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The Olivia Series #1
Olivia, Mourning
Historical Fiction (USA 1840s)
Available on Amazon in eBook and paperback.
Newly orphaned and forced to live with her brother and the overbearing woman who will soon be his wife, Olivia Killion is determined to gain her independence by inheriting 80 acres of farmland in far off Michigan. Her father’s will bequeathed the land to whichever of his offspring would put in a crop and stake a claim to it. Olivia insists, “I’m sprung off him just as much as Avis or Tobey.”
The problem: she’s seventeen, female, and it’s 1841.
She has a friend who would make a perfect partner for this endeavor. Mourning Free knows how to run a farm, having worked many years for local farmers. More importantly, Olivia has complete trust in him and no fear of a romantic entanglement developing between them. Mourning will put in the crop for her and she will then help him buy land of his own.
The problem: Mourning is black, the orphaned son of runaway slaves, and reluctant to travel and work with a white girl. He especially fears the private agents from the south who patrol the free states, hunting fugitive slaves.
Olivia believes she and Mourning can make their partnership work and they set off together. All goes well, despite the drudgery of survival in an isolated log cabin. Incapable of acknowledging her feelings for Mourning, Olivia thinks her biggest problem is her unrequited romantic interest in their young, single neighbor. Then she is betrayed and violated and her world falls apart.
Strong-willed, vulnerable, and compassionate, Olivia is a compelling protagonist on a journey to find a way to do the right thing in a world in which so much is wrong.
Awards
2010 YWO Book of the Year
2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, Quarter-Finalist
Available on Amazon in eBook and paperback.
Newly orphaned and forced to live with her brother and the overbearing woman who will soon be his wife, Olivia Killion is determined to gain her independence by inheriting 80 acres of farmland in far off Michigan. Her father’s will bequeathed the land to whichever of his offspring would put in a crop and stake a claim to it. Olivia insists, “I’m sprung off him just as much as Avis or Tobey.”
The problem: she’s seventeen, female, and it’s 1841.
She has a friend who would make a perfect partner for this endeavor. Mourning Free knows how to run a farm, having worked many years for local farmers. More importantly, Olivia has complete trust in him and no fear of a romantic entanglement developing between them. Mourning will put in the crop for her and she will then help him buy land of his own.
The problem: Mourning is black, the orphaned son of runaway slaves, and reluctant to travel and work with a white girl. He especially fears the private agents from the south who patrol the free states, hunting fugitive slaves.
Olivia believes she and Mourning can make their partnership work and they set off together. All goes well, despite the drudgery of survival in an isolated log cabin. Incapable of acknowledging her feelings for Mourning, Olivia thinks her biggest problem is her unrequited romantic interest in their young, single neighbor. Then she is betrayed and violated and her world falls apart.
Strong-willed, vulnerable, and compassionate, Olivia is a compelling protagonist on a journey to find a way to do the right thing in a world in which so much is wrong.
Awards
2010 YWO Book of the Year
2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, Quarter-Finalist
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 27, 2013
1513 people are currently reading
2218 people want to read
About the author
Yael Politis
13 books57 followersI grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, in the house on the cover of Book 3 of the Olivia series, not far from the location of Olivia's farm.
While studying at the Universities of Michigan and Wisconsin, I spent two summers in Israel and ended up coming back to make my life here. Since then I've spent a lot of time traveling between the Middle East and the Midwest, loving both my homes.
While living on Kibbutz Ein Tsurim I learned the story of the Etzion Bloc during Israel’s War of Independence – from people who had lived through it. It was many years before I dared to try to put it down on paper. At that time, fantasies aside, I considered writing nothing more than a hobby.
I did, however, post the first chapters of The Lonely Tree on a writers' workshop run by the London Arts Council. There it received a Book of the Year award and Holland Park Press of London asked to see the complete manuscript. Not long afterwards I received an email from them. “We want to publish your book.” Hey, you never know when a fantasy is going to come true.
For years I had been researching the backdrop for Olivia's story and based many of the details in the Olivia Series on letters and journals passed down through my family, over seven generations of lives lived in the American Midwest. I also received a great deal of information and insight from my sister Martha, who lived with her husband in a modern log home, hunted her own land, cut her own firewood, and was as independent and stubborn as Olivia. Then self-publishing happened. The prospect of being able to publish that story independently was a great motivator, and I finally completed and published the five books of the Olivia series.
While studying at the Universities of Michigan and Wisconsin, I spent two summers in Israel and ended up coming back to make my life here. Since then I've spent a lot of time traveling between the Middle East and the Midwest, loving both my homes.
While living on Kibbutz Ein Tsurim I learned the story of the Etzion Bloc during Israel’s War of Independence – from people who had lived through it. It was many years before I dared to try to put it down on paper. At that time, fantasies aside, I considered writing nothing more than a hobby.
I did, however, post the first chapters of The Lonely Tree on a writers' workshop run by the London Arts Council. There it received a Book of the Year award and Holland Park Press of London asked to see the complete manuscript. Not long afterwards I received an email from them. “We want to publish your book.” Hey, you never know when a fantasy is going to come true.
