories evolve about the times.

I loved learning about the plight of women and the black community in the 19th century. We get to experience their hardships, fears and hopes through each character. I also loved learning about Nantucket's history; all the details made the setting so real.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...

[Beary Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one afternoon, I really enjoyed it. I had no idea what to expect because I went into this one blind. I’m so happy that I did. I found the overall plot to be interesting and the setting was so intriguing. I never knew anything about Nantucket before reading this book. I thought this book was beautiful and it’s definitely the type of book that will stay with you. It was well written, had amazing characters, and makes you think while reading. I would highly recommend this one.

[Whitney Gaston · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started this today and DNF-Ed. Thank god I got on audible and could return for my credit. I felt like I was being lectured on segregation during the entire part of the book I listened to. Was not entertaining at all.

[Jamie Brenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to read an early copy and just fell in love with this story -- a beautiful book!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! Beautifully written. I couldn't get enough of these characters and of Nantucket. This is my favorite kind of historical fiction - where I learn about a time and place that I previously knew little about. I won't soon forget these wonderful characters and their fascinating stories!! A must read for 2023!!

[Maureen Larson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lackluster. I found the characters to be flat and poorly developed. I felt it was such an original idea and held the possibility to really be eye opening about the hardships of island life. Instead it was a cookie cutter story trying to neatly sum up large social issues and left the other aspects of the fire and the hardships islanders must have faced largely undiscovered.

[Marcia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book introduced me to some information about the unique island of Nantucket, including the terrible toll fire took on the community several times in the 18th and 19th centuries. The characters were predictable and the plot uninspired. I loved the cover of the book!

[Geonn Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love Nantucket (admittedly, it's mainly because of the show Wings and the connection with my own writing) and this story was a great piece of its history.

[Kristen Freiburger · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wish Goodreads had a negative rating system for books like this

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughters of Nantucket
By: Julie Gerstenblatt
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We follow three very different woman Eliza, Meg and Maria. Each one of these woman face different challenges leading up to the Nantucket fire of 1864.

Eliza is a whaling captains wife who hardly sees her husband as he is on the sees for months or years at a time.

Meg is a few black business owner Maria is librarian and astronomer.

These women will face prejudices, forbidden love, pregnancies, and loss as they are dealing with the fire and life. With devastation like a fire, you learn what is truly important.

Each of these characters is well written and unique. This was my first novel by this author, and I will be looking for more. I knew nothing about Nantucket or the great fire. It is on my bucket list.

Thank you @getredpr for this advanced copy.🥰

#daughtersofnantucket, #getredpr, #mira, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic story of three women, a wealthy ship captain's wife, a free Black shipowner, and the astronomer Maria Mitchell, surviving the fire of 1846, which consumed the entire business district and two of the wharves and associated ships in Nantucket town. It was interesting to learn how progressive Nantucket was (and wasn't) in the 19th century. The good white folks were abolitionists but didn't fraternize with the Blacks.

When the story opens, the school committee is on the brink of re-segregating the schools. The Civil War has yet to take place. The ship captain's wife, Eliza Macy, is trying to save her daughter's failing store by opposing a permit for the Black women, Meg Wright, and her husband to open a competing store on the main street.

Maria Mitchell is trying to carve out a life as a closeted lesbian woman, while searching for comets from her rooftop.

They all end up together on the night of the fire, but I won't spoil the story.

I really enjoyed the story, but two things keep it from being a 5 star review. One is language. The characters do not speak in the vernacular of the time. Although there are many Quakers in the story, they never utter a "thee" or a "thou." Their language sounds very modern, which takes away from the historical validity of the tale. I guess the author was trying to appeal to a mass market, and hey, it would make a great movie.

And then there is the ending, where everything is wrapped up a little too neatly, like a Hallmark movie. It is too bad, because the author did her historical research, right down to the whalebone dildo that seafaring crews gave their wives to comfort them during their long absences from home!

[Ella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this is populated with characters who don’t act like nineteenth century people, tedious historical infodumps, and an absolute howler of a historical fuckup that I can only assume outs Eliza Macy as a forgetful time traveller. (She compares herself to a Pre-Raphaelite painting that she saw in a “book of Italian art”. The PRB were British and wouldn’t exist until two years after this book was set.)

