Historical Fiction

Wild, Beautiful, and Free: A Novel

Wild, Beautiful, and Free: A Novel

  • Downloads：7723
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2023-02-26 08:22:08
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Sophfronia Scott
  • ISBN：B09Y5HYBV6
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Mary Reilly ，

Three and 1/2 stars。 An enjoyable story about a mulatto girl once a slave who manages to keep fro being bitter thru her faith and the love of some family and friends

Lynn ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Set during the Civil War， the two main characters are both of mixed race， which at first limits what they can do in their lives。 The war and the proclamation， change their options。 I appreciate that the romantic entanglement was not too “sappy“ and did focus more on the strength of their characters。

Lenka Lukáčová ，

Proud dreams you didn't realize you neededIf you love， like， or at least are well acquainted with， Jane Eyre， you will feel right at home in this book。Scott strikes a good balance between enough allusions to keep you comfortable and enough differences to keep you interested and guessing。 She also weaves a surprisingly feel-good and fundamentally heartwarming main story into a wider and much more complex and less rosy narrative of a difficult period of American history。I personally appreciated Je Proud dreams you didn't realize you neededIf you love， like， or at least are well acquainted with， Jane Eyre， you will feel right at home in this book。Scott strikes a good balance between enough allusions to keep you comfortable and enough differences to keep you interested and guessing。 She also weaves a surprisingly feel-good and fundamentally heartwarming main story into a wider and much more complex and less rosy narrative of a difficult period of American history。I personally appreciated Jeanette Bébinn experiencing the harsh realities of her time largely second-hand - close enough to be felt， but still far enough to not overburden or hinder her progress through the arc of the story。 Although it might be called naive （or even slightly disrespectful at times）， it is refreshing to see in today's literary landscape of forced hyperrealism。Wild Beautiful and Free has the makings of a classic and will keep you coming back to it time and time again 。 。。。more

Vanessa ，

Really enjoyed this book。 I have not read Jane Eyre so didn’t pick up on any references or similarities。 I enjoyed that the story never felt too heavy。

Jennifer E。 Vancik ，

beautiful， inspiring story of hope & resiliency！Highly recommend！ Read it in 2 days as I could not put it down~Will definitely read more from this author as she really creates such incredible characters & the sensory details pull you into Jeanette’s world。

Betty Formby ，

A good readSome predictability in the outcome， but an enjoyable read。 A mulatto girl was beloved by her white father， but on his death， she is sold into slavery。 The story of how she goes on from there。

Ariel Tuladhar ，

DNF

Shirley Aucutt ，

I loved this story！Wild， Beautiful， And Free grabbed my interest and held it through the very end。 I would suggest it to everyone， but especially to those who enjoy a historical story。

Donna M。 DeWees ，

Civil War didn’t damper this story of love & determination。 Being a girl of 12 and mixed race didn’t stop this youngster from being bold and following her heart。 She became a teacher， a nurse at Shiloh; and eventually reclaimed her land， 5000 acres in Louisiana， following Lincoln’s assassination。 Well written。

Lindsay Vlasak ，

This was my February pick for Amazon’s First Reads。 It is a retelling of Jane Eyre set during America’s Civil War。 It’s really interesting， especially when the main character works as a union army nurse。 It was neat to see Jane Eyre reimagined in this way。

Terry ，

3。5/5An interesting story of a mixed race girl and her survival before and after the American Civil War。 Something about this book just didn't click with me。 The pacing seemed a bit off。 I did enjoy the story though。 3。5/5An interesting story of a mixed race girl and her survival before and after the American Civil War。 Something about this book just didn't click with me。 The pacing seemed a bit off。 I did enjoy the story though。 。。。more

K ，

As a retelling of Jane Eyre， this book is spectacular。 However in capturing the essence of Jane Eyre， it also captures some of the same flaws。。。 It feels a bit long， the descriptions get overwhelming， and the key relationship feels too overwrought。

Steve ，

Wild Beautiful and FreeThe book was one of the best books I have read in awhile and I am an avid reader。 I loved Jeanette。 I loved all the strong beautiful women she met along the way。 Her strength of character， staying true to herself。 She was a truly beautiful person in every sense of the word。 Fanny and her strong belief in God despite living in such oppression。 I loved her protecting。 the 12 yr old Jeanette from her drunken Master。 I am so glad Jeanette and Mr。 Colchester married。 A true mea Wild Beautiful and FreeThe book was one of the best books I have read in awhile and I am an avid reader。 I loved Jeanette。 I loved all the strong beautiful women she met along the way。 Her strength of character， staying true to herself。 She was a truly beautiful person in every sense of the word。 Fanny and her strong belief in God despite living in such oppression。 I loved her protecting。 the 12 yr old Jeanette from her drunken Master。 I am so glad Jeanette and Mr。 Colchester married。 A true meant to be partner for both of them。 Sophfronia Scott is a gifted writer 。。。more

Rebecca Maurer ，

Really cool concept， not my favorite execution。 Jane Eyre is not my favorite Regency book， and there are plot points where I liked this adaptation better。 However， there were a lot of time jumps and the way the reader was brought up to speed for each one felt clunky to me。 Still， I read the whole thing and for the most part enjoyed it。 TW for sexual violence and death in childbirth， as well as physical cruelty。

