The Winthrop Woman

Anya Seton has certainly done her homework in researching this story of Elizabeth Fones, a true historical figure in 17th-century Puritan New England. Despite marrying into the powerful Winthrop family of Boston, Elizabeth has difficulty conforming to expectations for a woman, nearly risking her very life in a time of suspicion, violence, religious zeal and political anxiety. Eventually, she is forced to flee from New England entirely with her tormented second husband, although this new life brings her little peace. Although her troubles are by no means over, with her third and final marriage Elizabeth finally has an opportunity to marry for love. Ms. Seton has an amazing way of bringing characters from the past to life. I highly recommend all of her works.

This is a dazzling work of historical fiction that I first read as a young adult. Now, over thirty years after first reading it, I find that time has not diminished the power and passion of this exquisitely written work of historical fiction. At the heart of this fine novel, is Elizabeth Fones, an Englishwoman who would marry her first cousin, Harry Winthrop, and would go on to lead a life of which few of us would dream. As a member of the austerely Puritan Winthrop family, Elizabeth would chafe under its restrictive influences. When the family fortunes abated in England due to the religious beliefs of the family patriarch, John Winthrop, Elizabeth's uncle and father-in-law, the entire family sets off for the New World to become founding members of the Massachusetts Bay colony, a theocracy under which Elizabeth was to know much heartache. A passionate and vibrant woman, Elizabeth would have a number of personal situations that would cause her to become notorious amongst the Puritan colonists. She would be both reviled and admired for her actions, which were singular for those times. This is an absorbing, page turner of a book that takes a look at sixteenth century England during the tumultuous time that preceded the civil war that would see an act of regicide and the rise of Puritan Oliver Cromwell. It also relates the turmoil that underlay the government of the nascent Massachusetts Bay colony with all its factionalism, restrictive practices, and bigotry. The novel, set against a historical backdrop filled with well known personages of the time, both English and Dutch, lovingly chronicles and explores Elizabeth's passage in life as a member of the illustrious Winthrop family, her troubled marriages, her relationship with the Siwanot Indians, and the trials and tribulations that she underwent as a compassionate, independent woman in a time when to be such was to destine oneself to become a pariah within the larger community. This is a historical novel that is epic in its telling, beautifully written, and one to be savored until the very last page is turned. Bravo!

Someone gave me an old paperback copy of this book years ago, and my immediate reaction was to roll my eyes. It looked like a cheesy romance novel, the sort that feature Fabio on the cover. However, one day in a fit of boredom, I picked it up and started reading, and didn't put it down until I finished it in the wee hours of the morning. This is a fictionalized account of the life of Elizabeth Fones, who was a niece of John Winthrop (governor of the Mass. Bay Colony) and a bit of an embarrassment to the other, more respectable Winthrops. Elizabeth packed a lot of living into her rather short life -- tumultuous and often scandalous love affairs, widowhood, emigration to seventeenth-century New England, accusations of witchcraft, Indian attacks, abandonment, several marriages, births, deaths, you name it. Seton crafts some memorable turns of phrase, and Elizabeth is an engaging character. It really is a great book and I'm glad to see it back in print.

This is a dazzling work of historical fiction that I first read as a young adult. Now, over thirty years after first reading it, I find that time has not diminished the power and passion of this exquisitely written work of historical fiction. At the heart of this fine novel, is Elizabeth Fones, an Englishwoman who would marry her first cousin, Harry Winthrop, and would go on to lead a life of which few of us would dream. As a member of the austerely Puritan Winthrop family, Elizabeth would chafe under its restrictive influences. When the family fortunes abated in England due to the religious beliefs of the family patriarch, John Winthrop, Elizabeth's uncle and father-in-law, the entire family sets off for the New World to become founding members of the Massachusetts Bay colony, a theocracy under which Elizabeth was to know much heartache.A passionate and vibrant woman, Elizabeth would have a number of personal situations that would cause her to become notorious amongst the Puritan colonists. She would be both reviled and admired for her actions, which were singular for those times. This is an absorbing, page turner of a book that takes a look at sixteenth century England during the tumultuous time that preceded the civil war that would see an act of regicide and the rise of Puritan Oliver Cromwell. It also relates the turmoil that underlay the government of the nascent Massachusetts Bay colony with all its factionalism, restrictive practices, and bigotry.The novel, set against a historical backdrop filled with well known personages of the time, both English and Dutch, lovingly chronicles and explores Elizabeth's passage in life as a member of the illustrious Winthrop family, her troubled marriages, her relationship with the Siwanot Indians, and the trials and tribulations that she underwent as a compassionate, independent woman in a time when to be such was to destine oneself to become a pariah within the larger community. This is a historical novel that is epic in its telling, beautifully written, and one to be savored until the very last page is turned. Bravo!

I first read The Winthrop Woman when I was about 13 years old. It had such an impact on me, that I re-read it several times as I was growing up, and I have thought of it so often during the years since. I have never read a historical novel (and I've read many) that has stayed with me to the same degree. For anyone who is interested in the early days of American colonial development and who has a love of history and human courage and resiliance, this book is a gift. Elizabeth Winthrop was strong and courageous in days when women had few choices and little support. She is an inspiration and a touchstone, and reminds one that although generations pass, the human heart doesn't change that much at all. I believe Seton carefully researched this book, so the essence is historically accurate, and it provides a fascinating window into life in the 1600s in New England.