After three years on a whaling voyage, Henry Macy returns to Nantucket to news that his grandmother has passed, bequeathing her vast fortune to him and his sister, Hitty. And it was truly vast. But Lillian Coffin was no fool. The inheritance comes with a steep cost, including when they should marry and whom–a Quaker in good standing, of course. But if they relinquish the inheritance, it all goes … goes to Tristram Macy, their father’s thieving business partner.
As Hitty and Henry seek a way to satisfy the will’s conditions, they’ll be faced with obstacles on every side–and it may be that Lillian Coffin will have the last word after all.
Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher surprises and delights with this story of hope and renewal, love and redemption, arriving just when most needed.
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One of the best books I’ve read.
I have always enjoyed historical books. When I find an author who writes in that genre I am always excited to read their latest book. This author has not disappointed me at all in her vast knowledge of Nantucket and a time period I love to read about. The Quakers were quite intriguing to me. They seemed very strict and kind of stuffy. It was disheartening to read how people were still believed in slavery . I appreciate that the author put this in the book to show how even back in the early days discrimination was prevalent. It is sad to think that because of the color of your skin, you were not allowed to get a proper education. I really liked the authentic language the author used such as thy, thou and thee. I grew up reading from The King James Bible where those words were used throughout the book. It felt familiar to me and I became comfortable as I continued reading.
It is easy to get cozy reading the authors books because she has a way of breathing life into the characters. Yes, I felt like I was in Nantucket watching the waves crash against the ships as they headed out. I loved getting to know Hitty and Henry. Their grandmother really must have been a miserable person to write such a horrible will for them to follow. I had to ask if it was worth all the hoops they had to go through to get their inheritance. My answer is absolutely for one main reason. They both decided that they were going to use the money to improve their surroundings and the people who lived there. Did they have obstacles to overcome? I couldn’t keep track of all the people, nasty remarks and unwanted relatives that tried everything to stop the good Hitty and Henry were trying to accomplish.
The story is quite an adventure with surprises, deceit, loss of life and moments of clarity for people in Nantucket. When tragedy strikes in Nantucket, will neighbors help each other? Is it possible that we get so busy that we forget to look around us? I loved how the story shared wisdom, hope and a light that always shines. The author has given us a story that is rich in history, touches on subjects not many like to talk about and gives us a glimpse into what greed can do to a person. There are heroes in this story that you will discover. They may be the person who speaks out against slavery, or the person who saw beyond looks and found love or it may be the one person who trusted God and was led to the light of freedom and hope.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
This is the third book in this series that I have read, and it can be read alone, but they are all equally enjoyable.
If you are familiar with the Grandmother Lilian, if not, you soon will be, and it she at it again, even from the grave. She seems to delight in torment, and she pushes her agenda on her family, or what is left of it. Of course, many of the people of Nantucket go back to the original settlers and have become members of the Quaker Church. Now her grandchildren in order to receive their inheritance must follow her orders from the grave.
We are also transported back to Mary Coffin’s time, with the help of her journal, and then back to current day of the book, and wonder if these adult children, Henry and Hitty will be able to accept the wealth and follow all instructions?
I loved these books and am sad that they are ending, and yes, I would love to spend more time with these characters! Thank you, Suzanne Woods Fisher!
I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.
I was intrigued by this book. Maybe it was the condition of Lillian Swain Coffin’s will or maybe it was the development of the characters. Benjamin Foulger was a handsome young law clerk who was tasked to make sure all conditions of Henry and Hitty’s grandmother’s will were met. He was so accommodating to Henry’s ideas, showed up when least expected and seemed to always be at the Grand House when dinner was served. Grandfather Jeremiah never took to Benjamin. Nobody knew why for sure and he didn’t share. Both men were complex although many thought Jeremiah to be simpler than he was. You can’t be sure what any man is thinking.
Jeremiah Macy was as seasoned cooper and knew plenty about whaling. He had great advice seasoned with the lore of his sea life. “If there’s no wind, then row.” This simple statement showed up many times between the pages of this story and each time it was used it seemed apt. Had this advice been heeded each time, many troubling events could have been avoided.
Good historical fiction is mingled with facts and people who made a difference in that era. Our country was about to face a tumultuous era as the Abolitionist Movement was just beginning. Anna Gardner was a well known Abolitionist Speaker and held conferences on segregationist issues. Including her within the story was well done and fitting for the time and events. Frederick Douglas made his first appearance at one of her conferences. While it took some time for slavery to be abolished, this movement had a an impact on the people of Nantucket who seemed to be a bit separate from the mainland. The Quakers, who are noted for friendship and peace were just as caught up in the issues of the day. I recommend this book for the story but also for the good writing by Suzanne Woods Fisher and her impeccable research. There is a little bit of mystery involved with this story and it will keep you guessing until the story comes to fruition. There is much to read and learn in this book!
The Light Before Day is the third and final installment from the Nantucket Legacy series by Suzanne Woods Fisher. It is my, also, favorite of the series. I adored this story of inspiration, faith, determination and love. I loved reading the journal entries from Mary Coffin Starbuck. It was fascinating to read the events of the past.
I give The Light Before Day a well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend this book for readers who love well written, inspiring and clean historical fiction. So many would receive so many lessons from this book. It is one that should not be missed.
Even though The Light Before is the third book of the series, it can be read as a stand alone. However, the whole series is great, so I highly recommend the others in the Nantucket Legacy series, as well.
The Light Before Day is a fabulous read!