For years I had been researching the backdrop for Olivia's story and based many of the details in the Olivia Series on letters and journals passed down through my family, over seven generations of lives lived in the American Midwest. I also received a great deal of information and insight from my sister Martha, who lived with her husband in a modern log home, hunted her own land, cut her own firewood, and was as independent and stubborn as Olivia. Then self-publishing happened. The prospect of being able to publish that story independently was a great motivator, and I finally completed and published the five books of the Olivia series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
February 11, 2014
Well! I really want to shake someone - hard! Despite the fact that the author is obviously talented and her research of the era was seamlessly incorporated into an interesting story, I am left unsatisfied by this book on a number of levels. The first half was a beautifully written character study of a strong minded young white girl who wanted to take control of her life, and the young black man who helped her to achieve her goals. I thought both themes of gender and racial equality in that period of history were handed very well. I smiled and laughed out loud many times at the lovely relationship that developed between the two of them, and how their differences brought them together in so many ways. I was enchanted, and drove my husband nuts reading little snippets aloud that particularly delighted me. Then - bam! - with one fell swoop the story changed direction completely and utterly. Despite not wanting to read the violent, debasing events that throw Olivia's life into turmoil, I appreciated that as a dramatic tool those events were effective in bringing change to her story. It went from hope to despair over a handful of paragraphs, and the transition felt abrupt, total and shocking. Olivia's struggle in the second half of the book is almost epic - she's really getting paid back by karma for the relative smoothness and harmony in the first. Sadly when Olivia lost hope, so did I. I am not criticising the author for using these events to develop her story. I am however criticising her for leaving the reader with so many unresolved issues surrounding the characters. But to ask us to invest emotionally in the characters and then leave most of the important issues unresolved is cruel and I can only assume a ham-fisted ploy to force the reader's hand to purchase the next book in the series. No thanks. Two stars for the parts I thoroughly enjoyed. Minus three stars for reader manipulation.
February 19, 2014
It really makes me MAD that I have to buy book two to find out how book one SHOULD have ended. I don't think I've ever been so frustrated at the end of a book. Cheap shot, Yael Politis. I will not buy any more of your books.
December 1, 2013
This is one of the most gripping, impossible-to-put-down books I’ve read this year.
The story begins in Pennsylvania, in the January of 1841, with the death of the eponymous main character’s father, making Olivia and her two brothers orphans. But don’t be fooled by the story’s title: this is not the tale of a mourning daughter. Mourning is the name of the second main character of the story: Mourning Free, the son of black slaves, a boy who has spent his life as the only ‘coloured’ person in town, working for all the town’s residents in return for food and occasional shelter.
The story of Olivia and Mourning highlights the issues of both gender and race at a time of major historical upheaval. The country was divided into slave and free states and although Pennsylvania was free, there remained the continual threat of bounty-hunters looking for former slaves to capture and return to the southern states.
Being a woman in the America of 1841 meant a destiny of hiding demurely behind your poke bonnet and accepting a predetermined destiny of marriage (if you were ‘lucky’) and domestic drudgery. But even if she wanted to marry, who would there be in the one-horse town of Five Rocks for Olivia to spend her life with? Woman’s lot is summed up by Olivia’s father’s former "whore", Jettie Place, when she says: “People will forgive just about anything in a man, except being weak, and the one thing they absolutely cannot forgive a woman is being too strong”.
But 17-year-old Olivia’s problem is that she is strong. When she claims a legacy to the “eighty useless acres in the swamp known as Michigan” left to the family by her Uncle Lorenzo Scruggs, it’s her childhood friend, Mourning, she chooses to accompany her as her ‘hired man’ to help her transform the land into a working farm.
When Olivia and Mourning settle on Uncle Scruggs’ land, they are soon visited by local busy-bodies, the sinister Mr and Mrs Stubblefield. In spite of their ostensible friendliness, something bodes ill about Mrs Stubblefield’s smothering and patronising attitude, and her disapproval of Olivia’s companionship with her ‘coloured’ hired man. This is the point where the story takes a very dark turn indeed and her obsession with the dates of Olivia’s "monthly visitor" soon sounds alarm bells clanging in the reader’s mind.
In the horrific climax of the story I found the narrative almost too graphic to bear, and yet the appalling ordeal Olivia is forced to undergo never veers beyond the bounds of suspension of disbelief. Her return to her home town of Five Rocks, alone, sees her face an impossible dilemma and she finds help from the one person in town shunned by all the other residents.
By the end of the story, I was desperately seeking to make the same discovery that Olivia herself longs to know, but I found out that I’m just going to have to read the next book. I can’t wait.
The story begins in Pennsylvania, in the January of 1841, with the death of the eponymous main character’s father, making Olivia and her two brothers orphans. But don’t be fooled by the story’s title: this is not the tale of a mourning daughter. Mourning is the name of the second main character of the story: Mourning Free, the son of black slaves, a boy who has spent his life as the only ‘coloured’ person in town, working for all the town’s residents in return for food and occasional shelter.
The story of Olivia and Mourning highlights the issues of both gender and race at a time of major historical upheaval. The country was divided into slave and free states and although Pennsylvania was free, there remained the continual threat of bounty-hunters looking for former slaves to capture and return to the southern states.
Being a woman in the America of 1841 meant a destiny of hiding demurely behind your poke bonnet and accepting a predetermined destiny of marriage (if you were ‘lucky’) and domestic drudgery. But even if she wanted to marry, who would there be in the one-horse town of Five Rocks for Olivia to spend her life with? Woman’s lot is summed up by Olivia’s father’s former "whore", Jettie Place, when she says: “People will forgive just about anything in a man, except being weak, and the one thing they absolutely cannot forgive a woman is being too strong”.
