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76th out of 738 books
—
608 voters
Rebel Puritan: A Scandalous Life
by
Jo Ann Butler (Goodreads Author)
SCARLETT O'HARA MEETS THE SCARLET LETTER:
Impulsively wed as a teenager to a husband she did not love, and she married three men, all for the wrong reasons.
Scarlett O'Hara?
Prosecuted and humiliated in public for an out-of-wedlock love affair.
Hester Prynne?
No, this was Herodias Long of 17th century Rhode Island.
Rebel Puritan is a 2012 winner of the Indie BRAG Medallion! To r...more
Impulsively wed as a teenager to a husband she did not love, and she married three men, all for the wrong reasons.
Scarlett O'Hara?
Prosecuted and humiliated in public for an out-of-wedlock love affair.
Hester Prynne?
No, this was Herodias Long of 17th century Rhode Island.
Rebel Puritan is a 2012 winner of the Indie BRAG Medallion! To r...more
Paperback, 344 pages
Published
February 28th 2011
by Neverest Press
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The Rebel Puritan is one of the best historical fiction I have read. The author holds your attention from the first page. The book cover the bubonic plague, servitude in London and then off to the colonies to face the hardships of everyday life. The book moves fast and does not drag in the historical areas with mundane facts.
10-30-2012 Just had an opportunity to hear Jo Ann Butler speak at our local historical society. She really made the characters of her book come alive. She spoke of her new s...more
10-30-2012 Just had an opportunity to hear Jo Ann Butler speak at our local historical society. She really made the characters of her book come alive. She spoke of her new s...more
As an historian, I find that historical fiction too often dresses modern characters in period costumes, ignoring the fact that the people and times were different. In her novel, Rebel Puritan, Jo Ann Butler has skillfully solved the above problem. She has taken Herodias Long, a real woman from the American colonial era, and breathed life into her and the times in which she lived. I heartily recommend Rebel Puritan!
Rebel Puritan is available at http://www.rebelpuritan.com/. It is also available as an ebook at: http://www.amazon.com/Rebel-Puritan-S....
Thank you, Jo Ann
Thank you, Jo Ann
Outstanding! Excellently readable, enjoyable, informative, historically accurate. A real treat for anyone who has an interest in early Colonial puritan abuses and/or the transfer of people from Mass Bay & Plymouth to Rhode Island in 1600s. The author does a great job of tying in real events to her realistic portrayal of believable details in the lives of many who fit the description as early settlers of Acuidneck Island (Portsmouth & Newport, Rhode Island). I bought four copies for famil...more
Can barely put it down.
This review refers to the paperback book, Rebel Puritan: A Scandalous Life, not the Kindle edition.
In recent political chatter, Americans have heard much about the Founding Fathers and what they "must have meant" in their books, tracts, and personal letters about liberties and civil rights. For many of those contemporary speakers, the buzzwords are just hot air, not serious research into the characters and real-life situations of the Founding Fathers.
News flash: America's Founding Fathers came f...more
In recent political chatter, Americans have heard much about the Founding Fathers and what they "must have meant" in their books, tracts, and personal letters about liberties and civil rights. For many of those contemporary speakers, the buzzwords are just hot air, not serious research into the characters and real-life situations of the Founding Fathers.
News flash: America's Founding Fathers came f...more
Rebel Puritan is a fictionalized account of the author’s grandmother, eight generations removed. Some good research went into this in an effort to write a fictional portrayal of the character using the actual history, settings, and characters as backdrop. A reader might think this would lead to a ponderous narrative as tedious as watching your neighbor’s home movies. Not so.
The story is lively and well-paced. You cheer on the main character and revel when she sticks her thumb in the eye of conve...more
The story is lively and well-paced. You cheer on the main character and revel when she sticks her thumb in the eye of conve...more
Nov 16, 2011
Mary Nelson
added it
When I learned that Herodias Long was my 8th great-grandmother and began researching her life, I was delighted to discover Jo Ann Butler’s website, www.rebelpuritan.com. After reading the sources on which she is basing her trilogy of historical fiction, I couldn’t wait to read her first book on Herodias, “Rebel Puritan: A Scandalous Life.” When I read a book like this, I always wonder how much is fact and how much is fiction. Butler has added an appendix that notes fictional characters, places,...more
This is the story of the author's ancestor who came to New England in 1637 to escape a life of servitude.
