A True and Faithful Narrative

Meg Moore #2

by Katherine Sturtevant

In Restoration London, sixteen-year-old Meg Moore is something of an anomaly. Unlike other girls her age, Meg pores over books. She spends long hours conversing with the famous authors and poets who visit her father's bookstore, and even writes her own stories, laboring over every word until her hand is black with ink. Without warning, however, Meg comes to learn exactly how powerful words can be. The day her best friend's brother Edward sets sail for Italy, Meg scoffs at his attempts at romance by answering him with a thoughtless jest. Soon news travels to London that Edward's ship has been captured and he has been sold as a slave in North Africa -- and Meg cannot shake the thought that her cruel words are the cause. Now Meg must use her fiery language to bring Edward home, imploring her fellow Londoners to give all that they can to buy Edward's freedom. But once Meg learns to direct the power behind her words, will she be able to undo the damage she has caused, and write freely the stories that she longs to put to paper?

This inspired sequel to At the Sign of the Star continues Meg's story with elegance and élan.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Pirates

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2006

Reviews

[Monica Edinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written work of historical fiction for upper elementary and middle school, Katherine Sturtevant’s A TRUE AND FAITHFUL NARRATIVE,takes place in Restoration London. The book is about booklover and writer Meg, daughter of a bookseller, for whom publication is sorely limited due to gender. Meg is of her time; feisty as she is, I never felt l I was reading about a 21st century girl in a 17th century world.

Sturvetant has done her research and does a lovely job giving her readers the flavor of the time, but there are two aspects to the novel that make it truly shine for me. First of all, a good chunk of the book is of Meg listening to Edward, a young man who was captured by Barbary pirates, describe his time enslaved in North Africa. It is fascinating stuff, but by having Meg react as would a girl of her time to his description of Muslim beliefs and actions and by having the young man help her to understand them better, Sturtevant has also helped today’s young readers understand them better as well.

And secondly, there is what Meg does when she writes Edward’s story for publication — adjusting points for reasons she explains to him, deciding what can be eliminated, what needs to be changed slightly, and so forth with the final objective of creating something that will attract readers. According to Sturtevant (see “Fact, Fiction, and the Stamp Act” on her website: http://www.thesignofthestar.com), the problems of fact and fiction in writing were problems in the 17th century as much as they are today. And so Meg ponders, “…how I might make from such material a narrative that would both honor the teller and satisfy the needs of the told; how I might related enough of truth that our readers would scent it, and draw near, as a doe to water, but not so much that it would frighten them away with the sound of its splashing.” (p. 238)

[Bronwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Meg, a bookseller's daughter who dreams of being a writer in a London where Aphra Behn is the only woman ever to earn money with her pen. It's an engaging story about the power of words and about how truth and fiction interact with one another. When the brother of Meg's best friend is leaving on a journey and offers to bring Meg home something (a clear sign that he has romantic intentions), she's embarrassed and jokingly tells him to get kidnapped by pirates and bring her home a tale to write. Of course, he does. And she feels responsible. And it all goes delightfully on from there.

Side note: reading this shortly after reading The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, I couldn't help but notice how much these daring girls straining at their confined lives loath their knitting and cooking. I get that knitting and cooking sort of stand in for other forms of confinement and are loathsome because they represent the limited options for a girl, but can we please get a book where a freedom-loving young female also enjoys knitting or sewing or cooking? They're creative activities too! I think part of it must be the need on the part of the author to give her characters a flaw to make them more endearing, and so they say "ah, I'll make her unable to make a pie crust or have her burn all her biscuits or make lumpy socks, so that's she's not unbearably good at everything." Ok, that's fine. But making a good pie crust is actually of scientific interest too – what kind of fat? how big of pieces to leave it? what temperature to cook it at? etc. And you can enjoy knitting warm objects for those you love without necessarily being satisfied that that's all there is to life, no? (End of rant.)

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book right away. And for over half the book I thought it would remain that way. I enjoyed the writing very much, and I thought the characters were really well-developed, and I found the setting (17th century London) interesting. On the other hand, sometimes Meg, the main character, frustrated me a bit, and though historical fiction like this is interesting, sometimes it's hard to put up with the prejudices of the people living during those times. Still, I had a hard time putting it down, and really wanted to know how things would turn out, so I had it down for a good, solid four stars. Until Edward reappears and begins to describe Algiers, and then...absolute magic. It's just so beautifully written. And then the interactions between Meg and her father? I totally cried. I think this book just hit several of my weak points--the blurring of truth and fiction, the romance of far-away places and peoples, the love of words on a page and shelves full of books... All mixed in with the complexities and confusions and contradictions of life. You got me, Katherine Sturtevant, you totally got me!