But 17-year-old Olivia’s problem is that she is strong. When she claims a legacy to the “eighty useless acres in the swamp known as Michigan” left to the family by her Uncle Lorenzo Scruggs, it’s her childhood friend, Mourning, she chooses to accompany her as her ‘hired man’ to help her transform the land into a working farm.
When Olivia and Mourning settle on Uncle Scruggs’ land, they are soon visited by local busy-bodies, the sinister Mr and Mrs Stubblefield. In spite of their ostensible friendliness, something bodes ill about Mrs Stubblefield’s smothering and patronising attitude, and her disapproval of Olivia’s companionship with her ‘coloured’ hired man. This is the point where the story takes a very dark turn indeed and her obsession with the dates of Olivia’s "monthly visitor" soon sounds alarm bells clanging in the reader’s mind.
In the horrific climax of the story I found the narrative almost too graphic to bear, and yet the appalling ordeal Olivia is forced to undergo never veers beyond the bounds of suspension of disbelief. Her return to her home town of Five Rocks, alone, sees her face an impossible dilemma and she finds help from the one person in town shunned by all the other residents.
By the end of the story, I was desperately seeking to make the same discovery that Olivia herself longs to know, but I found out that I’m just going to have to read the next book. I can’t wait.
January 20, 2014
I would like to share the wonderful review that Olivia, Mourning received in the January 2014 issue of Midwest Book Review:
"Olivia, Mourning, Book 1 of the 'Olivia' series, is historical fiction at its best ...
Olivia, Mourning is about the changing complexities of human relationships and politics as much as it is about one determined young girl's desire to make her own place in the world, outside of boundaries and conventions. It's also a story of trauma and how even the closest-held relationships and secrets change.
Expect no easy conclusions to Book 1: it's all about transition points and leaves the door open for further journeys with Olivia. Readers interested in historical fiction with a healthy dose of romance will find Olivia, Mourning a compelling, gripping saga that deliciously wraps what could be predictable elements in a cloak of many choices. It's all about options and consequences - and is a heartfelt story especially recommended for readers who enjoy headstrong protagonists tasked with making their own way in the world."
-- D. Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, MBR
Read the full review at:
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/mbw/... (scroll down)
or on my blog:
http://yaelpolitis.wordpress.com/oliv...
"Olivia, Mourning, Book 1 of the 'Olivia' series, is historical fiction at its best ...
Olivia, Mourning is about the changing complexities of human relationships and politics as much as it is about one determined young girl's desire to make her own place in the world, outside of boundaries and conventions. It's also a story of trauma and how even the closest-held relationships and secrets change.
Expect no easy conclusions to Book 1: it's all about transition points and leaves the door open for further journeys with Olivia. Readers interested in historical fiction with a healthy dose of romance will find Olivia, Mourning a compelling, gripping saga that deliciously wraps what could be predictable elements in a cloak of many choices. It's all about options and consequences - and is a heartfelt story especially recommended for readers who enjoy headstrong protagonists tasked with making their own way in the world."
-- D. Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, MBR
Read the full review at:
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/mbw/... (scroll down)
or on my blog:
http://yaelpolitis.wordpress.com/oliv...
January 8, 2014
This is a richly imagined book. I loved it. It was a pleasure that never subsided. I always wanted to know, as E. M. Forster wrote, what would come next. The tension is established in the early pages of the book. In the early half of the nineteenth century, the young white woman Olivia decides to set out west with a black companion to settle land and thus claim it and have property of her own and not be dependent on others. She's terrifically drawn: an independent, and marvelously (and foolishly?) willful character.
The book describes their adventures and realizations. What I especially loved is how historical details wereseamlessly interwoven in the tapestry of a novel that tells what, whether the protagonists succeed or not, is essentially an heroic tale.
Warmly recommended.
The book describes their adventures and realizations. What I especially loved is how historical details wereseamlessly interwoven in the tapestry of a novel that tells what, whether the protagonists succeed or not, is essentially an heroic tale.
Warmly recommended.
January 28, 2015
It has been a long time since I have added a book to my " 5 star favorites " shelf , but this one so deserves a spot there ! I may have to re-name it the " Yael Politis " shelf ;-)
It is a well researched , beautifully written story . I was drawn in from the start ,and could not put this one down ....I just had to find out what happened next to Olivia and Mourning .
Although not everything that " happened next " was pleasant , I admired Olivia's ability to put one foot in front of the other , learning life's lessons and soul searching at the same time . I adored Mourning's support , friendship and love for Olivia .
I'm off to find out what does happen next ...I can't wait to start book 2 of this series ;-)
It is a well researched , beautifully written story . I was drawn in from the start ,and could not put this one down ....I just had to find out what happened next to Olivia and Mourning .
Although not everything that " happened next " was pleasant , I admired Olivia's ability to put one foot in front of the other , learning life's lessons and soul searching at the same time . I adored Mourning's support , friendship and love for Olivia .
I'm off to find out what does happen next ...I can't wait to start book 2 of this series ;-)
January 31, 2014
Disappointing. This book had great potential but felt so unrealistic and jerky. Characters were flat and predictable. This read more like a poorly written paperback romance than a well thought out historical novel. Add in a sudden and unresolved ending leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I can't recommend it on any count. Probably the last time I'll read a free book from Amazon.
January 12, 2014
Played out against an explosive backdrop of slavery, racism, women's right, and the struggle for freedom, here is an unconventional title with a cleverly thought-out dual meaning. It suggests grief, but goes beyond that to offer an unusual pairing between two fascinating characters: Olivia Killion, a white teenage girl determined to run her father’s farm but cannot make it a success on her own, and Mourning Free, a black orphan who knows how to fix a wagon wheel, raise a barn, put on a roof, clear a field, and shoe a horse. “Won’t expect to be paid as much as a white man either.”