Unfortunately she finds herself tied to a jealous and abusive husband.Also the puritan colony in Massachusetts is not letting anyone worship in their own way. This is hard reading as I hate to read about people being so mean to each other. At the same time, the details of the heroine's life and feelings intrigued me as well as the motives of those around her. This tale of domestic abuse at a...more
Unfortunately she finds herself tied to a jealous and abusive husband.Also the puritan colony in Massachusetts is not letting anyone worship in their own way. This is hard reading as I hate to read about people being so mean to each other. At the same time, the details of the heroine's life and feelings intrigued me as well as the motives of those around her. This tale of domestic abuse at a...more
There are probably no more cardboard people in American history than the New England Puritans. We know they served turkey and cranberry sauce and wore those hats with buckles. But beyond that, they’re ciphers to most modern readers.
So for Jo Ann Butler to set her novel Rebel Puritan in 1630s New England is brave indeed. Butler sets herself a high challenge to make this world a real one with real people and she carries it off masterfully.
Rebel Puritan pulled me right in and kept my interest thro...more
So for Jo Ann Butler to set her novel Rebel Puritan in 1630s New England is brave indeed. Butler sets herself a high challenge to make this world a real one with real people and she carries it off masterfully.
Rebel Puritan pulled me right in and kept my interest thro...more
Full review coming soon....
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I am an 1/1028 Herodias descendant via her first born Hanna who married William Haviland in Newport, RI ca 1657. Then five generations in NY, one in IA and the rest in CA. I learned of "Rebel Puritan" from the www.Haviland.org web site. I had not read for pleasure in decades and I must share that I shed a happy tear and felt a thickening in my gut in reading about the birth of Hanna. I am fascinated by the mix of storytelling with probable factual American history events. Reading the book, conne...more
I was delighted to read Rebel Puritan since it is a story about my 9th great grandmother. What a struggle she had to survive!!!! At the age of twelve she worked so hard and being sent to live in London because her mother didn't want another mouth to feed. Surviving the plague was certainly a miracle. Living under such poor conditions drove her to marry at thirteen to John Hicks and they came to America. Such abuse from a controlling husband was such a struggle. Her second marriage to George Gard...more
I just began reading Rebel Puritan for the second time. The first time through, several months ago, I immediately discovered from the start that I could not put it down and finished it in 2 days. I found it to be very personal, well researched, historically accurate, and Jo Ann's highly descriptive writing style truly transported me right square into the time and place....I could feel the temperature of the air, I could see the faces and clothing of the characters, I could feel their moods, I co...more
I finished "Rebel Puritan: A Scandalous Life" in three days. The only reasons I put it down were to take care of my kids, eat and sleep! Once I picked it up I was hooked within the first chapter. Ms. Butler takes the facts and brings them to life. She paints a vivid picture of what life was like back in the 17th century. I was amazed at the hardships that Herodias Long had to endure at such a young age and how well she handled them. Just when you think "How much more can this young woman endure?...more
The opening scenes of 'Rebel Puritan' are a powerful reminder of how life teeters on the edge of change. This was even truer for our ancestors, especially those on the lower levels of society who were so dependent on the land, their health, and the stability of each other for survival.
In the first chapters, Ms. Butler engagingly introduces us to Herodias Long at the age of twelve as a headstrong, impulsive, even precocious girl whose childhood ends as her family is dealt a tragic—but not uncommo...more
In the first chapters, Ms. Butler engagingly introduces us to Herodias Long at the age of twelve as a headstrong, impulsive, even precocious girl whose childhood ends as her family is dealt a tragic—but not uncommo...more
From an unusual name, to an early marriage, a trip to Puritan MA in New England, early motherhood, an abusive husband, religious banishment to RI, abandonment by husband and removal of her children. Herodias early life in “Rebel Puritan: A Scandalous Life” weaves a revealing story of 17 Century views and attitudes toward women and their lack of rights. I found this a well researched and realistic novel about a strong woman from early New England. I would highly recommend this Historical Fiction...more
The cover and title of this novel are a bit misleading - to me, I thought the book would be cheesy and only checked it out because of the rave reviews on here. I'm glad I did. This is a great historical fiction novel - set in the 1600's, starting in plague-infested England and moving its way to Puritan Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I immediately felt attached to the heroine. The writing was very well done and character development was superb. For me, this book falls into the same category as t...more
Jo Ann Butler has done it again!
I received an ARC of The Reputed Wife, the second book in this series, and was asked to read it first to assess how it worked as a stand-alone volume. I loved the book and found it indeed filled the bill as its own complete story. But once finished, I was not satisfied. The magnetism of Herodias Long proved too strong to resist, and I was struck with the need to find out what sort of circumstances forged an ordinary girl into such a remarkable woman.
