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Promise the Night
Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. As in her debut novel, Prisoners in the Palace, MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published November 2, 2011
About the author
Michaela MacColl
13 books203 followersPrisoners in the Palace is my debut novel. I like to create historical fiction that has a modern appeal to teens and adults.
Regency romance blends enjoyably with historical fiction, with a plucky heroine for each mode. (Kirkus)
This novel is full of historical detail, vivid settings, and richly drawn characters, and themes of friendship and romance give the story teen appeal. (Booklist)
MacColl offers a whip-smart, spunky protagonist and a worthy heroine to root for. (Publishers Weekly)
Regency romance blends enjoyably with historical fiction, with a plucky heroine for each mode. (Kirkus)
This novel is full of historical detail, vivid settings, and richly drawn characters, and themes of friendship and romance give the story teen appeal. (Booklist)
MacColl offers a whip-smart, spunky protagonist and a worthy heroine to root for. (Publishers Weekly)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
September 21, 2011
Promise The Night is an excellent blend of facts and story telling. It's one of those books you just enjoy reading. Beryl Markham, the famous aviatrix of the 1930's, is the central character. She shared the headlines of her day with such women pilots as Amelia Earhart. But, it is her formative years in British East Africa that are the main focus of this book. She was raised on a ranch by her British father, Captain Clutterback. When Beryl was very young, her mother left the wilds of Africa taking Beryl's older brother with her back to England. Life in the harsh land of Africa in the early twentieth century was not for the faint of heart. For Beryl, however, it was heaven on earth. She bonded with the land and the people. Her father gave over her up bringing to the leaders of one of the local tribes that worked on his ranch. Beryl, although missing the closeness that should have come from her father, adapted to the life of the wild. She was accepted as a member of the tribe, learning their ways. She even participated in their hunts, which was very unusual for a girl. When she was eventually made to attend English school, she continued to show her spirit and independence, rebelling against authority. The book shows her great love for nature and the land and people of Africa. Girls aged 9-12 will especially enjoy this story of growing up in the wilds of Africa. Provided for review by the well read folks at Library Thing and Chronicle Books.
January 16, 2023
It was an easy to read book. While I suppose the author did a good job sticking to writing the character as her age of 11, the child ground on my nerves sometimes. She was really defiant and free willed and a few times her stubbornness/selfishness got others into trouble or got them hurt. So I wasn't a fan of that. She is a child, but I did not like the lack of respect she carried about herself, running around and disobeying her father.
So two stars because it was easy to read and overall meh. Not great, not terrible.
So two stars because it was easy to read and overall meh. Not great, not terrible.
September 18, 2011
Beryl Markham was one of the famous pilots of the golden age of aviation, even becoming the first pilot - male or female - to fly the East-to-West route across the Atlantic Ocean solo. Yet even before this amazing feat, Beryl led a remarkable life. Raised on a remote Kenyan ranch by her father, Beryl Markham grew up racing horses and living a life atypical for daughters of European settlers. She became best friends with a Nandi boy, Kibii, and grew up alongside him and his tribe, breaking both ethnic and gender barriers. This historical novel tells the story of Beryl's childhood.
Beryl Markham's early life makes for interesting reading, whatever your age. English colonialism, African tribal practices, horse racing, early aviation, boarding school drama, and more are all covered. My main complaint with this book, though, is that the only one of these that's really discussed in-depth is Nandi lifeways. I don't have a problem with lifeways forming the basis of the novel - the anthropologist in me absolutely loves it - but I think the author could have delved more deeply into the other aspects of Markham's childhood rather than just mentioning them more topically. MacColl based the majority of the book's details on Markham's own memoirs and in many ways what's covered in the novel is probably there because it is what's covered in Markham's writings, but part of historical fiction is taking a little creative license with the details that aren't all there. Otherwise, you end up with parts of a book that are fantastic in the history they tell and parts that seem like they're not fleshed-out enough. Even with this complaint, though, MacColl succeeds in keeping the history parts of the book exciting, and in this way Promise the Night is a good read for Middle Grade audiences who get very little African and colonial history in school. When I was that age, I would have devoured this book and never noticed everything I just said I didn't like.
I received my copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers in return for an honest review.
Beryl Markham's early life makes for interesting reading, whatever your age. English colonialism, African tribal practices, horse racing, early aviation, boarding school drama, and more are all covered. My main complaint with this book, though, is that the only one of these that's really discussed in-depth is Nandi lifeways. I don't have a problem with lifeways forming the basis of the novel - the anthropologist in me absolutely loves it - but I think the author could have delved more deeply into the other aspects of Markham's childhood rather than just mentioning them more topically. MacColl based the majority of the book's details on Markham's own memoirs and in many ways what's covered in the novel is probably there because it is what's covered in Markham's writings, but part of historical fiction is taking a little creative license with the details that aren't all there. Otherwise, you end up with parts of a book that are fantastic in the history they tell and parts that seem like they're not fleshed-out enough. Even with this complaint, though, MacColl succeeds in keeping the history parts of the book exciting, and in this way Promise the Night is a good read for Middle Grade audiences who get very little African and colonial history in school. When I was that age, I would have devoured this book and never noticed everything I just said I didn't like.
I received my copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers in return for an honest review.
September 14, 2011
My review of Promise the Night first appeared in the November 2011 issue of Historical Novels Review:
Anyone who has ever read the gorgeous West with the Night by Beryl Markham may doubt the need for a young adult novel written about the aviatrix’s early life. Within a few pages of Michaela Maccoll’s new young adult novel, however, even the most skeptical should be persuaded. Promise the Night tells the story of the pre-teen, horse-loving, lion-hunting Beryl Clutterbuck, who became Beryl Markham, a woman bigger than life who may well deserve as many books as Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Beryl’s parents moved from Britain to British East Africa (now Kenya) in 1906. Her mother soon fled back to Britain with Beryl’s brother. By 1912, Beryl has become a girl who manages to simultaneously exasperate and charm. Her father, a retired British Army captain, gives her freedom but demands toughness. His influence is checked by her tribal life – she basically runs wild with her African friends, and learns respect and honor from their point of view. Patched in between chapters of this narrative is the story, told via news reports and the older Beryl’s diary, of her foolhardy and brave solo flight west across the Atlantic in 1936. The young Beryl makes a lot of embarrassing and even life-threatening mistakes and Maccoll does a masterful job of bringing those mistakes and their repercussions to life. She also shows how no blunder, even the stupidest, shook Beryl’s supreme confidence in herself. (That by itself was worth the price of admission for this reader.)
