Sea Island Lady

by Francis Griswold

At the end of the Civil War, Emily Fenwick moves to Beaufort South Carolina as the very young wife of a carpetbagger not knowing what destiny was to hold her there for the endurance of a rich dramatic life.

Genres: Fiction, Civil War, Historical Fiction

964 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1939

Reviews

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you can find a copy of this book, read it. It is a historical epic, on par with Gone with the Wind. I begins during the Civil War, and stretches past the turn of the 20th Century. I was amazed to find it was written by a man. He really delves into the female perspectives of the times. This was a fascinating look at the history of the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thought was wow a long, small print tome! But it grabbed me right away especially since we live nearby the areas where the story takes place. Story takes us from not long after the Civil War and through two world wars. To me it seemed to bogged down a bit in the middle, but I liked the historical part enough to persevere. If you live in South Carolina, I think you'd enjoy picturing so many places still standing; outside of SC, its a great history.

[Michelle Chenard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a long book about the history of Beaufort as the civil was ending. It details the happenings during reconstruction in detail. It helped me to understand why the south hates Yankees. I learned a lot by reading this book. Although it was very long winded, I'm glad that I finished it.

[Zaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m not usually one for writing a “proper” review, but wow – this book will stay with me forever. it’s so heartbreaking, decadent, beautiful, and inspiring; i wish i could sit in the company of the fenwicks and bramwells, and i guess in some ways i have. and i hope to one day go to beaufort and visit the sea islands. an absolute must-read if you can get your hands on it.

some quotes i love:

“No doubt there was plenty of happiness out there, mixed in with all the misery and splendor and common monotony of living, but it was impossible to believe that any happiness anywhere could be greater than her own, here at Land’s End. Or any peace more sure and deep. For it was possible now to think of the past as a necessary voyage to these untroubled waters.”

“How true is it that we must lose those we love before we can really possess them. It’s only when they’re gone from us beyond recall that we can forget their little foibles and certain quite superficial differences of opinion…”

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning was interesting, then it started to slow down, and by part 6, I had lost interest completely. The bulk of the action revolves around the Civil War and Reconstruction, and when those were past, the author just made mention of every significant or notorious event in Beaufort or US history, even when they didn't add anything to the story.

[Elizabeth Skeadas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautifully written book this is! I read it based on the recommendation of a dear friend, and am so glad I did. The book is somewhat similar to Gone with the Wind-- it follows one family living in the SC Lowcountry, starting near the end of the Civil War and going through the early 1900's. It's a wonderful story, interesting and introspective.

[Laraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the lowcountry mother load. Starting right after the time of the Northern Agressio and unpleasantness to early 1900s. A great historical account of Beaufort and Port Royal from the eyes of a norrthern young woman who moved here. What a writer! Tately does one read phrases and comments like he has put together. A pleasure to read on both accounts; history and great literature writing.

[Meli · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a super read. Agree with those who compare it to "GWTW", but found it so much more insightful in a lot of ways. Just a beautiful, endless, story. It also never ceases to amaze me how some things never change. If you're at all familiar with the Lowcountry, you'll treasure this.

[Whitney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a waste of time. Way too long for what it is. The protagonist is a sweet, pretty white lady who marries unfortunately (twice) during and after the American Civil War. She suffers heroically and blah blah blah.

Meanwhile, it does provide a good time capsule for showing the nasty prejudices of the time period. And it shows the tumultuous hostility that built in the South--South Carolina in particular--having lost the War. The hostility continues to this day, albeit mellowed to disdain, directed against "Yankees."

But one distinct hostility has not mellowed in this novel. We see grotesque, primitive depictions of black people, written with so much arrogance that I felt uncomfortable while reading. Black characters in this book all enter the plot as slaves, and only one or two of them achieve a "noble" status by remaining as loyal servants to the protagonist, after they become officially "free" post-war. All of the servants speak in phonetic Gullah dialect, and I feel this may have been the author's choice to keep them at a sub-human status. I hated to read it.

This book was first published in 1939 via small private South Carolina press. Maybe the press re-prints every few dozen years? Otherwise I have no idea why a new-looking copy exists in my Pennsylvania public library. Maybe I'm the only idiot who's checked out this chunk of garbage door-stop.