Book Review: The Ramsom of Mercy Carter by Caroline B. Cooney

Hi summer readers,
In this Historical fiction novel placed in 1704 There was a lot to be learned. One part of the book that I found was particularly inspiring was "When she finished talking to the lord Deacon Sheldon was gone, and so was Mercy Carter." This simple sentence shows that you can completely forget about you past and restart. Not always on that drastic of a measure, seeeing as Mercy Carter Has just been kidnapped. Not in the traditional sense. The whole settlement of Deerfeild was capturedd by Native Americans and French soldiers. They are made to walk all the way to Canada. Mercy hasjust lost her family, her friend, and her home. The only thing that she can hope for is ransom. Though when it comes,will she take it or stay with her new family?
Of all of the characters in this book two of them struck me as unique. The funny thing is that they were exact opposites. One was Joseph. He was really the first settler to embrace the fact that they must become Indians. He really became one of them. When Mercy gave him the gift of a tobaccco pouch before he could even smoke he was grateful not disgusted like he would have been if he hadn't been Indian. He also was the first of the captives to learn to swim from the Indians. The other character that struck me as oddly brave was Tannahorens. He was the first Indian to really aknowledge his captive. When they had to sleep on snow, he showed Mercy how if you dug a hole and slept in there you would be a lot warmer. He also helped her along the way to Canada by taaking part of her load and carring Daniel on his shoulders when he was to heavy for Mercy to carry. This probably wasn't exactlly smiled upon by his tribe but he still helped her.
I think that anyone would enjoy this book but girls especialy. Mercy can relate to troubles that most girls have and then some. She doesn't really know what group that she should be with the Indians or the Pilgrims. She was always a pilgrim as a child. She grew up a Puritan with humble beginings. She was captured by the Native Americans who wear earrings and necklaces. The French are Catholics and they are forced to worship like Catholics. Eventually she comes too like this but feels like she is betraying herself. Also she feels like she is betraying her family.
If there was one character that grew it was Mercy Carter. In the begining of the book Mercy was a normal girl in the settlement of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Then when the town gets kidnapped by Indians she is suddenly responsible for two children. This makes her journey very hard and when she realizes that her sister,stepmama,and baby brother have been murdered she just gets more determined. When she finally gets to Canada the Indians don't really care about her much. She muct bring herself to become and Indian. At the end of this book there no longer was a Mercy Carter, only a Munnokock, the Indian daughter.