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
This fabulous historical novel is third and final in the Nantucket Legacy series. This Quaker novel is stunningly written, with lyrical descriptions of the ocean and island. Nantucket Island has many Quaker families, yet we see this group of believers in Christ separated by political factions of the 19th century. There is also an underlying question: If one were to inherit a huge legacy of property and money, would they be happier, or better off without it?
Lillian Wain Coffin is grandmother to Hitty and Henry, fraternal twins. She didn’t really like them, or anyone, and was a lonely, bitter woman living in a huge museum of a home. Her investments and property are beyond the imagination. When she died, Hitty and Henry were stunned to learn she left everything to them. There are many conditions to be met for them to get the inheritance. If they turn down the inheritance, everything would go to a cousin of their father, the man who had stolen all the money from their six-year whaling voyage and left their father with nothing.
They moved into their grandmother’s home to stake a claim, even though initially planning to sell it. Henry had just returned from a 3-year whaling trip. An introvert who loves reading and writing, he is opposite his twin, an extrovert who loves being around people and hates to read. Hitty now runs the Cent School for children too young to attend regular classes while their parents are working. It costs a penny a day. The father of one of her students, Isaac, is an inventor, and she has very strong feelings for him even if he doesn’t give any encouragement. Henry has been seeing Anna since long before he went on the voyage. Anna is the teacher at the African school, and an abolitionist and integrationist.
Whether one is for or against slavery, or for or against integrating the African-American students into the Island schools, most don’t walk their talk, including the Quakers. These sentiments are at the root of much dissent.
Hitty and Henry have an impressive depth of character; I completely enjoyed both. They are so well-defined, I felt as if leaving old friends when the novel ends. Benjamin, the law clerk overseeing their inheritance, and Marie-Claire, his secretary, are enigmas, then Marie-Claire becomes like a dear little sister to Hitty. Daphne, their stepmother, gave Henry the journal of “Great” Mary Coffin Starbuck, their ancestor and one of the first settlers of the Island. Mary, wise and influential, became an 18th century mentor for Henry, a greater treasure than any monetary inheritance.
This is a fascinating novel with real people and actual events woven throughout. It is filled with love, drama, politics, courage, and romance against the gorgeous backdrop of Nantucket Island. Suzanne Fisher Woods has painted such beautiful scenes that I feel as if I were there, with the ocean breeze on my face and the sound of the waves. No drama is complete without discovery of treachery by one or more trusted people, and through these events and the unexpected huge inheritance, we see how people of faith can respond and ultimately transcend anything coming their way. Be prepared to savor Hitty and Henry’s story, appreciate the beauty and absorb the atmosphere of the Quakers who have found a home in this new land. I highly recommend this novel of faith and family!
From a grateful heart: I received a copy from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
This book was a great conclusion to this series. I loved the way the journal entries were at the end of each chapter. I loved the characters! I really enjoyed the whole storyline and how the author tied everything up at the end. All of the details in this story were great. This is a series that I would read again. I definitely recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Wow, what a phenomenal book by beloved author Suzanne Woods Fisher. The Light Before Day is the conclusion of her Nantucket Legacy with a dual time slip along with various themes. The story is centered on Henry and Hitty Macy and the inheritance from their Grandmother Lillian Coffin, who had little to do with them while she lived. The draw back though, Lillian had put steep stipulations in the will that Henry and Hitty needed to follow to obtain the wealth of her will. The vast historical research Fisher did in this story is brought to life in the issues of segregation, abolitionist, Quakerism, whaling and other issues that the Island faced in the 1800’s parallel with the writing of Mary Coffin in the 1700’s. The characters had a vast of qualities where some were greedy and other found the true meaning to life. Is it all the wealth, learning to care for others in a personal way and not having everything easy, along with inner happiness and love? I have enjoyed each book in this magnificent series by Suzanne Woods Fisher with the history and glad she added extra tidbits about Nantucket Island at the end of each book. I look forward to reading more wonderful stories by Suzanne Woods Fisher in the future.
The Light before Day is the astonishing conclusion to Suzanne Woods Fisher’s Nantucket Legacy Series. This is again a split-time story, told through the diary of “Great Mary” (Mary Coffin Starbuck) of the 17th century, and Hitty and Henry Macy, 19th century twins of Reynolds Macy. Two influential ladies of their respective times bestow two very different legacies. One brings blessing, the other curses.
Another perspective of this novel is a study of human nature, of the “haves” and the “have nots,” revolving around freedom, money, and religion(Quakerism). Those who think they “have” are not always better off. Certainly Grandma Lillian Coffin never was, for all her wealth. Another small example of “having” but being unhappy is Stephen Hussey, who as a Quaker, “possesses the Light.” According to Great Mary, “he could convince anyone not to be a Quaker simply because he is one.” May this not be true of us as Christians!
I highly recommend this book. Full of real-life struggles, well-researched history and a few chuckles, this tale renewed my acquaintance with old friends and allowed me to meet new ones. (Team Anna? Team Marie- Claire? What about Team Isaac vs. Team Benjamin?) This is a series I will be acquiring for my paperback keeper shelf.
A wealth of extra material is included at the book’s end, including discussion questions, author’s note, and “What’s True and What’s False in The Light Before Day?” Fisher also refers to quite a list of historical resources.
So many great quotes. I am choosing to highlight some unique ones that tickled me.
“Decisions were difficult for Henry, small or big. Anna Gardner once told him that he was the only man she knew who could sit on a fence and watch himself walk by.”
“Quakers might be hypocrites, but we are not liars.”
I gratefully received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, publisher and NetGalley. This in no way influenced my voluntary review. All opinions are my own responsibility.