Review of The Foundlings and Fisherman from Tumby

[Seetha E]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Foundlings and Fisherman from Tumby" by Phillip Leighton-Daly.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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The story begins in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1863, during a dark time when Confederate Captain William Quantrill and his 400 treacherous men torched the town of Lawrence, killing over 150. The Treves couple lost their eight-year-old twins. Jon Treves, an ardent anti-slave sympathizer, along with supporters, had brought down many of Quantrill's men. Hence, he was warned that the blood-chilling worst was yet to come. Jon Treves and his wife, Margaret, had managed to depart for Australia just before Quantrill's ambush. The duo boarded the Morning Mist as steerage passengers. I invite you to partake in their journey full of struggles, natural and others. Pick up a copy of The Foundlings and the Fisherman from Tumby by Phillip Leighton-Daly.

I appreciate the thoughtful blend of characters that allows a wide array of themes and exploration of general human nature. With characters like the captain of the Morning Mist, the author demonstrates how when people with power lose integrity, the innocent have to bear the brunt. The characters Del and Cass highlight a shallow approach to life, which is pitiful. The author tackles the serious issue of discrimination. Sadly, corruption of the soul, greed, wars, discrimination at various levels, and superficial lifestyles are very much evident in present times. The Treves couple, along with friends like Charles, Martha, Pip, Benjamin, and the Strausen couple, teach us about standing up against discrimination, protecting the weak, and facing challenges head-on. The Treves couple particularly demonstrate that we must seek ways to assist people in need despite personal turmoil.

I appreciate that the author has incorporated historical events and highlights how the Aboriginal people are one with nature. The story also highlights the dangers seafarers face. The Elephant Man, Morgan Robertson's novel 'Futility,' and many more facts were interesting. The inclusion of snippets from poems like The Walrus and the Carpenter and The Charge of the Light Brigade acts as a reminder that the issues continue to persist and nudges reflection.

The book delves into a fantasy world toward the end, and though it is equally interesting, it does not perfectly blend in with the rest of the story for me. But, this very aspect may appeal to the young adult audience because of the vivid illustrations. Thankfully, I loved the final closure. It weaves everything together and resolves my previous disconnect. I hope the author considers splitting it into four parts: one covering the escape, another about the shipwreck, then the story about the foundlings, and finally, the culmination with all the twists and turns.

The book does contain one minor profanity and has a reference to a woman's harassment. I did encounter errors while reading. Apart from the other spelling errors and typos, I observed inconsistencies with names. For example, the Treves couple's twins had different names on pages 7 and 72. Additionally, Peter's wife, Martha, is called Maud in the book's later part. These errors and inconsistent names force me to take away one star and recommend another round of editing to ensure an error-free delight.

Despite the drawbacks, the core message of the book is powerful and does not justify any further reduction in my rating. I recommend this book to young adults and upward and rate it four out of five stars.

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The Foundlings and Fisherman from Tumby
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[Arshadq]

I love to read books set in earlier times. It shows us how the world was back then, and with a hint of fiction, it takes us to different routes. I love the author's work on bringing attention to discrimination and other issues. Apart from the errors, the book seems great. Thank you for your review!

[Gerry Steen]

I enjoy reading historical fiction about the Civil War and anti-slavery. This sounds like a great book. I will add it to my bookshelves. Thank you for the review.

[Sarah Zain]

Not the subject I want to read a story about. I enjoyed reading your review Seetha. Your summary of the story is enjoyable. Thank you.

[Priya Murugesan]

The historical plot sounds intriguing! Hope the book gets another round of editing as you mentioned. Thanks for sharing your review!