Maccoll offers a thoroughly modern and yet believable heroine for young readers, gives great period details that move the plot along, offers telling insights into Beryl’s youthful exploits, and provides a thoughtful list for further reading. Recommended.
Anyone who has ever read the gorgeous West with the Night by Beryl Markham may doubt the need for a young adult novel written about the aviatrix’s early life. Within a few pages of Michaela Maccoll’s new young adult novel, however, even the most skeptical should be persuaded. Promise the Night tells the story of the pre-teen, horse-loving, lion-hunting Beryl Clutterbuck, who became Beryl Markham, a woman bigger than life who may well deserve as many books as Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Beryl’s parents moved from Britain to British East Africa (now Kenya) in 1906. Her mother soon fled back to Britain with Beryl’s brother. By 1912, Beryl has become a girl who manages to simultaneously exasperate and charm. Her father, a retired British Army captain, gives her freedom but demands toughness. His influence is checked by her tribal life – she basically runs wild with her African friends, and learns respect and honor from their point of view. Patched in between chapters of this narrative is the story, told via news reports and the older Beryl’s diary, of her foolhardy and brave solo flight west across the Atlantic in 1936. The young Beryl makes a lot of embarrassing and even life-threatening mistakes and Maccoll does a masterful job of bringing those mistakes and their repercussions to life. She also shows how no blunder, even the stupidest, shook Beryl’s supreme confidence in herself. (That by itself was worth the price of admission for this reader.)
Maccoll offers a thoroughly modern and yet believable heroine for young readers, gives great period details that move the plot along, offers telling insights into Beryl’s youthful exploits, and provides a thoughtful list for further reading. Recommended.
December 17, 2011
Michaela MacColl has done it again. Promise the Night was an absolutely fabulous read that I just adored. I loved every page of this book, and am already beginning my wait for another great read from Michaela MacColl.
Promise the Night was such an interesting story. The story is told from Beryl's childhood, but in between each chapter is a short diary entry, interview, something like that from her adult life when she is a pilot. Both of these played off the other and it was just a lot of fun to read. I loved the story line - it honestly was just a ton of fun to read. Something else I really liked about Promise the Night is that it was a very fast read - I didn't want to put it down for one moment.
Beryl is by no means your typical girl. I loved her spunk she brought with everything she did. Every character brought something a little different to this book, and I loved that. You really see all the characters grow throughout the course of the book. Emma was a character who really grew on me as the book went on. I wasn't too crazy about her, but by the end, she was definitely one of my favorite characters.
Michaela MacColl is just a master with historical fiction. I loved this one even more than her debut, and cannot wait for another book from her. Promise the Night is a book I would recommend to every one, especially those who have always dreamed about something. Beryl is not afraid to go out and do what she needs to to achieve her dreams, and that makes her story so much fun to read.
Promise the Night was such an interesting story. The story is told from Beryl's childhood, but in between each chapter is a short diary entry, interview, something like that from her adult life when she is a pilot. Both of these played off the other and it was just a lot of fun to read. I loved the story line - it honestly was just a ton of fun to read. Something else I really liked about Promise the Night is that it was a very fast read - I didn't want to put it down for one moment.
Beryl is by no means your typical girl. I loved her spunk she brought with everything she did. Every character brought something a little different to this book, and I loved that. You really see all the characters grow throughout the course of the book. Emma was a character who really grew on me as the book went on. I wasn't too crazy about her, but by the end, she was definitely one of my favorite characters.
Michaela MacColl is just a master with historical fiction. I loved this one even more than her debut, and cannot wait for another book from her. Promise the Night is a book I would recommend to every one, especially those who have always dreamed about something. Beryl is not afraid to go out and do what she needs to to achieve her dreams, and that makes her story so much fun to read.
August 8, 2011
I thought this was a decent read though it is def aimed at an even younger crowd than I originally thought. It's not aimed at teenagers, but the 9 to 12 year olds. I don't normally read books aimed at kids that young, but I love women in aviation and wanted to learn more about Beryl Markham, the woman who crossed the Atlantic, East to West.
The novel chronicles Beryl's childhood in Africa, her forays into hunting with the native tribes, her rocky relationship with her father's mistress, her stubborness not to learn math, lion attacks and lion hunts, her year at boarding school, etc. The author did a superb job balancing Beryl's childhood with journal accounts/interviews with an adult Beryl preparing for and then attempting her Atlantic crossing.
My only quibbles: 1. Though most of the story is true and based on real accounts, sometimes it was a bit unbelieveable, such as when Beryl grabs her teacher and throws her down. 2. I would have liked this book to go further into Beryl's life. I respect that the author stuck to an eleven year old Beryl as that's the age group this was intended for, but I wanted more about her getting into aviation, learning to fly, and so on. Except for the journal excerpts, there was no aviation. The book ends before Beryl even lays eye on an airplane.
The novel chronicles Beryl's childhood in Africa, her forays into hunting with the native tribes, her rocky relationship with her father's mistress, her stubborness not to learn math, lion attacks and lion hunts, her year at boarding school, etc. The author did a superb job balancing Beryl's childhood with journal accounts/interviews with an adult Beryl preparing for and then attempting her Atlantic crossing.
My only quibbles: 1. Though most of the story is true and based on real accounts, sometimes it was a bit unbelieveable, such as when Beryl grabs her teacher and throws her down. 2. I would have liked this book to go further into Beryl's life. I respect that the author stuck to an eleven year old Beryl as that's the age group this was intended for, but I wanted more about her getting into aviation, learning to fly, and so on. Except for the journal excerpts, there was no aviation. The book ends before Beryl even lays eye on an airplane.
October 11, 2011
I got this book free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.
This is an excellent story, full of all sorts of roaring African adventures that will keep 9-to-12s of both sexes enthralled. But there's more depth to the book than I would have thought: in addition to Beryl's tramping around the African forests like Tarzan, you see more subtle themes of growing up, and trying to get on with others different from you. Beryl would be a delightful heroine even if she didn't later become a famous pilot.
This is an excellent story, full of all sorts of roaring African adventures that will keep 9-to-12s of both sexes enthralled. But there's more depth to the book than I would have thought: in addition to Beryl's tramping around the African forests like Tarzan, you see more subtle themes of growing up, and trying to get on with others different from you. Beryl would be a delightful heroine even if she didn't later become a famous pilot.