The overlay of sadness and hope in the name Mourning Free is amazing to me. It enriches the text every time it appears. The writing is exquisitely crafted. “The first thing the Jacksons did was change their name to Free. The anti-slavery people tried to talk them into choosing something else, saying it was far too obvious, but Wilis and Rosie were set on being called Free. Sadly they enjoyed only a few months of liberty before Willis succumbed to influenza. Then a few weeks later Rosie died giving birth to Mourning.”
When Mourning was four he began working alongside his foster father. Olivia knew him all her life. She was the one who taught him to read and write. Because of the prevalent racism, Olivia must now disguise the connection between them, and pretend that their partnership is nothing more than a relationship between master and servant—until, in the final twist of the story, she knows she can no longer hide it.
The dialog imparts the natural rhythms of speech. It also reflects the historical period with great ease when describing clothing, laws, and attitudes. I love the little details: for example, when Olivia hands two five dollar coins to Mourning, she tells him, “Safest thing would be to keep one in each boot. No matter what, you’ve always got some money.”
This is a story about survival against all odds. Out of suffering, comes the possibility of a new beginning, one without the need for pretense. Out of grief, hope.
Five stars.
The overlay of sadness and hope in the name Mourning Free is amazing to me. It enriches the text every time it appears. The writing is exquisitely crafted. “The first thing the Jacksons did was change their name to Free. The anti-slavery people tried to talk them into choosing something else, saying it was far too obvious, but Wilis and Rosie were set on being called Free. Sadly they enjoyed only a few months of liberty before Willis succumbed to influenza. Then a few weeks later Rosie died giving birth to Mourning.”
When Mourning was four he began working alongside his foster father. Olivia knew him all her life. She was the one who taught him to read and write. Because of the prevalent racism, Olivia must now disguise the connection between them, and pretend that their partnership is nothing more than a relationship between master and servant—until, in the final twist of the story, she knows she can no longer hide it.
The dialog imparts the natural rhythms of speech. It also reflects the historical period with great ease when describing clothing, laws, and attitudes. I love the little details: for example, when Olivia hands two five dollar coins to Mourning, she tells him, “Safest thing would be to keep one in each boot. No matter what, you’ve always got some money.”
This is a story about survival against all odds. Out of suffering, comes the possibility of a new beginning, one without the need for pretense. Out of grief, hope.
Five stars.
February 6, 2014
Very quick paced story set in small town in PA then in rural Michigan. Olivia has lost her father and seeks to gain an inheritance of her so that she doesn't have to be dependent on her older brother or feel pressed to accede to others expectations that she must marry. She secretly decides to claim the farm in Michigan left by an uncle. She knows she will need help,to survive in this rural setting as she has never farmed at all and has led a very sheltered and privileged life. She persuades the young black orphan Mourning Free, whose life has had him helping with many handyman tasks to join her with a promise to get his own farm after she has established her claim. The story is fast paced and filled with scenarios of challenge taking many unexpected turns as these young partners travel from PA to Detroit to the farm and work to create a viable farm in the still sparsely settled backwoods of Michigan somewhere between Detroit and Ann Arbor. Hard to put this book down and once I finished I immediately got ahold of the second book in the Olivia series,.themes of slavery and race relations, family secrets, and religious fanaticism as well as development of the early historical era of settlement in Michigan.
June 16, 2025
Olivia
an excellent book, found it interesting, also sets an example on people getting along and helping each other no matter their race or lifestyle.
an excellent book, found it interesting, also sets an example on people getting along and helping each other no matter their race or lifestyle.
March 11, 2020
What a compelling story! The ONLY reason I dropped it from 5 stars is that it left too many unanswered questions at the end forcing you to buy the next volume. If there were half stars I would have only dropped it by a half. It is truly a very good book.
It had an amazing twist in the middle of the book that kept me from putting it down until I finished it. I loved the characters and the descriptions were very clear so that you could smell the smells and hear the sounds of the setting. It drew the reader right in.
I wish more of the questions had been answered because the characters are so engaging, I would have bought subsequent volumes on that basis without having to buy them because I want to know what happened!
Many of the themes in the book are relevant in our society today: race relations, inter-racial relationships, and religious fanaticism. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Merged review:
I loved this series! The characters were well developed, the settings well described. I was drawn into the forbidden love story of Olivia and Mourning. The final book has the perfect ending wrapping up the loose ends and setting everyone onto their future paths.
It had an amazing twist in the middle of the book that kept me from putting it down until I finished it. I loved the characters and the descriptions were very clear so that you could smell the smells and hear the sounds of the setting. It drew the reader right in.
I wish more of the questions had been answered because the characters are so engaging, I would have bought subsequent volumes on that basis without having to buy them because I want to know what happened!
Many of the themes in the book are relevant in our society today: race relations, inter-racial relationships, and religious fanaticism. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Merged review:
I loved this series! The characters were well developed, the settings well described. I was drawn into the forbidden love story of Olivia and Mourning. The final book has the perfect ending wrapping up the loose ends and setting everyone onto their future paths.
abandoned-dnf
July 30, 2023I give up. DNF at 35% or so.
It's obviously well-researched and the writing is OK, but I find the entire premise unbelievable and the characters aren't engaging me at all.
