The year is 1739. Eliza Lucas is sixteen years old when her father leaves her in charge of their family’s three plantations in rural South Carolina and then proceeds to bleed the estates dry in pursuit of his military ambitions. Tensions with the British, and with the Spanish in Florida, just a short way down the coast, are rising, and slaves are starting to become restless. Her mother wants … nothing more than for their South Carolina endeavor to fail so they can go back to England. Soon her family is in danger of losing everything.
Upon hearing how much the French pay for indigo dye, Eliza believes it’s the key to their salvation. But everyone tells her it’s impossible, and no one will share the secret to making it. Thwarted at nearly every turn, even by her own family, Eliza finds that her only allies are an aging horticulturalist, an older and married gentleman lawyer, and a slave with whom she strikes a dangerous deal: teach her the intricate thousand-year-old secret process of making indigo dye and in return—against the laws of the day—she will teach the slaves to read.
So begins an incredible story of love, dangerous and hidden friendships, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.
Based on historical documents, including Eliza’s letters, this is a historical fiction account of how a teenage girl produced indigo dye, which became one of the largest exports out of South Carolina, an export that laid the foundation for the incredible wealth of several Southern families who still live on today. Although largely overlooked by historians, the accomplishments of Eliza Lucas influenced the course of US history. When she passed away in 1793, President George Washington served as a pallbearer at her funeral.
This book is set between 1739 and 1744, with romance, intrigue, forbidden friendships, and political and financial threats weaving together to form the story of a remarkable young woman whose actions were before their time: the story of the indigo girl.
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I love historical fiction, particularly about the American Revolution. This book made the indigo trade, which, to me, would have seemed a pretty obscure corner of American Colonial history, personal and fascinating. It’s the story of a young woman who, well ahead of her time, fought to grow indigo in the colonies and created a whole economy. Highly recommend!
Based on real people and true events, this story held my attention from the beginning. The book painted a touching portrait of a young woman left in charge of running her family’s plantation. As Eliza struggled to grow indigo in hopes of producing quality dye, her courage, persistence, and compassion were inspiring.
Wonderful first person voice for a detailed and fascinating look at Early America in the southern U.S.
Natasha Boyd has done it again. This time she’s written an inspiring, fast-paced story based on historical facts.
Boyd certainly knows how to draw you into a story. Her lyrical prose will transport you back to colonial times and immerse you in plantation life in South Carolina. The images of “Indigo Girl” will stay with you long after you finish this sensational novel.
Though this is a fictional story, it is based on a real person and real events. As portrayed, Eliza Pinckney is an intelligent, courageous young woman who finds herself managing a failing plantation while her father is away. Her struggles to save the plantation are at once heart-wrenching and utterly compelling.
“Indigo Girl” is a must read, and I highly recommend it to readers of historical fiction and specially to readers of American Colonial Fiction.
My father, brother, and nephew are all “Pinkneys”. So I was immediately drawn to this true story of the Indigo Plantation in South Carolina. I discovered a lot to true history as well as a marvelous, crafted story of the family, as well as history of the Pinckneys. Wonderful book, very touching in many places. It is a great reading book!
I spent most of this book being both deeply angry and incredibly grateful. Eliza lives in the eighteenth century and no one Values her creativity, her vision, her curiosity, her work ethic, her loyalty. As a sixteen year old, Eliza is left in charge of her father’s four South Carolina plantations while he returns to Antigua to fight with the French against the Spanish. Eliza’s mother sees her only as an awkward, unconventional, burden in need of a husband. One overseer sees her as an upstart girl who is trying to interfere with his right to treat his slaves as he wishes, with whippings and rape. A local merchant sees marriage to Eliza as his means to acquire property and join the landed gentry. A man sent from Montserrat to teach her about indigo production sees her as a naive fool for believing he’d let her share in his lucrative trade. Despite these nefarious characters, Eliza stays true to her vision of producing an indigo dye that would repay the plantations’ mortgages and secure her family’s future. She has some small support, and she’s ready to give up. It is because of women like Eliza, who persisted in allowing her intelligence to shine and in challenging men to value her rather than objectify her that women today have the freedoms that we do.
I knew when I began the first sentence I loved the writer, who is very talented keeping you involved in the story. Plus I like anything South/North Carolina/Georgia, in the plantation days. I admire her knowledge of slaves and the empathy towards them.
It was a great story based on historical events and people. I enjoyed learning about the process of making indigo dye. It also portrayed the institution of slavery and the difficulty women had to own and care for property.
It’s been a long time since I have loved a book this much. The author makes you feel like you are in the 1700s experiencing everything Eliza does. Amazing job! I bought this as an eBook but will also buy it in hardcover for my collection. I could honestly read it again and I just finished it last night.
I found the story interesting as I didn’t know anything about Indigo trade in colonial times. The writing itself was fairly good.
The story is about a woman who tries to save her plantation by cultivating indigo which produces a dye that is highly valued. She has to fight against the prejudices of her time where even her mother sees her daughter’s future only in marriage. There are many obstacles and trials and the novel also deals with the problems of slavery. The book is for a great deal based on real history and I never knew that indigo, a plant, was such a valuable commodity. A wonderful, complex novel.
This novel tells the little-known story of a young lady who introduced indigo farming to South Carolina. The author does a wonderful job of creating a strong, smart female character and of making her challenges believable and relatable. I found the story even more interesting because Eliza really existed.
This was very interesting since it was based on a true story. This young woman was an inspired invididual. She had vision and was able to bring the indigo industry to the South. I truly enjoyed learning about this part of history.
Good historical fiction book on a woman who made it in a highly male-dominated world.
Always great to read a novel about a real person…especially one that was so inspirational with her determination to learn how to grow and produce indigo.
A wonderful story of a young girl who goes above and beyond to save her family’s land by learning to plant and harvest indigo. Eliza was a real person and I was inspired by her drive ,righteousness and love of fellow man and family!
I loved this book! I learned so much about that time period as well as the struggles early planters had with crops. It was very interesting.
I enjoyed learning about indigo as well as it being based on real peop.le
Based on historical figure who was a strong American woman.truly American in spirit after being born British.
Best book I’ve read in years! Though fictional it’s about a real person who achieved her goal despite hardships and set backs. Admirable. The book brought to life a place and a time forgotten. Inspiring.