November 30, 2011
This is a wonderful book. It is the story of aviator Beryl Markham's Kenyan childhood in the early 20th century interspersed with fictionalised interviews and diary extracts of her record breaking solo flight east to west across the Atlantic. The details of her friendship with Kibii, a Nandi boy, and her education into his tribe's customs, is cleverly used to demonstrate how these experiences helped her (along with her strong will and energy) to become firstly a successful racehorse trainer and then a pioneering aviator. Highly recommended for readers aged 9+.
February 26, 2022
For a book targeted for a more younger audience, I thought this book was very enjoyable. Its a little slow in the beginning, but it caught my attention by the middle of the book. Its a very adventurous read with so many jaw dropping things happening that I was kept wondering if any of these events even really happened.
Based on the childhood of famous woman pilot, Beryl Clutterbuck who has lived in British East Africa since the age of 2. The story follows a young Beryl being raised by the Nandi tribe who lives near her father's farm. She meet Kibii, a Nandi boy about her age who becomes her best friend. Kibii's father becomes her mentor and helps Beryl learn how to hunt and become a brave warrior despite being a girl.
Beryl is very much a wild and stubborn girl. Even when she is being constantly denied and refused, she won't stop until she gets what she wants. She wants to be a murani warrior at all costs and even goes along in hunting trips to kill lions and leopards. She's a wild girl which worries her father for she is not acting lady like and receiving the proper education of a British girl. When she constantly gets in trouble, a tipping point is achieved when she gets mauled by a lion when she wanders off. Her father sends her to a boarding school in Africa for European girls. She's an instant outsider but eventually gains the friendship of some of her classmates. after a year, she is expelled and returns home to help her father manage the race horses. It a somewhat bittersweet return when she finds out shes not really welcomed in the Nandi tribe anymore at least not the way it used to be. She is now more grown and needs to choose between the divide of the native Nandi tribe and the British colonizers that she originates from.
The book excited me at some parts and at others annoyed me. Sometimes I just really wanted to shake Beryl and tell her to stop being so stubborn. But in the end, she is just a child running free in Africa and learning so much more than just being stuck in a classroom. It is her upbringing that made her the famous pilot that she became. She gained immense courage throughout her childhood and its very touching to see a young girl growing up slowly throughout the book. When she returns from boarding school, the reader can tell that she has matured.
Her relationship with Kibii was particular bittersweet. Being best friend's throughout childhood, it was tough to read about how once she came back, they could no longer hang out as they use to. Kibii is now a warrior and has become a man by his tribe and now focuses on taking care of his tribe. Beryl will now be helping her father on the farm and focusing on her job with the horses. It just brings back up the part of Beryl confiding in Emma that she doesn't want to grow up and become a woman because then she can no longer be the same with Kibii. At the end, they both grow up and progress forward with a new phase in their life and take along the experiences they had in childhood with them.
Based on the childhood of famous woman pilot, Beryl Clutterbuck who has lived in British East Africa since the age of 2. The story follows a young Beryl being raised by the Nandi tribe who lives near her father's farm. She meet Kibii, a Nandi boy about her age who becomes her best friend. Kibii's father becomes her mentor and helps Beryl learn how to hunt and become a brave warrior despite being a girl.
Beryl is very much a wild and stubborn girl. Even when she is being constantly denied and refused, she won't stop until she gets what she wants. She wants to be a murani warrior at all costs and even goes along in hunting trips to kill lions and leopards. She's a wild girl which worries her father for she is not acting lady like and receiving the proper education of a British girl. When she constantly gets in trouble, a tipping point is achieved when she gets mauled by a lion when she wanders off. Her father sends her to a boarding school in Africa for European girls. She's an instant outsider but eventually gains the friendship of some of her classmates. after a year, she is expelled and returns home to help her father manage the race horses. It a somewhat bittersweet return when she finds out shes not really welcomed in the Nandi tribe anymore at least not the way it used to be. She is now more grown and needs to choose between the divide of the native Nandi tribe and the British colonizers that she originates from.
The book excited me at some parts and at others annoyed me. Sometimes I just really wanted to shake Beryl and tell her to stop being so stubborn. But in the end, she is just a child running free in Africa and learning so much more than just being stuck in a classroom. It is her upbringing that made her the famous pilot that she became. She gained immense courage throughout her childhood and its very touching to see a young girl growing up slowly throughout the book. When she returns from boarding school, the reader can tell that she has matured.
Her relationship with Kibii was particular bittersweet. Being best friend's throughout childhood, it was tough to read about how once she came back, they could no longer hang out as they use to. Kibii is now a warrior and has become a man by his tribe and now focuses on taking care of his tribe. Beryl will now be helping her father on the farm and focusing on her job with the horses. It just brings back up the part of Beryl confiding in Emma that she doesn't want to grow up and become a woman because then she can no longer be the same with Kibii. At the end, they both grow up and progress forward with a new phase in their life and take along the experiences they had in childhood with them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2023
While it is uncomfortable to know the problematic realities of British colonial practices were occurring throughout the period when this story takes place, I found it encouraging that the author does not try to whitewash the characters while maintaining focus on the star protagonist.
The actual content and pace of the story are very nearly perfect, and serve as a remarkable example of how nearly unbelievable true events can be blended with some fictionalized imagination to tell a wonderful and captivating tale.
Beryl's stubborn and energetic personality are infectiously portrayed, and her knack for going against the grain leads to so many scrapes that surprise and astound that I marveled she didn't get stuck in more disadvantageous situations. From the leopard to the baboon to the lion's paw to the snake, the adventures keep coming.
Arap Maina and his son are enjoyable characters, and I was glad that Little A turned into a positive force. I was worried that he would become a truly annoying antagonist.
The actual content and pace of the story are very nearly perfect, and serve as a remarkable example of how nearly unbelievable true events can be blended with some fictionalized imagination to tell a wonderful and captivating tale.
Beryl's stubborn and energetic personality are infectiously portrayed, and her knack for going against the grain leads to so many scrapes that surprise and astound that I marveled she didn't get stuck in more disadvantageous situations. From the leopard to the baboon to the lion's paw to the snake, the adventures keep coming.
Arap Maina and his son are enjoyable characters, and I was glad that Little A turned into a positive force. I was worried that he would become a truly annoying antagonist.
January 15, 2019
What a remarkable life Beryl Markham lived! Before reading this, I only knew of her aviation accolades. PROMISE THE NIGHT breathes life into Beryl's amazing childhood in British East Africa and the experiences that shaped the woman Beryl would become.