It's obviously well-researched and the writing is OK, but I find the entire premise unbelievable and the characters aren't engaging me at all.
March 28, 2022
Very well written. I've actually read it 3 times because it was so good! Olivia is very real to life. Bored with her future prospects and ready to face challenges. Boy, does she face challenges!
July 1, 2019
At the beginning of the book, Olivia is a girl with a rather boring life that wasn't going anywhere fast: no suitors, limited skills, and no more parental guidance due to the recent death of her father. An opportunity arises when she discovers she could inherit her uncle's farmland. She, along with her Black friend Mourning Free, travels to Michigan and starts a journey on becoming a farmer. I really enjoyed the dynamic of Olivia and Mourning and how their relationship progressed from being friends to business partners. It was also interesting to see Olivia's thoughts on race, gender, and society and how they differed with most of the other characters in the book. The first half of the book focused on this and I wish it would have continued Olivia's conflict between her outlook and society's norms.
However, a tragic event occurs and the tone of the book changes completely and unexpectedly. The next chapters once the tragedy ends, Olivia's attitude about the whole world changes, which understandable due to what happens to her, and the book becomes bleak and depressing.
There is another slight tonal change in the last chapters of the book when Olivia returns to Five Rocks. While still keeping its overall depressed tone, the last few chapters seem like filler (unnecessary chapters used to add to the length of the book). Very few things of note occur and I honestly believe that a lot of the more useful information could have been communicated to the reader in one or two chapters rather than the like six or seven it actually took.
Finally, the ending was probably the most disappointing part of the book. It resolved nothing and left the reader without an answer to one of the biggest questions in the entire book! The eBook version I have included a preview of the next book, which answered some questions, but still left a lot to be desired.
Overall, Olivia, Mourning had an interesting story and conflict at the beginning but with the drastic tonal change, the filler chapters, and the poorly executed cliff-hanger ending, I find that this isn't the best way to introduce a series or to keep someone reading the rest.
However, a tragic event occurs and the tone of the book changes completely and unexpectedly. The next chapters once the tragedy ends, Olivia's attitude about the whole world changes, which understandable due to what happens to her, and the book becomes bleak and depressing.
There is another slight tonal change in the last chapters of the book when Olivia returns to Five Rocks. While still keeping its overall depressed tone, the last few chapters seem like filler (unnecessary chapters used to add to the length of the book). Very few things of note occur and I honestly believe that a lot of the more useful information could have been communicated to the reader in one or two chapters rather than the like six or seven it actually took.
Finally, the ending was probably the most disappointing part of the book. It resolved nothing and left the reader without an answer to one of the biggest questions in the entire book! The eBook version I have included a preview of the next book, which answered some questions, but still left a lot to be desired.
Overall, Olivia, Mourning had an interesting story and conflict at the beginning but with the drastic tonal change, the filler chapters, and the poorly executed cliff-hanger ending, I find that this isn't the best way to introduce a series or to keep someone reading the rest.
September 3, 2016
Excellent Historical Novel
Olivia, Mourning, Book 1 of the Olivia Series, by Yael Politis, is the story of Olivia Killion. She took care of her invalid father for two years. After his death, Olivia decides to fulfill her father's will, which states land may be claimed by his offspring, through working land in Michigan. Her friend Mourning Free goes with her to help her.
The two young people face seemingly insurmountable challenges. It's 1841. Olivia is only 17 and female, in a harsh, male-dominated world. Mourning Free is the son of escaped slaves, subject to capture. His father died before he was born, and his mother died giving birth to him. The midwife crooned, "Oh, this mourning child," as she held him. And that was the name written in the church registry.
In trying to convince Mourning to accompany her, Olivia read from "…a copy of the Journal of the American West. 'There’s a whole article in here about Michigan – about how it isn’t true what people used to say about it being a big swamp. That was all a big fat lie told by Mr. fancy pants millionaire John Jacob Astor and his fur company because all they wanted in Michigan was lots of bears and foxes, not settlers. So they made up a report about Michigan being no good for farming.'"
Olivia and Mourning make their way to Michigan, ready to brave the trials and tribulations. Olivia learns many things, including the heart-breaking truth about the wonderful mother of her childhood memories.
The thoroughly researched book is a reflection of America as it existed in 1841. Ms. Politis skillfully handles the issues of the times, including an indictment of slavery and racism.
Olivia, Mourning, Book 1 of the Olivia Series, by Yael Politis, is the story of Olivia Killion. She took care of her invalid father for two years. After his death, Olivia decides to fulfill her father's will, which states land may be claimed by his offspring, through working land in Michigan. Her friend Mourning Free goes with her to help her.
The two young people face seemingly insurmountable challenges. It's 1841. Olivia is only 17 and female, in a harsh, male-dominated world. Mourning Free is the son of escaped slaves, subject to capture. His father died before he was born, and his mother died giving birth to him. The midwife crooned, "Oh, this mourning child," as she held him. And that was the name written in the church registry.
In trying to convince Mourning to accompany her, Olivia read from "…a copy of the Journal of the American West. 'There’s a whole article in here about Michigan – about how it isn’t true what people used to say about it being a big swamp. That was all a big fat lie told by Mr. fancy pants millionaire John Jacob Astor and his fur company because all they wanted in Michigan was lots of bears and foxes, not settlers. So they made up a report about Michigan being no good for farming.'"
Olivia and Mourning make their way to Michigan, ready to brave the trials and tribulations. Olivia learns many things, including the heart-breaking truth about the wonderful mother of her childhood memories.