I began Rebel...more
I received an ARC of The Reputed Wife, the second book in this series, and was asked to read it first to assess how it worked as a stand-alone volume. I loved the book and found it indeed filled the bill as its own complete story. But once finished, I was not satisfied. The magnetism of Herodias Long proved too strong to resist, and I was struck with the need to find out what sort of circumstances forged an ordinary girl into such a remarkable woman.
I began Rebel...more
In 17th-century England, Herodias loses her father and brother to the plague, then is sent off to London to work for her aunt in the equivalent of servitude. There, she meets her future husband and is married in a secret ceremony. She sails with him to New England, only to discover the man she has married is an abuser.
Rebel Puritan is based on the author's real life ancestor. I love reading about the 17th century and found the story an entertaining read. I look forward to the next installment to...more
Rebel Puritan is based on the author's real life ancestor. I love reading about the 17th century and found the story an entertaining read. I look forward to the next installment to...more
It's been awhile since I've so thoroughly enjoyed a book. Rebel Puritan was a wonderfully engaging and informative read. The historical details of daily life in 17th-century England and New England were spot on, but not too heavy handed. I loved Herod's growth as a character and I especially loved how her daughter, Hannah, had a lot of the same personality traits as Herod did as a child. The pacing of the novel was excellent and the dialogue was really well done, with hints of 17th-century phras...more
Wow. Throughout reading this novel, the first in a series, one thought constantly prevailed: "Is this chick ever gonna get a break?" It's one of those novels in which the reader's jaw just drops at how much the heroine must endure and as it's based an ancestor of the author with documents in the back of the book supporting the story, I was amazed that it's true. Women had it rough back then!!!
The story begins with Herodias as a little girl.. She's always trying to get out work. She just wants to...more
The story begins with Herodias as a little girl.. She's always trying to get out work. She just wants to...more
The politics of history, that has been edited to feature mainly the exploits and accomplishments of men, leads us to believe that but a few women were extraordinary, and that their tale should be told. In Rebel PuritAn we are introduced to precocious Herodias Long, a real person, who started out leading an ordinary life. A survivor of the plague in England during the 1630’s, she became an extra mouth to feed on her now widowed mother’s farm and was sent to servant for her aunt and uncle. At 13 s...more
I knew early on that I would Read this book in a hurry. I put it down only twice. Now the only thing I have to look forward to before the next book is a leisurely reread. I am most impressed with the author’s ability to get the pertinent differences between the "denominations" presented so well with so few words, after all this is not a text book. The effort in painstaking research to accurately portray life for a young naive Herodias growing up way to fast makes this a must read. HUZZAH !!!
I highly recommend this title! I was completely enthralled by the story. My enjoyment was enhanced by the fact that I live on Aquidneck Island, where much of the action takes place--it was interesting to read about people whose names live on in our area today--Easton's Beach, Coddington Highway, Coggeshall Ave, just to name a few. But even if I were completely unfamiliar with New England I think the story is an interesting, entertaining read on its own. I can't wait for the sequel!!
Rebel Puritan is a fascinating work. Butler's historic preparation was clearly meticulous and comprehensive: she gleaned an amazing amount about the actual Herodias, and wove it into the social, religious, and political context of her day. Butler offers plausible interpretations of the decisions Herodias made, and draws her as a believable and sympathetic -- not perfect -- character. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to think about the people who were part of history.
What can I say about Herodias Long as the Rebel Puritan? She and I are definitely kin! Jo Ann captured my interest in the first paragraphs and I couldn't put the book down. I like the way she weaves the story with history and facts - I learned more about the time period and way of life than I knew before. The story kept me wanting more and satisfied that want. (except I'm ready for part 2!!)
I enjoyed this book immensely. A deliciously scintillating story of a young girl who grew into a woman, wife and mother. I feel a strong connection to my great x 11th Grandmother, and I love the ‘rebel’ in her! I simply couldn’t book the book down and finished it way too quickly. Now I’m eagerly waiting to see what is around the corner for Herodias in book two!
I enjoyed this book very much, a can't put down book. I really liked the way the character was developed and how the author kept me reading to find out what happened next. I look forward to the next in the series. I also have to comment on how well reshearched this book is. I learned things I didn't know about that period of time. Thanks for a great story Jo Ann!
A fantastic window into our past. For anyone who has paused a moment by an ancient gravestone, found an old record of their ancestor, or wondered what life was like in our country centuries ago, Ms. Butler paints a living picture around the dry facts. An incredible piece of work interwoven with the factual history of our country and culture.
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| Women's rights in the 17th century | 1 | 1 | Dec 12, 2011 01:05pm |
A genealogist and one-time colonial archeologist, Ms. Butler has tapped her work in New England for her first historical fiction novel, "Rebel Puritan." She can be reached at www.rebelpuritan.com
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