After her mother left young Beryl and her father in the rugged wilderness of African highlands, a neighboring tribe cared for Beryl, teaching her Swahili as well as skills in hunting wild game. Her father taught Beryl and her friend Kibii, a boy from the tribe, how to train thoroughbred racehorses. Readers will find this novel fascinating in its vivid descriptions and sensory details. I highly recommend this fictionalized account of the childhood of Beryl Markham.
After her mother left young Beryl and her father in the rugged wilderness of African highlands, a neighboring tribe cared for Beryl, teaching her Swahili as well as skills in hunting wild game. Her father taught Beryl and her friend Kibii, a boy from the tribe, how to train thoroughbred racehorses. Readers will find this novel fascinating in its vivid descriptions and sensory details. I highly recommend this fictionalized account of the childhood of Beryl Markham.
November 18, 2017
Promise the night is the story of Beryl Markham the first woman to get her commercial pilot license. Follow the plucky Beryl as she trains with the Nandi tribe to become a warrior and then to a boarding school where she discovers being a proper English girl is not for her. This book is peppered with real events but is mostly Michaela MacColl imagination. I really liked this book it was funny and creative and moving. My one complaint with this book is that the author did not accurately represent the native tribe in this book because she could not find much information on the tribe so she used a tribe that had similar customs.
August 28, 2012
I was on the edge of my seat throughout this entire story.
"Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure."
"Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure."
September 3, 2017
This historical fiction novel follows the life of a woman who refused to be limited by what was considered proper for a lady to do. Beryl grew up in Kenya the daughter of a famous English horse breeder. The story of her unusual and spirited upbringing is interspersed with vignettes of her adult exploits as a pilot, the first to cross the Atlantic from east to west. It's a great adventure novel and an inspiring true story.
January 18, 2020
This book transported me to Africa! I loved every page. I was sad when it was done. Full.of adventure and complicated family dynamics.
June 4, 2023
Collection of adventures. Lighthearted.
November 23, 2023
Honestly, this was one of the best books i have ever read - i feel like it was a perfect history book for me because the author almost transports you to another world.
May 5, 2026
I struggled a bit with the character, and wasn’t sure how reliable the narrative voice was. But it also taught me more about Beryl Markham, and the African world she lived in.
January 24, 2012
Galloping into the air much like the horses she later trained, Beryl Clutterbuck Markham was a young women coming of age in a time not prepared for her vivaciousness. Growing up the only daughter of a successful farmer and horse trainer, Beryl turned to the native Nandi people in her East African home to teach her discipline and survival. Every day was an adventure filled with lions, leopards, a “step-mother”, a governess and eventually school in the city. Beryl grew from each of her experiences to become a woman revered by many, but her youth was filled with not only skepticism but danger at every turn.
Generally speaking I’m not a huge reader of historical fiction, particularly fictional stories based in reality. What I’ve loved about book reviewing has been the opportunity to stretch myself and discover something I never knew existed or that I would not normally have given a second glance. Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl was one of those such books. Initially, the thought of a middle grade novel about a young girl growing up in Africa based on the true events of Beryl Clutterbuck Markham’s life simply didn’t grab me. What I’ve discovered though is that not only was I wrong, but that I would have missed out greatly on Michaela MacColl’s writing had I passed this novel by.
Beryl was a young wild girl and were it not for her father’s concern for her future well-being as well as that of the reputation of their family she may have grown up as one of the Nandi she so loved. Her adventures of lion hunting and leaping in the air above her own head were the things most young children only dream & read about. What was fascinating was Beryl’s headstrong behavior with nearly everyone she came in contact with. It was this determination and no-nonsense sincerity that finally landed her in the cockpit of an airplane ride across the Atlantic in 1936. The story is actually told in alternating parts between her youth (around age eleven) and her adulthood centering around her actual trip. As I read both the pieces of her life slowly fell into place and it became an incredible adventure I thoroughly enjoyed.
Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl isn’t only a story about a young girl with a strong personality, but it’s a coming of age adventure most middle grade readers will thoroughly enjoy. Beryl Clutterbuck Markham’s life was an adventure a minute. She ran to the African tribe of the Nandi, had a terrible governess who beat her so much that she had to escape, she chased down and hunted wild animals, trained gorgeous horses and eventually landed in the pilot seat of a small plane. Her life inspired many and will continue to through the wonderful words of Michaela MacColl. As I said, historical fiction is not normally my cup of tea, but in the case of Pomise the Night I’m grateful I made an exception because I truly would have missed out on so much.
Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site There's A Book.
Generally speaking I’m not a huge reader of historical fiction, particularly fictional stories based in reality. What I’ve loved about book reviewing has been the opportunity to stretch myself and discover something I never knew existed or that I would not normally have given a second glance. Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl was one of those such books. Initially, the thought of a middle grade novel about a young girl growing up in Africa based on the true events of Beryl Clutterbuck Markham’s life simply didn’t grab me. What I’ve discovered though is that not only was I wrong, but that I would have missed out greatly on Michaela MacColl’s writing had I passed this novel by.
Beryl was a young wild girl and were it not for her father’s concern for her future well-being as well as that of the reputation of their family she may have grown up as one of the Nandi she so loved. Her adventures of lion hunting and leaping in the air above her own head were the things most young children only dream & read about. What was fascinating was Beryl’s headstrong behavior with nearly everyone she came in contact with. It was this determination and no-nonsense sincerity that finally landed her in the cockpit of an airplane ride across the Atlantic in 1936. The story is actually told in alternating parts between her youth (around age eleven) and her adulthood centering around her actual trip. As I read both the pieces of her life slowly fell into place and it became an incredible adventure I thoroughly enjoyed.
Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl isn’t only a story about a young girl with a strong personality, but it’s a coming of age adventure most middle grade readers will thoroughly enjoy. Beryl Clutterbuck Markham’s life was an adventure a minute. She ran to the African tribe of the Nandi, had a terrible governess who beat her so much that she had to escape, she chased down and hunted wild animals, trained gorgeous horses and eventually landed in the pilot seat of a small plane. Her life inspired many and will continue to through the wonderful words of Michaela MacColl. As I said, historical fiction is not normally my cup of tea, but in the case of Pomise the Night I’m grateful I made an exception because I truly would have missed out on so much.
Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site There's A Book.
December 27, 2011
High-flying adventures in Africa
In 1936, aviatrix Beryl Markham flew solo across the Atlantic—from England to North America, a much more difficult feat than Amelia Earhart’s west-to-east 1928 trek—and became one of the most celebrated women in the world.