The thoroughly researched book is a reflection of America as it existed in 1841. Ms. Politis skillfully handles the issues of the times, including an indictment of slavery and racism.
December 12, 2013
5 1/2 stars!!!
Did I enjoy this book: I loved it.
Go ahead and write down this author’s name now because she’s going to be one of your favorite writers as soon as you read this book. Politis has that rare ability to completely suck you into the story and forget everything that’s going on around you.
I would close the book and it would take my brain a fraction of a second to remember that I’m not on a farm in Michigan with these characters. I’m just sitting in my family room. And how long has it been? There’s no way I’ve been reading that long. OMG, my kid just missed the bus!!?? Again???!! I swear if I don’t get some trashier literature that school’s going to report me to child protective services.
But all kidding aside. This book. This author. Phenomenal.
Would I recommend it: Yes.
Will I read it again: I understand there’s a sequel, The Way the World Is. I’ll probably be too busy reading that to reread this one.
As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2013/12/re...
Did I enjoy this book: I loved it.
Go ahead and write down this author’s name now because she’s going to be one of your favorite writers as soon as you read this book. Politis has that rare ability to completely suck you into the story and forget everything that’s going on around you.
I would close the book and it would take my brain a fraction of a second to remember that I’m not on a farm in Michigan with these characters. I’m just sitting in my family room. And how long has it been? There’s no way I’ve been reading that long. OMG, my kid just missed the bus!!?? Again???!! I swear if I don’t get some trashier literature that school’s going to report me to child protective services.
But all kidding aside. This book. This author. Phenomenal.
Would I recommend it: Yes.
Will I read it again: I understand there’s a sequel, The Way the World Is. I’ll probably be too busy reading that to reread this one.
As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2013/12/re...
December 25, 2013
"Olivia, Mourning" by Yael Politis is a remarkably well researched piece of historical fiction that takes us into minute details of life in 1841.
Whether it is the prize of items, details of farm life, clothing or machinery, laws and attitudes, the writing has an outstandingly authentic feel to it and the setting is easy to imagine rather vividly thanks to the detailed and amazing descriptions.
Olivia is a great character to follow, her resolve, her point of view and her hopes inspired me and made me care for her progress. Not letting herself become a victim she is scheming and plotting her escape from the unpleasant circumstances at home and succeeds.
Her new life is hard but again she perseveres with the help of her black 'friend' Mourning.
Politis did a great job at portraying the issues of slavery and women's right with the well emphasized personal touch. The central personal story between Olivia and Mourning is also well done and realistic and the ending left me with curiosity for book 2.
An impressive novel.
Whether it is the prize of items, details of farm life, clothing or machinery, laws and attitudes, the writing has an outstandingly authentic feel to it and the setting is easy to imagine rather vividly thanks to the detailed and amazing descriptions.
Olivia is a great character to follow, her resolve, her point of view and her hopes inspired me and made me care for her progress. Not letting herself become a victim she is scheming and plotting her escape from the unpleasant circumstances at home and succeeds.
Her new life is hard but again she perseveres with the help of her black 'friend' Mourning.
Politis did a great job at portraying the issues of slavery and women's right with the well emphasized personal touch. The central personal story between Olivia and Mourning is also well done and realistic and the ending left me with curiosity for book 2.
An impressive novel.
December 10, 2013
“Olivia, Mourning”, the first book of the “Olivia” series, gripped me from the very first page. The author brilliantly takes us back to a time and place that many have dreamed about, living in the old American mid-west in the 1840’s, exemplifying what feels to be an accurate portrait of the life and hardships in those pioneering days. I can’t tell you who my favorite character was – that would give away too much! But all the characters were full of life. I had no problem with the cliffhanger ending because there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to continue reading with the second book, “The Way the World Is”, which is the continued and fascinating story of Olivia and her life. I would recommend the series for anyone who enjoys historical fiction brimming with interesting relationships, drama, and human adventure. Excellent!
Larry Fogel
Larry Fogel
July 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. Historical fiction is my favorite kind and the main character is very interesting. Olivia is a young woman that isn't popular in post Civil War America. There is a secret about her mother and she is not your typical out to get a husband girl. Her best friend is a free man of color. She goes along with the views of the abolitionists. When her father dies, everything is left to the oldest son. Rather than wait for a husband she goes to Michigan to claim her Uncle's land with her colored man along to help. The language in this book is exquisite. I am originally from Michigan and I love the way the author describes how beautiful this land is. I fell in love with the state I was born in. I will not continue with the story but it is hard to put down. I am about to start the second part of the series. Excellent read.
December 1, 2013
I just loved this book! The characters are well developed and I wanted to know about them! I liked the idea of the author developing both of these in the way that they did Olivia a strong and independent woman at a time when it was difficult for a woman to do so. Mourning faced a difficult life too for who he was. I looked forward to the relationship developing between the two. I felt for this young woman who faced a difficult time in life but found the strength when life was hard for her. I really can't wait for the next book in this trilogy to continue the story line. A must read for a lazy rainy Sunday or a great beach read!
July 1, 2015
so when I finished this book I realized it was book 1in a series. . . so I felt like I had to read all of the 3 books before I could really say how much I really liked them! The writing was riviting and the story line is super interesting to me. All of the books kept my attention to a point of staying up way to late reading. It is so nice to read about people helping people no matter what the cost socially!! There is heartbreak happiness devistation and success in all three books and by the time I was done reading all 3 I am feeling that there is good stuff in the worst of situations if you just look for IT!!