On a side note, I didn't realize A True and Faithful Narrative was a sequel until I'd already finished it. It didn't feel like one at all to me, and I'm not entirely sure I want to go back and read the first book because it just seems completely unnecessary somehow. Then again, I loved this one so much in the end, how could I not?

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Meg (Margaret Moore) a lot better in this book, the sequel to AT THE SIGN OF THE STAR, and I think she seemed more like a sixteen-year-old in this book than she seemed like a twelve-year-old in the previous book.

In this book, she begins to learn better how she can hurt others by thoughtlessness, and how she can use her writing abilities to help. She also learns that there is more than one way to fulfill her dreams for herself, and that people she might not have appreciated can help her in ways she could not have guessed on her own.

She sees her dear friend struggle in a not-so-happy marriage and discovers that just because she thinks she should marry one young man, he may not be as right for her as she might have believed. Her growth in the course of the novel is well-developed and believable, and I enjoyed sharing her experiences with her.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Move over, Charlotte Doyle! Meg Moore is about to trump you with her late 17th century girlpower.

Not only is Katherine Sturgevant’s period-piece prose more elegant than Avi’s, her plot rocks, too. Trying to take into account her secret ambition to write, Meg must choose between an established English gent and the appealing apprentice at her father's bookshop.

Alas, this title has been quite hard to sell to my middle grade students. They chafe at its length, and the theme of a suitable marriage just doesn’t capture — or hold — their interest.

Maybe if I turned some passages into readers’ theater, it would work!

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very intelligently written. I'm always happy to come across a book written for children that isn't "dumbed down." It's a nice historical type story with a strong young female at the helm.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this quietly brave little story. I found Meg’s story compelling and just really enjoyable to read. Katherine Sturtevant did an excellent job of bringing both the characters and time period to life. The story itself felt a bit slow, but I really enjoyed how quiet it was in its ferocity. Meg is heroic in her own, limited way and I really liked how she worked so hard to do her soul’s work despite the limitations imposed upon her. Many times throughout my reading, I paused to reflect on how easy I have it now and what Meg would (and could) do had she been born in my shoes, with my nearly complete dearth of limitations and endless freedom and resources. Beautiful and inspiring.

[Morgane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je n’ai pas pour habitude de lire des romans historiques mais j’ai trouvé celui-ci dans ma boite à livre et la couverture m’a énormément attiré.
J’avoue que j’ai eu du mal à me mettre à fond dans l’histoire au départ à cause du type de langage qui est ici soutenu, le vouvoiement me perturbait mais je m’y suis fait assez rapidement au fil de ma lecture.
Le livre aborde des sujets assez intéressants dont l’émancipation féminine et l’esclavage. Nous allons également y découvrir le métier de libraire. Au fil du livre nous verrons apparaitre un triangle amoureux et donc chercher à savoir quel homme sera le futur mari de Meg (la personnage principale)
Un petit plus qui m’a particulièrement plus est la typographie des lettres reçues par Meg que l’on va pouvoir discerner du récit principal.

[Tiphaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

ce livre est gravée à jamais dans ma mémoire comme le premier « gros livre » que j’ai lu de ma vie, participant à ma passion actuelle pour la lecture

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sturtevant, Katherine. 2006. A True and Faithful Narrative.

"He came to see me before he sailed for Italy." (3)

A True And Faithful Narrative, the sequel to At The Sign of the Star, has everything I love in a book: a main character I adore, Meg; rich historical detail, it's set in the 1680s; literary references that make the English major in me grin; and romance, a love triangle to be exact. Meg, our narrator, is sixteen. Her father, Miles Moore, is a bookseller. She spends half her time working in his shop--along with her father's apprentice, Will Barlow, and the other half of her time at home. She's got a stepmother, Susannah, and two (maybe more) half-siblings to watch over--Toby and Eleanor and Harry. She's also remained close with her friend, Anne, who is recently married to a much older Mr. Rushworth. Also, if she'll admit it, she's more than a little interested in Anne's brother, Edward Gosse.