“Promise the Night,” (Chronicle Books, 2011) Michaela MacColl’s latest historical novel, weaves newspaper and journal accounts from Beryl’s transatlantic flight into the story of her remarkable childhood.
Beryl Clutterbuck was born in 1902 in England, but she moved to British East Africa (now known as Kenya) with her parents and brother when she was two years old. Living conditions there were difficult and primitive by British standards, and Beryl’s mother soon abandoned her husband and daughter to return to England with a British officer she met in Nairobi.
If life in Africa was too demanding for Clara Clutterbuck, it was heaven for the adventuresome Beryl. She explores the forests, adopts the local Nandi tribe as her substitute family, and learns to speak Swahili. She fervently wishes to join her Nandi friend, a boy named Kibii, in becoming a Nandi warrior. Taught by Kibii’s father, Arap Maina, Beryl learns to jump “higher than her head” and even takes part in a hunt for the leopard. On her father’s ranch, she and Kibii learned to break horses. (Before becoming a pilot, Beryl was the first licensed female horse trainer in British East Africa.)
Beryl rebels at every attempt to turn her into a proper young lady, even as she comes to understand the daughter of a British colonialist can never really become African.
I received an advance review copy of “Promise the Night” believing it to be a young adult novel, but it is ideal for younger readers—say, ages 9 to 12. Younger teens would like it as well.
Older teens and adults interested in learning more about Beryl Markham should check out her remarkable memoir, “West With the Night.” I recently listened to the unabridged audio version (Blackstone Audio, 2005), read by actress Julie Harris. It is little wonder that Ernest Hemingway, who was not often in the habit of praising other writers, wrote, “[she] can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves writers.” Her fine prose is especially remarkable given her early dislike of reading and writing, although some have suggested that “West With the Night” was ghostwritten by her husband, a Hollywood screen writer.
No matter. Both “Promise the Night” and “West with the Night” are high-flying adventures.
Sara Latta, Champaign, is the author of 17 books for children, including three books on forensic science just out this fall. She has an M.F.A. in creative writing, and is currently working on a novel for teen readers. You can read more of her reviews at her website, www.saralatta.com.
In 1936, aviatrix Beryl Markham flew solo across the Atlantic—from England to North America, a much more difficult feat than Amelia Earhart’s west-to-east 1928 trek—and became one of the most celebrated women in the world.
“Promise the Night,” (Chronicle Books, 2011) Michaela MacColl’s latest historical novel, weaves newspaper and journal accounts from Beryl’s transatlantic flight into the story of her remarkable childhood.
Beryl Clutterbuck was born in 1902 in England, but she moved to British East Africa (now known as Kenya) with her parents and brother when she was two years old. Living conditions there were difficult and primitive by British standards, and Beryl’s mother soon abandoned her husband and daughter to return to England with a British officer she met in Nairobi.
If life in Africa was too demanding for Clara Clutterbuck, it was heaven for the adventuresome Beryl. She explores the forests, adopts the local Nandi tribe as her substitute family, and learns to speak Swahili. She fervently wishes to join her Nandi friend, a boy named Kibii, in becoming a Nandi warrior. Taught by Kibii’s father, Arap Maina, Beryl learns to jump “higher than her head” and even takes part in a hunt for the leopard. On her father’s ranch, she and Kibii learned to break horses. (Before becoming a pilot, Beryl was the first licensed female horse trainer in British East Africa.)
Beryl rebels at every attempt to turn her into a proper young lady, even as she comes to understand the daughter of a British colonialist can never really become African.
I received an advance review copy of “Promise the Night” believing it to be a young adult novel, but it is ideal for younger readers—say, ages 9 to 12. Younger teens would like it as well.
Older teens and adults interested in learning more about Beryl Markham should check out her remarkable memoir, “West With the Night.” I recently listened to the unabridged audio version (Blackstone Audio, 2005), read by actress Julie Harris. It is little wonder that Ernest Hemingway, who was not often in the habit of praising other writers, wrote, “[she] can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves writers.” Her fine prose is especially remarkable given her early dislike of reading and writing, although some have suggested that “West With the Night” was ghostwritten by her husband, a Hollywood screen writer.
No matter. Both “Promise the Night” and “West with the Night” are high-flying adventures.
Sara Latta, Champaign, is the author of 17 books for children, including three books on forensic science just out this fall. She has an M.F.A. in creative writing, and is currently working on a novel for teen readers. You can read more of her reviews at her website, www.saralatta.com.
November 24, 2014
This story is about a young girl named Beryl who has spent her life growing up between two complete opposite homes; the harsh savannas of Africa with her strict father, and the big bustling country of England. Beryl’s only true friend through out her life has been her mother’s dog who is named Buller, who was also unfortunately one night dragged out from her tent by an African leopard in the middle of the night and never returned. That was a fairly drastic part of the book and was very sad to me. With determination to rescue her only friend in her heart and mind, Beryl sets out on an adventure and becomes the first person to fly alone from England all the way to North America; across her journey, this and many other crazy stories and events like learning how to tame and ride horses, take place during her crazy rescue attempt. The level of cultural detail is high in this book because she gives descriptions of what it is like to live in two completely different living situations from both points of view too. For example, when Beryl describes a night in Africa she says she can hear “ the rustling of insects burrowing in the thatch roof, the snorting of the horses, and sometimes even the roar of a lion in the valley… the night are was cold and clear… the cold sliced through fine linen” (MacColl, 6). Most of the authentic dialogue took place in the beginning with Beryl and her dog, then with all of the characters she met on her journey, most of which were exciting and heartfelt. The in depth treatment of cultural issues was not as relevant as I assumed it would be, the only time it seemed to appear in the novel was by comparing the differences in Africa, versus the more modernized North America and England. One of the minorities in the novel was a tribal that Beryl ran into during her adventure. Over all this novel was adventure packed, exciting, thought provoking, and extremely well written. This book would not be a very good book for myself to include in my classroom. This book would be too mature for my class. The authors voice throughout the story also came off to me as a little aggressive and scary. This is something that I would not want to introduce to third graders. This book overall, was a great book to read. I believe this book is to be targeted to young adults versus children. This book could be considered a juvenile book versus a child’s book. The feeling that I got from this book was sorrow. I sincerely felt bad for Beryl throughout most of this book, she was always trying to pave her own way and do what her heart desired but she never seemed to have any support. This book I feel could be a very strong life lesson for a young adult mainly because of the independence that Beryl shows throughout the novel.