May 2, 2015
Well written, moving, on my list of top books I've read in life
The subjects chosen for this book were not easy. The author tackled women's rights, race relations, slavery, bigotry, prostitution, bi-racial relationships, unmarried pregnant women, abortion, and more. The book was written honestly and well. I am going to download book two right now and look forward to devouring it like I did this book.
The subjects chosen for this book were not easy. The author tackled women's rights, race relations, slavery, bigotry, prostitution, bi-racial relationships, unmarried pregnant women, abortion, and more. The book was written honestly and well. I am going to download book two right now and look forward to devouring it like I did this book.
December 4, 2013
Olivia, Mourning is a well written book with a unique style. The story will keep you reading. I read continuously for many hours. I had to know what was going to happen to the heroine. Although fiction, it has much fascinating historical content. A surprising ending. Damned good read, highly recommended.
Henry Tobias (author and editor)
Henry Tobias (author and editor)
February 5, 2015
This is a horrible book. I never would have read it if I realized there was a rape described in graphic detail. The book ends without a resolution to any of the issues so to find out what happens you need to read the second book in the series. I would not recommend this book to anyone!
Gotten free on Amazon!
Gotten free on Amazon!
February 25, 2015
Love historical fiction.
This is a story for women readers. I can't see an ordinary man enjoying it. But I loved the story, the writing, the environment, every thing about it.
This is a story for women readers. I can't see an ordinary man enjoying it. But I loved the story, the writing, the environment, every thing about it.
May 31, 2020
The title of this book relatees to the 2 main characters---Olivia Killion and Mourning Free. It is set in 1841. After Olivia's father dies,Olivia has few choices but she is desperate to not end up living with her brother and the woman he will be marrying. Her father had not left her anything but in his will there is mention of the deed to a plot of land in Michigan he had inherited when the uncle who owned the land died. Since the will does not specify whether the heir who would claim it had to be a male, Olivia decides that this is her chance to make a life for herself. She persuades Mourning Free to go with her to help her farm the land and claim the deed by proving with a crop. Mourning Free's parents were slaves who had died when he was very young and he has grown up doing all kinds of odd jobs for people in the community as they looked after him. He was given his name by a couple who took him in initally before he struck out on his own.
Olivia is in her late teens at the beginning of the book, and has grown up in an affluent home with a housekeeper never having to do much physical work of any kind. When she and Mourning Free reach the land in Michigan, they discover the cabin is practically in ruins. However, Mourning Free is very resourceful and Olivia learns to haul water, chop wood, and many other tasks she never would have imagined herself doing. Unfortunately, horrible things happen to both her and Mourning Free separating them from each other and forcing Olivia to leave Michigan. I won't go any further into the plot to avoid spoiling it for others.
Olivia was an interesting character, and I enjoyed the development of her character. She lacks many of the 'feminine' graces and is outspoken in her beliefs, especially how she detests slavery. The author vividly depicts the hardships the early pioneers faced as they settled new areas.
I will give one warning that there is a rape scene in the novel which could be difficult for readers.
Although I found some aspects of the novel somewhat unrealistic, I enjoyed it overall and definitely want to read the 2nd book in the series to find out what happens to Olivia.
Olivia is in her late teens at the beginning of the book, and has grown up in an affluent home with a housekeeper never having to do much physical work of any kind. When she and Mourning Free reach the land in Michigan, they discover the cabin is practically in ruins. However, Mourning Free is very resourceful and Olivia learns to haul water, chop wood, and many other tasks she never would have imagined herself doing. Unfortunately, horrible things happen to both her and Mourning Free separating them from each other and forcing Olivia to leave Michigan. I won't go any further into the plot to avoid spoiling it for others.
Olivia was an interesting character, and I enjoyed the development of her character. She lacks many of the 'feminine' graces and is outspoken in her beliefs, especially how she detests slavery. The author vividly depicts the hardships the early pioneers faced as they settled new areas.
I will give one warning that there is a rape scene in the novel which could be difficult for readers.
Although I found some aspects of the novel somewhat unrealistic, I enjoyed it overall and definitely want to read the 2nd book in the series to find out what happens to Olivia.
December 24, 2023
TW: SA, racial slurs
This book has been sitting in my tbr stack on my kindle for months and I decided to try it the day before Christmas Eve. Well I ended up staying up until 5:30am Christmas Eve to finish it. 😛 it immediately hooked me in. Not in a flashy or emotional way but a good, solid story taleing way. The pace of the first 1/2 of the book was slow and steady though seemed to have some oddities for the time period. The attention to detail was thorough and appreciated making me feel that I was in the scenes and having to do the things mentioned.
The second half of the book gets a bit far fetched(?) and seems to veer away from the main storyline of the first half in a sensational twist.
The last few chapters I admit I skimmed over some of the parts I found “irrelevant” because of tired eyes and the urgency to get to the climax of the story. However the end truly disappointed me. Answering no questions and seeming to be almost a different story than what I began.
That was my overall assessment unto upon looking at the book on Amazon I realized that this was the first of a 5 part series! If I would have known this from the start my reaction to the ending would have been slightly different.
However my initial thought that the ending seems totally different in spirit from the beginning still holds true.
This story is original and while a bit unbelievable at times, I find the characters endearing and am invested in their well-being. I will be picking up the next book in the series. I believe this so far to be a thoughtful and well written historical story.
