Lightning and Blackberries

by Joanne K. Jefferson

Seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Evans is the privileged and naive only child of prominent New Englanders, part of a group of Planters who settled in Nova Scotia following the deportation of the Acadian people. As a teenager, she is leading a carefree life in the Annapolis Valley, tending to her cows on the family farm, daydreaming by the brook, and resisting her mother's attempts to refine her manners and marry her off. She thinks nothing will ever change. But a stranger's arrival at Evans Hall, and a chance meeting with a mysterious Acadian girl in the woods nearby turn Elizabeth's carefree life upside down. And when she learns the truth about the history of the farm she loves so well, she knows nothing will ever be the same.

Genres: Historical Fiction

186 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2008

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in (taking place in) 18th century Nova Scotia (or rather in what is now considered the province of Nova Scotia), in Joanne K. Jefferson's Lightning and Blackberries, the main protagonist, seventeen year old Elizabeth Evans, is depicted and shown as rather a tomboy, and as such, she is of course also facing arch-typical squabbles with her mother, who wants and desires her now seventeen year old daughter to no longer focus so much on helping to run the family farm, but to start thinking instead of marriage and "womanly" pursuits such as managing a household, sewing, cooking and the like, a very much common and perhaps even at times over-used thematic in historical fiction geared towards children. And precisely because it is indeed so very common a theme, a bit more nuance and less predictability would have definitely been welcome, as while Lightning and Blackberries is indeed readable and relatable to a point, ALL of Elizabeth's struggles with her mother and her annoyances with especially the latter's demands that Elizabeth cast off her tomboyishness basically have been used ad nauseam in pretty much similar manifestations in both the recent and not so recent past, and it does and can get a trifle tedious to basically keep having to read the same type of historical fiction story lines over and over and over again (especially because some of Elizabeth's behaviours and how she approaches and reacts to her mother and her mother's demands also tend to for a novel set in the 18th century feel a bit too modern and anachronistic). For albeit I definitely find Elizabeth an engaging protagonist and character, if I look at Lightning and Blackberries from a historical point of view, from how life generally was like for women and girls in the 18th century, I do tend to much wonder and question whether realistically speaking, Elizabeth Evans would have been either able or even all that willing to have such an uncompromising attitude towards the Yorkshireman her father hires to take care of the farm and equally towards her mother, as in particular many of the words coming from Elizabeth's mouth do at least to and for me sound rather too much 20th/21st century, and not all that 18th century.

Now the main crisis so to speak of Lightning and Blackberries, namely when Elizabeth gets lost in the woods and stumbles upon Marie-Madeleine and her father (two Acadians hiding out in a small cabin in defiance of the Acadian Expulsion order), while the secret friendship that emerges between the two girls is sweet and tenderly depicted, and although I also from an emotional (and yes from a modern point of view) both agree with and appreciate how Elizabeth slowly gains the understanding that her family's beloved farm (and which in fact used to belong to Marie-Madeleine's family) is actually now their property as the result of an injustice, as a result of the farm being inappropriately and unjustly wrenched from its rightful owners (the Acadians), sorry, but even that (positive albeit rather predictable) attitude is in fact and indeed also more than likely rather if not perhaps totally unhistoric (in other words anachronistic and modern) in nature, as in the 18th century, the British (and probably often United Empire Loyalist) farmers and settlers who were granted the Acadians' land would not all that likely have felt much shame or trepidation with regard to this (and might even have very well believed and bought into the official philosophy that the Acadians were as Francophones a threat and as such deserving of being deported). And furthermore, with Lightning and Blackberries, I do find it more than a trifle frustrating and ironic that although young Elizabeth Evans has such a very much modern and avant-garde attitude towards a woman's place in society and that the Acadians should not have been expelled and deported, she is still seemingly at complete ease with the undeniable truth of the matter that her family owns a slave (Sadie), a slave who is obviously more of a friend and confidante to and for Elizabeth, but a slave all the same.

Still, even with my (I believe justifiable) criticisms and potential issues regarding especially questions of historic, read era specific authenticity in Lightning and Blackberries, this novel is nevertheless a generally readable and entertaining foray into the history of the Maritimes, including the Expulsion and deportation of the Acadians (although personally, I would have most definitely much appreciated and actually required a bit more actual and factual historic details and information regarding Acadian culture and the specifics of their deportation, less modernisms, with their resulting frustrating anachronisms, and above all, not so many presented and featured textual attitudes and viewpoints that while in and of themselves most certainly very much positive and truly commendable, are for a historic novel set in 18th century Nova Scotia just not all that plausible and therefore also not that realistic).

[Canadian Children's Book Centre]

The rolling hills and marshlands of late eighteenth-century Nova Scotia hide a darker past that unfolds slowly in the pages of Joanne Jefferson’s engaging Lightning and Blackberries. The first of her protagonists, 17-year-old Elizabeth Evans, writes an account of the year in which her world, after her encounter with a young Acadian woman, was forever changed. Through Elizabeth, Jefferson skillfully sets out the difficulties facing those in society who do not want to accept the role that has been set for them. The second protagonist is the Acadian woman herself, Marie-Madeleine. Her voice allows Jefferson to highlight a very painful chapter in Canadian history, that of the Great Expulsion of the Acadians, which saw the Acadians forced from their lands by the English. Jefferson successfully interweaves the two stories, though Elizabeth’s voice is the stronger of the two. As Marie-Madeleine and Elizabeth slowly overcome the barriers between them they are able to see beyond the wrongs of the past and begin to redress them, on however small a scale. Their encounter allows each to recognize what is most important to them and ask that they be allowed to achieve it. Jefferson, in her well-constructed plot, has created convincing characters and a strong sense of place (both physical and historical). She has both deftly captured Nova Scotia’s pioneer society and sympathetically addressed the expulsion of the Acadians, making Lightning and Blackberries a welcome addition to young adult Canadian historical fiction.

Reviewed by Leslie Buffman in Canadian Children's Book News
Summer 2008 VOL.31 NO.3

[Lisa Pomfrey-Talbot · Rating 4 out of 5]

There aren't a lot of books that I read and enjoy as an adult that I can also hand over to my tween daughters knowing that they will enjoy the book as well. This book, however, was one of them. It was an easy read with wholesome themes of home and friendship that are appropriate for younger readers. I handed the book over to my daughter when she was 10 and in grade 4. It was her first introduction to the genre of historical fiction and she really enjoyed it. As she was in the first year of a middle french-immersion program she also enjoyed the link it provided to the Acadia culture she was learning in school. I really think this is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone, whether they are 10 or 90.

[Stacey Lucky · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read this book wanting to learn something about Acadians,then this is not the book to start with.
Being Acadian, I happily picked this book up because I love reading anything and everything about my family's history. I kept waiting for all the things about Acadians to happen but it never really picked up :(.
I did love the authors writing and enjoyed visiting the world she created.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome quick read. I enjoyed how Elizabeth grew into being a woman. Learning that life isn't always about what you want but also about doing for the ones who love you. She was an excellent help to her family and never complained about all the hardwork. Nice book and well written.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice story based on the author's family history in the 1700's in Nova Scotia. It is completely appropriate for preteens and up. I think I'll recommend it to my 10 year old. I don't love the title, but the life lessons are good ones.

[Myelle Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really read historical fiction stories but this is a pretty good book.

[Jorja Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book difficult to read. I found there was not enough detail explaining some of the events that happened in the book. I also found reading the French parts of the book difficult. I am just learning to speak French so this was tricky but for someone who has no French background this would be challenging. I rate this book 2/5.