December 27, 2011
An excellent historical fiction novel based on the life of a real person, Beryl Markham, the first woman to fly solo west to east across the Atlantic Ocean, in 1936 (Amelia Earhart's flight was east to west). The novel takes place in 1912, during her childhood in British East Africa (now Kenya), when she was 11 and quite a tomboy. Since her mother had left years ago, unable to live in such primitive conditions (huts with dirt floors), Beryl had been able to run wild. Her father is busy running a farm and a horse racing stable and doesn't know how to control her, so she runs and plays barefoot with her best friend, Nandi tribal boy Kibii. Despite her father's attempts to "civilize" her (a governess brought in only results in stubborn battles and Beryl running away; her father's married live-in companion, Emma, does not immediately bond with Beryl), Beryl loves the wild countryside and going on hunts with the Nandi and learning the ways of a warrior, which goes against the Nandi tradition of only teaching boys to become warriors. The childhood story is interspersed with pages from the grown-up Beryl's diary, as she makes her recordsetting flight, a technique I had just read in Amelia Lost, a biography of Amelia Earhart, which uses it much more extensively, so I was a little disappointed to see the same thing here. But it adds an interesting twist to the childhood story; you know she grows up to do this thrilling flight, and you want to know how both stories end.
I enjoyed this book a lot; I had not known anything about Beryl Markham's life (in fact I got her mixed up with Isak Dinesen, of the movie Out of Africa!), so it was interesting to learn more about her. She's a spunky character as written here, an independent free spirit whose love of Africa is abundant. I also enjoyed learning more about the ways of the Nandi people. And there is exciting action--a lion hunt, a jaguar attack, and tribal rivalries. I was cheering for Beryl all the way! As an adult reader I want to know more about the rest of her life, as she became a very successful racehorse trainer and also pilot; I think kids reading this will also be intrigued enough to look for more information on her.
I enjoyed this book a lot; I had not known anything about Beryl Markham's life (in fact I got her mixed up with Isak Dinesen, of the movie Out of Africa!), so it was interesting to learn more about her. She's a spunky character as written here, an independent free spirit whose love of Africa is abundant. I also enjoyed learning more about the ways of the Nandi people. And there is exciting action--a lion hunt, a jaguar attack, and tribal rivalries. I was cheering for Beryl all the way! As an adult reader I want to know more about the rest of her life, as she became a very successful racehorse trainer and also pilot; I think kids reading this will also be intrigued enough to look for more information on her.
January 3, 2012
This new historical fiction title is inspired by the life of aviatrix Beryl Markham, the first woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic from East to West (considered more challenging than flying East because of prevailing winds). Novelist Michaela Maccoll intersperses the story of Beryl's historic 1936 voyage with Beryl's life as a ten-year old growing up in what is now Kenya, where she lived with her English father on a horse ranch, her mother having abandoned them years before. Her life as a child is filled with endless adventures--attacks by leopards, forbidden treks into the forest with a boy from the local tribe, Kibbi, who becomes her friend and teaches her to wrestle and track and hunt animals. Indeed, she is virtually adopted by the native tribe who take her in as one of their own, allowing her to train to be a "warrior" despite her sex and accepting her as an honorary member of the Nandi tribe.
The novel jumps back and forth between the youthful Beryl's adventures both at home and later in boarding school and a variety of diary entries, fictitious press articles and interviews about her cross-Atlantic flight. I found the parts in Africa much more engaging and vivid than the snippets about her flight; the two themes don't really seem to be tied together, since we don't learn about the beginnings of her interests in flight in the sections in which Beryl is a child. However, Maccoll paints an appealing picture of an adventurous spirit who can't resist a dare, a girl who is more comfortable in boys' clothing and who longs to be a hunter of lions rather than a proper young English lady. It's a good choice for those looking for a colorful adventure story that could appeal to girls as well as boys.
Those interested in learning more about the real Beryl can check out her memoir, West With the Night (North Point Press, 1982), which was praised by none other than Ernest Hemingway, who remarked about Markham's writing, "she can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers,"
or the young adult biography Beryl Markham: Never Turn Back, by Catherine Gourley (Red Wheel, 1997).
In addition, Maccoll includes an author's note providing further details on the real Beryl's life as well as additional suggestions for further reading.
The novel jumps back and forth between the youthful Beryl's adventures both at home and later in boarding school and a variety of diary entries, fictitious press articles and interviews about her cross-Atlantic flight. I found the parts in Africa much more engaging and vivid than the snippets about her flight; the two themes don't really seem to be tied together, since we don't learn about the beginnings of her interests in flight in the sections in which Beryl is a child. However, Maccoll paints an appealing picture of an adventurous spirit who can't resist a dare, a girl who is more comfortable in boys' clothing and who longs to be a hunter of lions rather than a proper young English lady. It's a good choice for those looking for a colorful adventure story that could appeal to girls as well as boys.
Those interested in learning more about the real Beryl can check out her memoir, West With the Night (North Point Press, 1982), which was praised by none other than Ernest Hemingway, who remarked about Markham's writing, "she can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers,"
or the young adult biography Beryl Markham: Never Turn Back, by Catherine Gourley (Red Wheel, 1997).
In addition, Maccoll includes an author's note providing further details on the real Beryl's life as well as additional suggestions for further reading.
December 3, 2013
This story is about a young girl named Beryl who has spent her life growing up between two complete opposite homes; the harsh savannas of Africa with her strict father, and the big bustling country of England. Beryl’s only true friend through out her life has been her mother’s dog who is named Buller, who was also unfortunately one night dragged out from her tent by an African leopard in the middle of the night. With determination to rescue her only friend in her heart and mind, Beryl sets out on an adventure and becomes the first person to fly alone from England all the way to North America; across her journey, this and many other crazy stories and events like learning how to tame and ride horses, take place in her rescue attempt. The level of cultural detail is high in this book because she gives descriptions of what it is like to live in two completely different living situations. Most of the authentic dialogue took place in the beginning with Beryl and her dog, then with all of the characters she met on her journey, most of which were exciting and heartfelt. The in depth treatment of cultural issues was not as relevant as I assumed it would be, the only time it seemed to appear in the novel was by comparing the differences in Africa, versus the more modernized North America and England. One of the minorities in the novel was a tribal that Beryl ran into during her adventure.
This type of book could be greatly used in a class room if a teacher wants to learn about where her students have come from and what they have lived through and experienced while growing up, this type of lesson could also be a great ice breaker for the students to get to know one another at the beginning of the year.