““In this life there’s always a price to pay for whatever you do. You got to lay out all your choices and pick the one that looks the least bad to you.”
This book has been sitting in my tbr stack on my kindle for months and I decided to try it the day before Christmas Eve. Well I ended up staying up until 5:30am Christmas Eve to finish it. 😛 it immediately hooked me in. Not in a flashy or emotional way but a good, solid story taleing way. The pace of the first 1/2 of the book was slow and steady though seemed to have some oddities for the time period. The attention to detail was thorough and appreciated making me feel that I was in the scenes and having to do the things mentioned.
The second half of the book gets a bit far fetched(?) and seems to veer away from the main storyline of the first half in a sensational twist.
The last few chapters I admit I skimmed over some of the parts I found “irrelevant” because of tired eyes and the urgency to get to the climax of the story. However the end truly disappointed me. Answering no questions and seeming to be almost a different story than what I began.
That was my overall assessment unto upon looking at the book on Amazon I realized that this was the first of a 5 part series! If I would have known this from the start my reaction to the ending would have been slightly different.
However my initial thought that the ending seems totally different in spirit from the beginning still holds true.
This story is original and while a bit unbelievable at times, I find the characters endearing and am invested in their well-being. I will be picking up the next book in the series. I believe this so far to be a thoughtful and well written historical story.
““In this life there’s always a price to pay for whatever you do. You got to lay out all your choices and pick the one that looks the least bad to you.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2017
When young Olivia’s father died, he left 80 acres of land in Michigan to any of his children willing to cultivate it. Olivia decides that she wants that land, but she has a problem; she’s only 17, she’s female, and it’s 1840, a time when women are expected to concern themselves with finding a proper husband and raising his children. Not to be denied her dream, she convinces Mourning Free, the son of runaway slaves who does odd jobs for the people in her small town, and who she has known since they were both small children, to accompany her as her partner in the venture. Because of their racial differences, of course, he must pose as her hired man.
In Michigan, Olivia and Mourning start to make a go of it, and develop more than friendly feelings for each other. A neighboring family, though, has other plans for Olivia, plans that end in tragedy.
Olivia, Mourning by Yael Politis tells the story of Olivia and Mourning as each endeavors to cope with the often prejudiced and unrealistic expectations of a society in transition. It’s a story of irrational prejudice, irreconcilable views on gender roles, and the strength of the human will, set against a realistically described social backdrop. The characters, though flawed in many ways because of their upbringing, inspire empathy and admiration as they struggle with society’s strictures and their own fears.
This is a book that, once you start reading, you’ll find difficult to put down until you finish, And, after you’ve finished, you’ll want to know more.
In Michigan, Olivia and Mourning start to make a go of it, and develop more than friendly feelings for each other. A neighboring family, though, has other plans for Olivia, plans that end in tragedy.
Olivia, Mourning by Yael Politis tells the story of Olivia and Mourning as each endeavors to cope with the often prejudiced and unrealistic expectations of a society in transition. It’s a story of irrational prejudice, irreconcilable views on gender roles, and the strength of the human will, set against a realistically described social backdrop. The characters, though flawed in many ways because of their upbringing, inspire empathy and admiration as they struggle with society’s strictures and their own fears.
This is a book that, once you start reading, you’ll find difficult to put down until you finish, And, after you’ve finished, you’ll want to know more.
April 30, 2020
OLIVIA, MOURNING by Yael Politis is the first of a four (or is it five) book series. Olivia Killion, a young woman just orphaned with her two older brothers, lives in a small rural town in the early 1840s. Her uncle's will has bequeathed 80 acres of Michigan farmland not far from Detroit to whichever heir can put in and harvest a year's crop on the land. Seeking a new life, Olivia sets out for Michigan with Mourning Free, a young Black ex-slave who has served as the town handyman. The book tells of their work, successes, trials, and budding relationship, a most difficult circumstance given the time. It's an enjoyable read to see how they get along, develop their relationship, and work to achieve the goal, until Olivia is kidnapped by an extreme religious neighbor, held captive, and brutally raped. Not knowing what has become of Mourning, Olivia returns home and takes up with a former lover of her father, who helps her along in the pregnancy. Of course, they don't know if the baby will be the offspring of the ex-slave or the religious kidnapper, and there the book ends. I would give this a higher rating if it had not left so many questioned unresolved, a device I take to encourage the reader to purchase the next book in the series. I'll leave it there, thanks, and not pursue the series.
April 30, 2019
The beginning of the plot was quite slow as it took me back to an old slavery Michigan, through vivid descriptions, I kept on imagining how different it would be to live back then while feeling that this girl was a well developed character, most brave and determined to start from scratch. I loved her relationship with Mourning and how things turned till they got together, that was fair for both of them. But hey, the old neighbour appearing there as a religious freak unexpectedly changed the whole plot to the point that I was forced to reread some former paragraphs to realise whether the author had left any clues to the change of story. It was unexpected and I was hanging there breathless and astonished as if I were going from a romantic to a horror story and I was taken aback by the coldness of the rapers.
Last but not least, I have to confess I didn't realise it was a saga till the very end... some might say it was unfair but as soon as Mourning reappeared, I knew I had to buy the next book, which by the way was done cleverly. That is why I am giving her 5 stars.
Last but not least, I have to confess I didn't realise it was a saga till the very end... some might say it was unfair but as soon as Mourning reappeared, I knew I had to buy the next book, which by the way was done cleverly. That is why I am giving her 5 stars.
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