[Mare · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointing from a well educated author. Reading level was maybe 7th grade? Love the subject matter. Characters were one dimensional and predictable. So much good historical fiction out there and in comparison this was not very well written
Sticking with it for now

[Andrea | andrea.c.lowry.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Daughters of Nantucket is a slow burn character driven story based on the devastating fire of 1846 on Nantucket Island. Before reading this book, I had no idea that during this time period the women of the Island were basically running the whole show while their husbands were at sea whaling, and this is what really drew me into the storyline and lives of the three main characters.

Gerstenblatt was able to weave together the lives of a whaling Captain’s wife, a librarian, and a Freed pregnant business entrepreneur. These three women lead such different lives, yet they were the same in so many ways. As the story grew more layered I found myself fully invested in each of their lives as they dealt with finding their own identity and other personal issues.

This is just one of those stories that gets you thinking and then stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

[Alyson Larrabee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best historical fiction I’ve read in a long time. Set in Nantucket, it’s the story of 3 women and how they cope before, during and after the great fire of 1847. Maria Mitchell was a real person, a renowned astronomer and curator of the Nantucket Atheneum. Meg is a woman of color, struggling to educate her children and protect them from vicious prejudice. Eliza Macy is the wife of a whaling captain who’s often away for 4 years at a time. They’re all three independent thinkers, physically and emotionally strong. Their stories are fascinating and inspiring. Beautifully written. You can smell the smoke and feel the heat of the fire. Highly recommend.

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rep: Black mc & side characters, lesbian mc

CWs: period typical racism

[F.M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

My first-ever DNF and, wow, this one really earned it. I made it just 30 pages before I had to tap-out.

This book was supposed to be historical fiction, which — to me — suggested that it was going to be a made-up story told against an historically accurate setting, cultural context, etc. As it turned out, the setting was geographically accurate in that Nantucket is a real place and there was indeed a “Great Fire” there in July 1846. Other than that, everything from the culture, to the characters, to their dialogue seemed utterly contrived.

I could also tell very quickly that the author was on a social or political campaign of sorts. She sets out immediately mocking men and denigrating the days and values of yore on this wonderful island through the lens of today’s so-called “progressive” society. In just the first several pages, what promises to be the leading character in the book (Eliza Macy) is making fun of her “absentee husband.” He’s a whaling captain and, like any whaler on Nantucket in those days, he spends a lot of time at sea. He’s working in what was basically the only real industry on this island at that time. Nonetheless, because it seems to fit the author’s desired narrative, Eliza resents her husband for doing what he must to support her and his family. She seems desperate for his income; she just doesn’t understand why he has to work for it. Just a sampling of this character’s ludicrous navel gazing in the first few pages: “What else is there possibly to do at sea but catch and kill whales, dismantle them by means of stinking, gory masculinity, and turn the massive mammals into profits? Isn’t that all the captain of a whaling ship does? ... Grow his whiskers long and bark at his crew?”

Having read this much, my stomach was already turning. Although I am loath to quit a book, I looked at the girth of this one (400+ pages) and decided I couldn’t do it. So many authors and movie-makers have created such amazing stories against the backdrop of historical tragedies. Nantucket’s Great Fire of 1846 offered so much promise, but this one turned out to be a sadly wasted opportunity.

Fellow readers, if you want to get a real — and far more entertaining — picture of Nantucket back when it was the whaling capitol of the world, check out Nathaniel Philbrick’s Away Off Shore. Or, if you want to read a griping (and true) tale about the real whaling business itself, read Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea. Whatever you do, don’t waste your time with this one!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a temporary digital advanced copy of Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt from NetGalley, MIRA, and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

1846 Nantucket - three women - Eliza Macy, Meg Wright, and Maria Mitchell live on the small island of Nantucket, but lead vastly different lives. Eliza is the wife of a whaling captain, Meg is a free Black woman and Maria is a librarian by day and astronomer by night. Their lives cross often due to the small size of the island and not always under the best of circumstances. Although Nantucket is an extremely progressive town, Meg and her family still face discrimination often which she vehemently fights along side Maria and sometimes friends like Eliza have to face their bigotry or suffer the consequences within their personal relationships. When the largest fire the island has seen to date breaks out, will Maria, Meg and Eliza be able to put their differences aside and help one another?

