Please join me in welcoming historical fiction author, Heather Miller onto Oh look, another book. Heather Miller is taking her book, 'Tho I Be Mute, on tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club and I am so excited to be taking part in the tour because her book is fabulous!!
'Tho I Be Mute
By Heather Miller
In 1818, Cherokee John Ridge seeks a young man’s education at the Foreign Mission School in Cornwall, Connecticut. While there, he is overcome with sickness yet finds solace and love with Sarah, the steward’s quiet daughter. Despite a two-year separation, family disapproval, defamatory editorials, and angry mobs, the couple marries in 1824.
Sarah reconciles her new family’s spirituality and her foundational Christianity. Although, Sarah’s nature defies her new family’s indifference to slavery. She befriends Honey, half-Cherokee and half-African, who becomes Sarah’s voice during John’s extended absences.
Once arriving on Cherokee land, John argues to hold the land of the Cherokees and that of his Creek neighbors from encroaching Georgian settlers. His success hinges upon his ability to temper his Cherokee pride with his knowledge of American law. Justice is not guaranteed.
Rich with allusions to Cherokee legends, ‘Tho I Be Mute speaks aloud; some voices are heard, some are ignored, some do not speak at all, compelling readers to listen to the story of a couple who heard the pleas of the Cherokee.
Have you ever read a book and thought that it was so incredibly perfect? If not, go and grab a copy of this one and take a couple of days to sit down, read it, and then process it.
John Ridge just wants to be able to keep his people safe and look after the land, but with Georgia trying to get their hands on both Cherokee and Creek land, John’s natural affinity towards diplomacy and the ability to change people’s minds is an important feature. Before all of that, though, he must first finish his education and travels to Cornwall (no, not in England, but Connecticut!) to do so. While there, he gets sick, and his already bad hip gets worse. He is taken to live, and hopefully recover, in the home of Sarah Bird Northrup and her parents. Sarah is not supposed to spend so much time with John, but she finds a close friendship in him, and her attention and care keeps John’s spirits up while he gets better.
John and Sarah are such a lovely couple. They provide each other with what they cannot provide themselves – Sarah can put up with, and ease, John’s moods, and John can show and teach Sarah things that she has never had the opportunity to learn or see before. Why sit and read Psalms over and over again, when instead you could hear your first snippet of Shakespeare from John’s mouth? I loved both of them, and I was rooting for them both from the very start of this book.
The first chapter is dedicated to the character Clarinda. After reading it, the book moves onto John and Sarah, although every so often, Clarinda returns to give some insight. Upon closer inspection, Clarinda lives years after John and Sarah meet, and her story tells of their demise, although it also explains how certain events unfolded and gives explanations for some of the things that happen in John and Sarah’s chapters.
This book begins with a poem and, I will admit, I read the first few lines of it and then skipped the rest to get to the story. I was never the biggest fan of poetry in school. I like listening to poetry being read, but reading it? I always find myself slipping back into the old school habits of finding the rhyming pattern and searching for metaphors. However, do not judge me too harshly. At the end of this book, I was so desperate for more that I returned to the beginning and read through the poem. If I had read it at the beginning, I may have viewed the story slightly differently, as it is written by one of the characters mentioned. This, of course, led to some Googling to find out that this book was based on real people. I probably should have known that!
With the knowledge that this book begins with a poem in my mind, I couldn’t help but feel like much of this book is written with the lyrical prose of a poet. The events are written with poise and care, but the details give off that same feeling you get when you hear poetry. There is beauty and almost a musical sense to it, and I think that altogether heightens the entire novel. There was a small time, at the start, where I wasn’t quite sure what was happening, as I wasn’t yet used to the story or the poem sense that I got from the book. Have you ever watched a movie in a language you don’t know with subtitles on, and by the end, you don’t realise you’re still reading the subtitles? You get the feeling that you understand the language, you understand what is happening, and yet, it is what your brain has forgotten you are doing that is allowing you to understand. This book is much like that – you have to forget you are reading, and just live the story, and everything falls into place and becomes as clear as a freshly washed window is before a child places their sticky hands on it.
I loved reading this book so much and if you are on the search for a book that will not only pull you in but stay with you for a very very (very!) long time, then look no further.
I received my copy from The Coffee Pot Book Club, but you can grab yours over on Amazon.
Heather Miller
Miller’s foundation began in the theatre, through performance storytelling. She can tap dance, stage-slap someone, and sing every note from Les Misérables. Her favorite role is that of a fireman’s wife and mom to three: a trumpet player, a future civil engineer, and a future RN. There is only one English major in her house.
While researching, writing, and teaching, she is also working towards her M FA in Creative Writing. Heather’s corndog-shaped dachshund, Sadie, deserves an honorary degree.
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If you would like to follow the tour (and I recommend that you do as some of my favourite book bloggers are taking part, then head over to The Coffee Pot Book Club tour page - Tour Page - and while you are at it, go treat yourself to a copy of this book, you won't be disappointed.
I am so glad you enjoyed 'Tho I Be Mute. Thank you so much for hosting today's blog tour stop. We really appreciate it.
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