The Indigo Girl: A Novel By Natasha Boyd

The author’s note at the end of this book explains that Natasha Boyd had “caught snippets of a story that would light a fire in me” while attending an indigo exhibition in South Carolina. Natasha took the true story of a remarkable young woman in the 18th century and used that ‘fire’ to create a work of historical fiction that gripped me from start to finish – even though historical fiction is not my usual choice of reading genre. I was transported to another era and place through Natasha’s writing and in awe of heroine Eliza Lucas’s strength of character. Recommended read.

I started to read this book after an afternoons conversation in Cape Town South Africa. Miles away from the location of the book. It was unexpectedly good. The characters were well written and the energy of Eliza Lucas jumped out from the pages. This was a fascinating time in history and it is well recreated in this book. I loved it.

It is the mid 1700’s, closer to the American Revolution than the American Civil War. Sixteen-year-old Eliza Lucas has been set a daunting task. While seeking to advance his military commission in Antigua, her father wants her to take charge of the business dealings of their three plantations in South Carolina. This will involve supervising planting, harvesting, selling, bartering with buyers, managing multiple accounts, sparring with violent overseers, and dealing with slaves and their internal dynamics and hierarchy. Her mother, on the other hand, has only one goal for Eliza–find a husband.

Colonel Lucas has every reason to feel confident in his daughter, but no one can predict the amount of obstacles Eliza will encounter, some of which her father creates. An unmarried teenage girl who cannot vote or own land holds little sway in the business world. Only the most intelligent, respectful, progressive individuals will see past her age, gender and marital status. They are few and far between.

With rice being the main cash crop of the region, Eliza sets a new goal. Indigo. It is a revolutionary idea, one that requires ideal conditions and knowledge of the plants and how to transform them into marketable dye cakes. Success eludes her again and again. But never tell a smart, determined woman that something cannot be accomplished. That will only kindle the fire within her.

This is a true story, which makes it even more remarkable, and perfect for March–Women’s History Month. The real Eliza left behind writings which were, aptly, passed from mother to daughter for generations. Details lost to time are woven in elegantly by the author. The story is inspiring and the writing is marvelous. Very highly recommended and a terrific read for book clubs.

I began this book knowing very little about Eliza Lucas Pinckney and finished it with a new female historical hero. While The Indigo Girl is historical fiction, it is a book that is based on a very real woman who left an indelible legacy in American history. Eliza Lucas took over running her father’s plantations, at the age of sixteen and at a time when it was unheard of–in fact “indecent”–for a young woman to even have such aspirations, and realized that it was necessary for her to make a large profit in order to keep her family’s business afloat. She decided to take a chance, one that many told her she could not succeed at, and planted indigo.

What follows is a story of strength, compassion, and a commitment to bettering the circumstances and living standards of not only Eliza’s life, but that of the slaves on her father’s plantations, as well. Eliza agreed to teach the slaves and their children to read, in return for their shared knowledge in indigo farming and processing. After some poor outcomes, she eventually became successful in developing indigo as one of the most important cash crops of Colonial South Carolina.

The accomplishments of may great women in history often become eclipsed by their male counterparts–as was the case with Eliza Lucas Pinckney. Although it was obviously very well-researched, the addition of fictional characterization, within The Indigo Girl, is necessary and enjoyable. I loved the characters (even the ones I “loved to hate”) and the relationships between them and felt that Ms. Boyd’s talent for storytelling and creating believable characters and dialogue made Eliza’s history come alive. This is an overwhelmingly beautiful story and I was left engulfed in emotions, at the end.

This book is an excellent read. It not only offers details about life in the New World (South Carolina, to be specific) but it gives us an intimate glimpse into what life was like on plantations in the mid-1700s — the good and the bad. And it does this from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl, Eliza Lucas, who is left to run the Lucas lands when her father abandons the family to fulfill his dream of being an officer in the military. We see the ups and downs, the highs and lows, of plantation life from not just Eliza’s perspective but also from that of her most loyal slaves.

Eliza is an incredible young woman — so smart and courageous. Unlike plantation owners she is in contact with, she treats her slaves kindly and even breaks the law by teaching them how to read. Her humanity is commendable. And, despite her father continually mortgaging the family lands, she soldiers on bravely.

For example, she realizes early on about the importance of developing indigo dye. Through several trials and errors, she manages to become the state’s first and most successful indigo dye maker.

She experiences unrequited love, treacherous behavior, heartbreak, loss, and happiness. And through it all, she maintains her spirit and dignity.

Oh, and Eliza Lucas is real. Her two sons were more famous than her but people in South Carolina know that without Eliza, her state would likely have been lost.

I recommend this book highly.