4.5 stars rounded up - the Daughters of Nantucket quickly captured my attention from the gorgeous cover to the rich abolitionist history of Nantucket to the depth of the characters. I highly recommend this read as Gerstenblatt's writing is detailed and well-researched.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm honest and will say I read reviews before reading a book. The story takes place in 1847 and one reader was disturbed by the adultery and lesbianism depicted in the storyline. Well, the saying about a conception being on the wrong side of the sheets is definitely not a modern one. Many people are shocked by DNA tests are readily available for tracing ancestry and finding relatives. As for the lesbianism that really wasn't talked about very much, but maybe go back and read Fried Green Tomatoes - they just weren't good friends. However, many times that is what people though - two spinsters that are friends and choosing to live together for companionship and expenses. Back to the story. Eliza is the main character and I sympathized and despised her at times which is an interesting feeling when reading a book. I really like how her character grows throughout the book and even realizes that all of her observations are not always correct.

How did this book find me? I believe it was a Hoopla recommendation.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings about this one. I love reading about Nantucket, my former home of nearly the entire 90s, but I just didn't like two of the three main characters, or at least how in the case of Maria Mitchell, an actual real person, was written. She was known for her scientific mind but the author gave her some absurd romantic melodrama as a main storyline. And Eliza Macy was just downright unlikeable throughout the entire book. The character of Meg was believable but even in her arc there was dialog right out of today - "She's in luuuve."

At least the book spurred me to look for another book about the Great Fire. That's something I never really read much about and now want to.

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was tough to get through. It started out fine and the story had potential but in the end the characters were unlikable and completely undeveloped and the storyline was underwhelming. That in addition to the authors simple writing style and overuse of exclamation points made me want to stop reading it but I read it anyways since my mom loved this book since it was based on Nantucket. That part was nice and I can see how if you’re familiar with Nantucket it might be nice to read a book written about a familiar location .

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is based on three strong women in Nantucket, telling their stories of the days leading up to the Great Fire of 1846. It is a historical fiction that recounts an actual time in history. The fascinating characters were based on true accounts of women during that period including America’s first female astronomer.

It was a bold and deep look into the personal freedoms of a recently integrated society, civic activism, and the strong women that rose to take care of things while their husbands were away. The menfolk would sometimes be away as long as 4 years at sea on whaling expeditions. Nantucket, once the whaling capital of the world, is now gone due to the killing of all whale species in their local waters.

It was a bit of a slow burn but entrancing all at once. You will be whisked back into time and feel emotions from this passionate plot.
****
The women of Nantucket make sure life on the island thrives when the men leave out to sea. They must handle family obligations, take on jobs running stores and manage their money. They spend their idle time consumed in gossip, politics, and caring for their children.

This is the story of three very different women and how their lives intertwine before and after the historic fire.

There is Eliza, a mother, and wife of a prominent whaling ship Captain. It chronicles her struggle with him being gone for years at a time, making difficult decisions throughout thick and thin times with little communication. Then there is Maria who runs the local library and dreams through her beloved telescope at night. Her heart must endure societal pressures of forbidden love and the beliefs of the Quakers. And then we meet Meg, an endearing free Black woman who is married to a successful entrepreneur. She fights to keep the rights of black families from diminishing and oppose the people going against the laws provided to protect them from discrimination.

Their lives are all quite different and conflicts arise as a result of competition, racism, and sacred secrets that exist on their small island. It is a heartwarming tale of how fire destroys their small town while ultimately coming together to fight, survive and learn to support each other in such trying circumstances.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt. Thanks to @getredpr and @mirabooks @htpbooks @htpinfluencer for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nantucket, 1816, is set apart from the rest of the country. The men are often away, so women enjoy their independence. When a massive fire breaks out, three very different women must come together.

This was an interesting story about a time and place I had no clue about. Learning the history about Nantucket, Quakers, and the fire really made the book. I thought it was going to be more an action packed story with the fire, but that didn’t occur until more than halfway through. The beginning of the book is really getting to know the place and the characters… very well. This leads to some great reader involvement once the action does begin!

“Every great fire begins with a spark. All Nantucket needs now is for someone to light the fuse.”

The Daughters of Nantucket comes out 3/14.

[Linda Kemmerer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good historical fiction about the great fire of Nantucket( which I knew nothing about). Women’s rights and racial equality are also addressed. 3.5 stars