Ashley Curran ，

Wild， Beautiful， and Free by Sophfronia Scott This is the story of the daughter of an enslaved woman and a Louisiana plantation owner who is raised in the big house alongside her half sister-until her father suddenly dies and she’s sold into slavery。 I loved this story。 The main character Jeannette was so resilient。 I was in awe reading about her life and many accomplishments despite the many injustices she endured。 This story was about the unbreakable bonds of family and sisterhood that always Wild， Beautiful， and Free by Sophfronia Scott This is the story of the daughter of an enslaved woman and a Louisiana plantation owner who is raised in the big house alongside her half sister-until her father suddenly dies and she’s sold into slavery。 I loved this story。 The main character Jeannette was so resilient。 I was in awe reading about her life and many accomplishments despite the many injustices she endured。 This story was about the unbreakable bonds of family and sisterhood that always always call you home。 I feel honored to be able to read this remarkable story of strength and bravery。 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 。。。more

Sue Lytle ，

Great bookThis is a great story for anyone who loves historical fiction。 It’s hard to put down once you start reading it。

Debra P Miller ，

Highly recommended！From start to finish I was captivated by this story。 When I wasn't reading it I was contemplating what was to come。 Highly recommended！From start to finish I was captivated by this story。 When I wasn't reading it I was contemplating what was to come。 。。。more

Fran Burdsall ，

Terrible title for a fairly good historical fiction novel。 Jeannette is a mulatto daughter of a white Lousianna plantation owner。 The story follows her exploits， sold into slavery， through the Civil War and finally home again with her true love and the property promised to her by her loving father。 I will try to figure out a better title because it would make a big difference in the interest level of curious readers。

Miss ，

GoodI enjoyed Jeannette's story and found it very readable， but the main characters were a bit under developed。 I didn't get a strong sense of who they were or why they'd fallen in love as there was very little dialogue between them。I found the sections that followed Jane Eyre too closely jarring and like they didn't fit the character （e。g。 when Jeanette first meets Mr Colchester and the library scene）。I thought the plot was clever， placing the story within the civil war and the weaving of chara GoodI enjoyed Jeannette's story and found it very readable， but the main characters were a bit under developed。 I didn't get a strong sense of who they were or why they'd fallen in love as there was very little dialogue between them。I found the sections that followed Jane Eyre too closely jarring and like they didn't fit the character （e。g。 when Jeanette first meets Mr Colchester and the library scene）。I thought the plot was clever， placing the story within the civil war and the weaving of characters and events to retell Jane Eyre in a different way。 。。。more

Jill ，

inspiring and educational story This book was a page turner。 The main character faces unbelievable injustice and hardship。 The ways that she finds joy and to keep moving forward are inspiring， along with her insistence to stay true to herself。 I almost deducted half a star for ‘too happy’ of an ending， but it made me smile and felt believable none the less， since the main character suffered so much during the story。 It’s a fantastic read and sheds light on the racial issues facing our country pr inspiring and educational story This book was a page turner。 The main character faces unbelievable injustice and hardship。 The ways that she finds joy and to keep moving forward are inspiring， along with her insistence to stay true to herself。 I almost deducted half a star for ‘too happy’ of an ending， but it made me smile and felt believable none the less， since the main character suffered so much during the story。 It’s a fantastic read and sheds light on the racial issues facing our country pre-civil war。 。。。more

Donna J Thibault ，

Great bookI enjoyed reading this book。 I am so glad I picked this book this month。 I would definitely recommend reading this book。 Great story line and kept my interest。

Carol Engler ，

Good read Jeanette is a white skin tone girl born of a slave and the plantation owner。 Jean her father loved her very much and if he could would leave every to her。 But he dies when she is around 12。 His wife in no way wants her around ， never did。 While her is father laid out in the parlor ， his wife sells her off and she ends up a slave in Mississippi。 She slowly learns to strive her new life with the help of Fanny ，Aunt Nancy Lynn， and Silas on Holloway Plantation。 This set up the underground Good read Jeanette is a white skin tone girl born of a slave and the plantation owner。 Jean her father loved her very much and if he could would leave every to her。 But he dies when she is around 12。 His wife in no way wants her around ， never did。 While her is father laid out in the parlor ， his wife sells her off and she ends up a slave in Mississippi。 She slowly learns to strive her new life with the help of Fanny ，Aunt Nancy Lynn， and Silas on Holloway Plantation。 This set up the underground rail road adventure。 Then to her time at Barbary Institution that was funded by a group of wealthy individuals who kept the building in good repair and made sure that its students were clothed and fed properly。Then there is Lower Knoll。 A community of freed slaves in Ohio created by the son of a former slave owner by the name of Mr。 Colchester。 Jeanette story continues on as she figures the person she is 。。。more

Kathy Lane ，

Historical fictionWhat an excellent account of a journey taken by a slave loved dearly by her master and treated horribly by his wife。 I learned much about the Civil war。