What is this one about? Like all good books, it is about everything and nothing. On the surface, it's about Meg's coming of age. She's a young woman who wants to write more than anything. She wants to stay a part of the book selling world. She loves to read. She loves to write. She loves to think and discuss and argue. But her father isn't always happy to indulge her. In fact, with each passing day he becomes concerned that she'll never do as someone's wife if she continues on with her ideas of it being acceptable for women to think, read, and write. He's okay with the thinking and reading--as long as she's submissive and obedient when it comes down to it--but the writing, it must stop. Will, her father's apprentice, doesn't believe that any woman--single, married, widowed, whatever--should write and/or be published. (Her father thinks that no respectable woman will want to be published. True, he sells a few books written by women, but with publication comes a stain to a lady's reputation. And it's nothing that he wants his daughter to experience.

The book is also about love--falling in love with love, falling in love, knowing how to distinguish between the head and the heart, embracing and recognizing genuine sentiment. Edward, when we first meet him in A True and Faithful Narrative, is hoping to recognize signs of love and admiration in Meg. Unfortunately--or fortunately as the case may be--he does not see anything of the sort. Meg has never thought of marrying Edward--he's not a book seller after all--and she's never thought of him as anything other than her best friend's brother. She tells him--in jest--that the present she can bring him back from his travels is a narrative--for him to be captured by pirates and return to tell the tale. Something that much to her dismay happens. Anne and Edward's father dies; Edward in his haste to return to England and settle his affairs makes an unlucky choice in vessels. He's captured--along with a few other men--and sold into slavery. His freedom can be paid with a ransom. But the price is high.

Meg, burdened by guilt, takes this news hard. She won't allow this to be the end. She'll do everything in her power--and then some--to raise the money to set him free. She must see him returned safely. She can't bear to think of him enslaved.

Edward. Will. What's a girl to do? I won't tell too much more about this one. It's about life, love, family, knowing yourself, having a dream, etc. Highly recommended.

"I find that nothing gives as much comfort as a story with no surprises in it." (121)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty satisfying. I learned pretty early on that I wasn’t going to be completely on board with the romance aspect so I instead chose to concentrate on the historical aspect and was rewarded. Although I got quite frustrated with the main character and her close-mindedness. I mean, that mindset was definitely a historical thing, but still. Here we have a girl who dares to be different by writing, though she is criticized for it, and she does not conform with the rest of her gender by embracing the things they expect her to. She prefers writing to housework and isn’t into the whole cooking/sewing/cleaning thing. BUT she still remains firmly close-minded (not even narrow-minded, but altogether close-minded) on the subject of other religions and ways of life in other countries. It is most frustrating. When she listened to stories that should have educated and interested her, I feel like she completely missed the point because she kept comparing them against her own views and religion and lifestyle and basically did everything she could to discredit what she heard, quite rudely I may add. Sure, that is how she was raised, but she was also raised to be an obedient daughter who shouldn’t write and that is certainly not how she turned out.

And I did not expect there to be a love triangle, but somehow there ended up being one. I swayed back and forth between them, not altogether enthralled with either choice, but both had unexpected merits. Suitor #1 was better for her because he was going to be a bookseller and would allow her to remain in the world of books, which she could not live without. And he pursued her knowing that it would be a future that would make her happy, although I am not sure how deeply he cared for her himself. The downside of this was that he also did not approve of women writing. Suitor #2 was first and was a merchant, I believe, so he could afford travel to exotic lands but his lifestyle had nothing to do with books. I believe he did care for her very much, as much as he could for not having truly known her for very long. Anyway, he was encouraging of her writing and he was wealthy as well.

Meg swayed between them as well, most of the time thinking quite practically about the futures they would be able to provide her rather than love. She denied herself the ability to love, I believe, although in the beginning it was a good thing to not make something out of nothing. Personally, I began to like both choices less and less as time went on, but toward the end one came out on top and I believe it was a good one. So that was good. But not really the focus of the story, and that was also good.

The rest of the plot was good as well. Meg, while frustrating, was also determined and practical at all times. She made mostly good choices. She followed her heart and I guess that’s the best thing for all of us to do.

I did so love the writing. It was deliciously old-fashioned. So with that and the amount of historical research that went into this book, it was quite a satisfying read, if not the easiest.

See the full review on my blog, Awesome Book Assessment.

[Ingreads. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je l’avoue, j’ai d’abord été attirée par le titre et la couverture. La quatrième de couverture me tentait aussi pas mal. Emballée, hop je le prends des rayons de la bibliothèque.