Something that I think should not have been in the book is that a girl at such a young age was experiencing so many huge life moments, it seems as though the story would have been a little more realistic if the main character was at an older age in the story. However over all, this novel was adventure packed, exciting, thought provoking, and extremely well written.
This type of book could be greatly used in a class room if a teacher wants to learn about where her students have come from and what they have lived through and experienced while growing up, this type of lesson could also be a great ice breaker for the students to get to know one another at the beginning of the year.
Something that I think should not have been in the book is that a girl at such a young age was experiencing so many huge life moments, it seems as though the story would have been a little more realistic if the main character was at an older age in the story. However over all, this novel was adventure packed, exciting, thought provoking, and extremely well written.
October 1, 2011
I really enjoyed MacColl's first novel about young future queen Victoria so I was interested in her second outing, another historical fiction novel about a British heroine in vastly different circumstances. This time the heroine is famed aviatrix Beryl Markham, who grew up in British East Africa. I had never heard of her and entered the book with no idea what to expect.
I really liked the writing and the adventures. Beryl is not a shy, retiring young lady; she is bold and daring, not content to sit inside but wanting to be a warrior and trainer of horses. She gets in to so many scrapes but is dedicated to doing the right thing and confessing her wrongs to her father. She has a strong sense of justice even if as a child, she still has much to learn. However I didn't really identify with her, being a more introverted and indoorsy girl, and disapproved of her hijinks; honestly I thought she was a little bratty in some instances such as her obstinacy against learning basic mathematics. I wonder if a younger reader might be more enchanted.
The book is roughly divided into three sections: Beryl's life on her father's ranch and Beryl's life at school interspersed with journal entries chronicling her record-setting journey to be the first woman to fly London to New York over the Atlantic (the winds make it tougher than New York to London). I loved the journal entries and Beryl's time at school. However MacColl doesn't shy away from some of the nastier elements of colonialism nor does she downplay the dangers of Africa (leopards to say the least), both of which made me squirm.
Overall: I did prefer MacColl's first novel but I definitely want to applaud this exciting and well-written historical YA novel.
Cover: The cover I received featured a blonde girl in aviator hat and glasses, which doesn't really capture the book as flying is not the biggest element. However this cover is pretty bland.
I really liked the writing and the adventures. Beryl is not a shy, retiring young lady; she is bold and daring, not content to sit inside but wanting to be a warrior and trainer of horses. She gets in to so many scrapes but is dedicated to doing the right thing and confessing her wrongs to her father. She has a strong sense of justice even if as a child, she still has much to learn. However I didn't really identify with her, being a more introverted and indoorsy girl, and disapproved of her hijinks; honestly I thought she was a little bratty in some instances such as her obstinacy against learning basic mathematics. I wonder if a younger reader might be more enchanted.
The book is roughly divided into three sections: Beryl's life on her father's ranch and Beryl's life at school interspersed with journal entries chronicling her record-setting journey to be the first woman to fly London to New York over the Atlantic (the winds make it tougher than New York to London). I loved the journal entries and Beryl's time at school. However MacColl doesn't shy away from some of the nastier elements of colonialism nor does she downplay the dangers of Africa (leopards to say the least), both of which made me squirm.
Overall: I did prefer MacColl's first novel but I definitely want to applaud this exciting and well-written historical YA novel.
Cover: The cover I received featured a blonde girl in aviator hat and glasses, which doesn't really capture the book as flying is not the biggest element. However this cover is pretty bland.
January 8, 2012
Beryl Markham grew up training race horses for her father in British East Africa, an experience that marked her for life and likely formed the independent, determined side of her personality. Sometimes she took risks and made mistakes that ended badly, but that risk-taking and independence will stand her in good stead once she takes to the skies and becomes the first person to fly alone from England to North America. The book begins in 1912 when Beryl is ten, allowed to do whatever she wishes, which includes learning the ways of the warrior from a Nandi leader and hunting for lions, something females were not allowed to do. She refuses to bathe, groom her hair, and wear dresses since they are impractical for the life she leads helping her father. The author includes created newspaper clippings, journalists' interviews, and entries from her journal describing the flight and the aftermath. I might have enjoyed more observations on the flight, daring as it must have been, but the entries themselves sometimes seemed quite detached from the actual event itself. What does shine in the book, though, is Beryl's personality and the affection she had for Green Hills, the farm where she grew up. Some of the passages describing the forests and animals are quite lovely. Although the author spends only a limited amount of time on Beryl's year at a boarding school, it is enough to make clear the social pecking order that existed at the time. There is much to ponder about the colonialism, racism, and sexism that pervaded those times, just as there is much to admire about the girl who became the woman who went west with the night in her plane. The author's note spells out how much of the story is truth and how much is fiction, and a list of references will surely provide additional information for readers intrigued by the story and for a time long gone but captured exquisitely in this book.
March 17, 2012
If you ever saw Out Of Africa you were introduced to Beryl Markam. She was the other woman called Felicity who "stole" Karen Blixen's lover Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford). I had no idea until much later when I discovered Beryl Markam via Ernest Hemingway.
How I found Beryl Markam:
"Did you read Beryl Markham's book, West with the Night? I knew her fairly well in Africa and never would have suspected that she could and would put pen to paper except to write in her flyer's log book. As it is, she has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer. I felt that I was simply a carpenter with words, picking up whatever was furnished on the job and nailing them together and sometimes making an okay pig pen. But [she] can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves writers. The only parts of it that I know about personally, on account of having been there at the time and heard the other people's stories, are absolutely true . . . I wish you would get it and read it because it is really a bloody wonderful book."--Ernest Hemingway letter to his editor
This book, Promise the Night is a fictional account of Beryl's childhood in Kenya where she learned to ride horses, learned the ways of the warrior from a Nandi leader and hunting for lions. She fought against the constraints of being a female in British East Africa and provided enough entertaining material for MacColl to write a fantastic historical novel about a fascinating time and place with an excellent introduction to the issues of race and colonialism.
How I found Beryl Markam:
"Did you read Beryl Markham's book, West with the Night? I knew her fairly well in Africa and never would have suspected that she could and would put pen to paper except to write in her flyer's log book. As it is, she has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer. I felt that I was simply a carpenter with words, picking up whatever was furnished on the job and nailing them together and sometimes making an okay pig pen. But [she] can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves writers. The only parts of it that I know about personally, on account of having been there at the time and heard the other people's stories, are absolutely true . . . I wish you would get it and read it because it is really a bloody wonderful book."--Ernest Hemingway letter to his editor
This book, Promise the Night is a fictional account of Beryl's childhood in Kenya where she learned to ride horses, learned the ways of the warrior from a Nandi leader and hunting for lions. She fought against the constraints of being a female in British East Africa and provided enough entertaining material for MacColl to write a fantastic historical novel about a fascinating time and place with an excellent introduction to the issues of race and colonialism.