La jeune fille à la plume est une lecture jeunesse, accessible à tous. C’est un livre qui se lit rapidement et nous en apprend plus sur la piraterie à partir du 17e siècle, notamment les relations avec les « États barbaresques » et la souffrance que l’esclavage apportait aux familles, aux « esclaves », mais aussi la découverte des beaux paysages et la vision du monde de l’époque. C’est très instructif. J’étais ravie d’en apprendre plus sur cette période de l’Histoire, plus particulièrement grâce au commentaire de l’auteure à la fin du livre. Autre élément central qui nous est détaillé : la condition féminine. J’ai trouvé intéressant de nous montrer le mode de vie et la condition de la femme durant ce siècle-là. Travail, famille, amour… elles n’avaient aucune liberté. À ce sujet, l’auteure a d’ailleurs été un peu trop gentille avec son personnage principal…

Concernant les protagonistes, je les ai bien appréciés au début. Au fur et à mesure que j’avançais dans les chapitres, je me suis rendue compte qu’on n’en savait pas plus sur eux. Ils manquaient de profondeur et j’avais du mal à m’attacher, encore plus avec ceux qui ont un mauvais caractère !
Meg, la jeune fille à la plume, m’a vite semblée superficielle. Bien qu’au début je m’étais attachée à ses manières et à son humour, je ne l’ai pas trouvée plus forte que ça. Elle a des idées, mais elle ne les défend pas plus que ça. Vous allez me dire qu’étant donné la condition féminine de l’époque c’était difficile, et je suis d’accord, mais j’aime les héroïnes fortes et têtues. Là, je l’ai trouvé indécise et souvent irritante. Quand est-ce que tu te bats pour ce qui te semble juste ??? D’un côté je trouve que l’auteure à bien fait car c’est ainsi que tout le monde vivaient avant, ils étaient bien plus religieux, un peu plus sérieux, avec leur touche de débauches, mais d’un autre côté ça m’a embêté qu’elle ne creuse pas plus loin.
Will, le garçon, je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser. Il semble être attentionné à certains moments et à d’autres, il ne faisait que m’agacer. Il agit plus par intérêt que par amour, même si on en doute des fois. Vous l’aurez compris, j’aime quand on met les choses au clair !

Enfin, j’aime bien le style. Je trouve très réaliste les histoires de pirates. Ce livre est aussi rempli de conseils en ce qui concerne l’écriture (même si tous les conseils ne sont pas forcément bons à prendre). On passe un bon moment, avec son aspect historique, d’apprentissage et sa très petite touche de romance. À lire si vous avez un moment !

[Rose]

This was a lovely book. Meg Moore is the daughter of a bookseller in the late 1600s in England. She loves selling books, but she also secretly writes, which her father and most people around her find unnatural and unladylike. Her best friend's brother, Edward Gosse, comes to say goodbye (and sort of hint he'd like her to wait for him) before he goes off on a trading journey to the Mediterranean. Edward wants to know what he can bring back for her--as a suitor's gift. Meg's never thought of him that way and stumbles over some half-witted request that he get captured by pirates and bring her back a tale. Imagine her horror when that very thing happens. The pirates sell him as a slave in northern Africa, and the ransom demand is more than his family can pay. Meg helps raise the funds for his release, and when Edward returns, he has indeed brought her a tale, wanting her to write it for him. But it isn't the tale of thrilling challenges against the heathen that she expects. A nice book about figuring out the truth about other people, perhaps just as applicable today as in 1682.

[David Henderson]

The book A True and Faithful Narrative by Katherine Sturtevant tells the story about a young girl named Meg Moore who is sixteen years old. Meg is not an average teenage girl, she actually likes to read books. The girls father owns a bookstore that famous even famous authors go to talk about the novels they created. On the same day her best friend's brother Edward sets sail for Italy, Meg causes huge trouble by scoffing at his attempts at romance by answering him with a thoughtless jest. This gets Edward's ship captured and made him be sold as a slave to North Africa. Now its her job to save him using only her words. Overall, I thought the book was very boring because I judge books by their cover. This book was very surprisingly entertaining.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un roman sympathique, intéressant car décrivant la situation des femmes au XVIème siècle sans dramatiser à outrance. Et puis une jeune fille qui cherche à écrire et à s'émanciper un peu ne peut m'être que sympathique ! J'ai bien aimé mais pas adoré, il manque le suspens/souffle épique que j'aime trouver dans mes oeuvres préférées ! On ne s'inquiète pas pour ses personnages, qui ne semblent en danger sérieux à aucun moment ! La plus à plaindre, au final, c'est Anne et son mariage plutôt malheureux !
Mais le roman rend bien l'atmosphère d'époque et on s'identifie facilement à Meg. Une bonne histoire, mais pas un roman où on ne peut plus s'arrêter, quitte à se coucher à 2h du mat' !

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

16-year-old Meg yearns to be a writer. She reads extensively and writes as often as she can, neither of which are easy for a girl in 17th century England. Courted by two men, Meg makes a fleeting comment that one of them be captured by pirates so he'll have an interesting tale to tell. When that is precisely what happens, Meg realizes the true power of words and the uses them to redeem herself. Sequel to At the Sign of the Star. Great historical fiction that gives flavor of the period. Many details are included but they do not bog down the story at all. Gentle romance for younger readers.

[Neill Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg Moore's father is a bookseller in London in the 1860s and although he permits her to read voraciously he feels that it is undignified and improper for women to write (although he does sell some books by women if there is a market for them). When Meg is asked by the brother of a friend to write the tale of his capture by Barbary pirates her passion comes between her and her father and places obstacles between her and her intended. I was interested in the restrictions women dealt with during the time of this novel - having taught Grade Seven in multicultural schools some things haven't changed as much as we would like.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was a well-written historical fiction novel set in 1600s London. The story was so well written, in fact, that I almost didn't realize that I was learning about 17th century England. In some ways it reminded me of another favorite, Gloria Whelan's "Homeless Bird." This book explored the concept of truth too. A great read!

Update: My friend read this book upon my recommendation and pointed out that there was a little bit of sensuality in the book, so if you are sensitive to that, beware. I didn't find it too offensive.

[Ms. Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1681 restoration London, Meg Moore, sole heir to her father's print shop, loves to write - not something women do. She scoffs attempts of romance from Edward (her best friend's brother), and he subsequently sets sail for Italy. On the way, he is captured by pirates. Edward is sold as a slave in North Africa, and Meg feels her cruel words are the cause. To help make things right, she tries to raise his ransom money herself, with the help of her father's apprentice, Will.

Sequel to At the Sign of the Star.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason I had high expectations for this book, and ended up being slightly disappointed, but it was still a good book and merits three stars.

The book is placed in London during the 1600's and ultimately it is about a girl who aspires to be an author and the story behind her first "publication".

I guess this is a sequel to "At the Sign of the Star", which I haven't read, but the story can stand alone.

[elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent historical fiction! Probably would have given it 4 1/2 stars if that was an option, but have to round up since it isn't. Incredibly well-researched--set in England in the late 1600's. About a girl who wants to write, but of course it's not acceptable for women at the time to do any such thing. There's a mild love story, too. This is a sequel to one that I haven't read.

[Virginia Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this independent sequel to AT THE SIGN OF THE STARS, Meg pushes against the traditional roles for women in seventeenth century London. She learns more about the wider world when her best friend's brother returns from captivity as a slave in North Africa, and she learns more about herself when she falls in love.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stand-alone sequel to At the Sign of the Star, this story follows Meg, the independent-minded daughter of a bookseller in the 1600s, as she navigates a world where women have few options - none of which seem right for Meg. Some frank subject matter which is treated forthright but appropriately.

[Dotty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg was born at the wrong time. 17th century women don’t write or own property, but Meg wants to do both. Even the choice of a husband can be controlled by her father, but she has two suitors and she may choose. Which one will support the desires of her heart and which one will squelch them?

Love these stories of strong female characters.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what I was expecting, but obviously it didn't live up to that. Meg was unlovable, the whole story had a depressing feel to it and I always have a hard time with novels where the character(s) love books so very much that I feel the author is setting himself/herself up for brilliance that they fall short of.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Jane Austen, this may be a good choice for you. I enjoyed the period (1681-1682) writing style. The customs and mores of the times are smoothly fitted in the telling of a good story. Very well written.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book comes a few years after "At the Sign of the Star". Now the young woman is figuring out what is the most important for her life. I really like the idea that sometimes our ideal is not really what is best for us after all.

[Teen]

Women might not be allowed to be writers in 17th century London, but that doesn't stop Meg from writing about a suitor who might have been captured by pirates after she mocked his romantic intentions.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story and the romantic twists. I don't know that I liked how in the narrative the "Truth" was more a statement of essence rather than the actual truth. That bothered me. Over all it was an enjoyable and quick read.

[Julie Daines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely story that really brings to life the 1680's of London. Although it is a well-worn theme--independently minded girls goes against society norms and her father's will--I still enjoyed Meg's struggle to find herself. Plus there are pirates.