January 30, 2012
In the early 1900s a girl named Beryl Clutterbuck was growing up on a ranch in what was then British East Africa. With a mother who had returned to England when she was a baby and a father who had little time to spend on raising her, Beryl grew up wild and as resistant to taming as the land around her. Her best friend was a native boy, Kibii, and she wanted to train to be a Nandi warrior.
Beryl’s fierce sense of daring and adventure never left her, and she later went on to be Beryl Markham, the first pilot to fly solo from England to North America. Promise the Night is a new work of historical fiction by Michaela MacColl that weaves real life incidents from Beryl’s pre-teen years with rich details of African life. The result is a fascinating portrait of a girl who is courageous, independent, unconventional, and not always likeable.
Promise the Night also paints a vivid picture of Africa during those times. White settlers came for the vast tracts of land they could buy for farming, ranching and other pursuits. Inevitably, there were conflicts with black natives who were looked down on for what were considered primitive ways.
Tales of lion hunts, leopard attacks, encounters with baboons and horse races are thrilling to read about, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself alternately cheering for Beryl and appalled by her sometimes bristly nature. Promise the Night brings a part of her childhood to life while also interspersing notes from her solo trip across the Atlantic.
I first learned about Beryl Markham when I read her memoir, West With the Night. While I really like that book a lot, it’s not accessible for younger readers. Promise the Night fills in that gap and introduces younger readers to this remarkable woman. I highly recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 13. I also believe boys will like this book equally as well as girls.
Beryl’s fierce sense of daring and adventure never left her, and she later went on to be Beryl Markham, the first pilot to fly solo from England to North America. Promise the Night is a new work of historical fiction by Michaela MacColl that weaves real life incidents from Beryl’s pre-teen years with rich details of African life. The result is a fascinating portrait of a girl who is courageous, independent, unconventional, and not always likeable.
Promise the Night also paints a vivid picture of Africa during those times. White settlers came for the vast tracts of land they could buy for farming, ranching and other pursuits. Inevitably, there were conflicts with black natives who were looked down on for what were considered primitive ways.
Tales of lion hunts, leopard attacks, encounters with baboons and horse races are thrilling to read about, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself alternately cheering for Beryl and appalled by her sometimes bristly nature. Promise the Night brings a part of her childhood to life while also interspersing notes from her solo trip across the Atlantic.
I first learned about Beryl Markham when I read her memoir, West With the Night. While I really like that book a lot, it’s not accessible for younger readers. Promise the Night fills in that gap and introduces younger readers to this remarkable woman. I highly recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 13. I also believe boys will like this book equally as well as girls.
May 12, 2012
Um - okay. I did think this was a good, solid book about an intriguing character, with solid description. It also moved quickly. Why three stars, then? Basically, if I could, I would give it 3 and 1/2 stars. The writing was good, and the story worth telling. But, as others have said, the parts about Beryl's childhood in Kenya are far more compelling than those describing her flight across the Atlantic. I pretty much skipped these in order to get back to the "real" story, and I'm sure that was not the author's intention! Also, while reading Beryl's childhood story, I found myself disliking her. Yes, she's an admirable character in many ways - a brave, active young girl growing up between two societies that, in their different ways, limit women. Beryl finds a way to take a "boy's/man's" role in each of her societies - British and African Nandi. All that is well and good, but, unfortunately, Beryl seems to have nothing but contempt for more traditional or conservative women. Her stepmother offers her nothing but kindness, and Beryl is never anything but hostile to her. She also treats the women of the Nandi tribe with contempt, and doesn't understand the mild reproof of a school friend when she is sent to boarding school. Beryl, as written, is very much a "shield maiden", lacking introspection or empathy. She does have great loyalty, determination, and physical courage, and she has many obstacles to overcome. Young people who love action and adventure and can tolerate some graphic violence* will enjoy this fast-moving and well researched story.
* In one scene, 11-year-old Beryl batters her father's pet baboon to death after it attacks her little stepbrother - after she has urged him to play with the animal. She does realize that she is at fault, but doesn't really seem to learn anything from the incident.
* In one scene, 11-year-old Beryl batters her father's pet baboon to death after it attacks her little stepbrother - after she has urged him to play with the animal. She does realize that she is at fault, but doesn't really seem to learn anything from the incident.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 9, 2015In the historical fiction novel, Promise The Night, the author Micheaela MacColl's main idea of the story was to never skepticize who you are and don't let anyone tell you who you are going to be. Beryl Clutterbuck Markham was a young women coming of age in a time not prepared for her life. Growing up the only daughter of a successful farmer and horse trainer, Beryl turned to the native Nandi people in her East African home to teach her discipline and survival. Every day was an adventure filled with lions, leopards, a “step-mother”, a governess and eventually school in the city. Beryl grew from each of her experiences to become a woman revered by many. Beryl's father wanted Beryl to become a horse trainer just like himself but Beryl wanted to do more with her life. While Beryl spent her time with the Nandi Tribe, she learned that she could be a strong woman and do what she likes. Beryl took the challange and soon, during the pioneer days of aviation, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to west.
Generally speaking I’m not a huge reader of historical fiction, particularly fictional stories based in reality. What I’ve loved about book reviewing has been the opportunity to stretch myself and discover something I never knew existed or that I would not normally have given a second glance. Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl was one of those such books. I loved the way Beryl didnt take what her father said and persevered to get to where she wanted to be. This book taught me to never give up on what I believe and and keep striving forward. Overall, I thought this book was a great historical fiction novel and inspirational to young girls. I would recommend this book to all of my friends and to those who enjoy inspiring historical fiction stories.
Generally speaking I’m not a huge reader of historical fiction, particularly fictional stories based in reality. What I’ve loved about book reviewing has been the opportunity to stretch myself and discover something I never knew existed or that I would not normally have given a second glance. Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl was one of those such books. I loved the way Beryl didnt take what her father said and persevered to get to where she wanted to be. This book taught me to never give up on what I believe and and keep striving forward. Overall, I thought this book was a great historical fiction novel and inspirational to young girls. I would recommend this book to all of my friends and to those who enjoy inspiring historical fiction stories.
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