Worthy Brown’s Daughter by Phillip Margolin
Harper Publishing 2014
ISBN: 978-0062195340 — Hardcover 352 pgs. $26.99
Annotation: Matthew Penny hopes to win redemption in court for free man Worthy Brown’s daughter after her Master reneges on an earlier promise to free her.
Summary: This is a richly-detailed, historical legal thriller capturing the wild frontier of Oregon shortly after statehood is granted. Though his chances for success appear slim, young attorney and recent widower Matthew Penny agrees to help Worthy Brown bring suit against his former owner, Caleb Barbour for reneging on his promise to free Worthy’s teenage daughter, Roxanne. The novel is based upon an actual court case. This was a groundbreaking story at a time in history when free men of color did not bring suit against white men.
Matthew recognizes he and Worthy are the same inside. Both men require emancipation from the guilt they carry for failing the women they love. In the story, Matthew’s fledgling law practice is certain to benefit if he succeeds on Worthy’s behalf. A rich businessman (with a lovely daughter of a marriageable age)expresses interest in hiring Matthew to represent his business interests. Though Matthew is touched by meeting Heather Gillette, he is mired in self-recriminations for Rachel’s death and stuck in his grief.
Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this novel because I love a good story where I can pull for the underdog. Here, both Worthy Brown and Matthew Penny are underdogs. Matthew Penny
recognizes himself as a broken-spirited man in the person of free man, Worthy Brown. His heart broke when his wife, Rachel, died on the Oregon Trail; Worthy’s heart broke when Caleb Barbour failed to free his daughter, Roxanne. Matthew carries the blame for his wife’s death, and in some sense, he seeks redemption from his own guilt by earning Roxanne’s freedom in court. Only by exonerating himself from the past can Matthew hope to see himself worthy of loving and being loved once again. I guess I’m also a sap for an old-fashioned love story; though, this is tangential to the legal, historical storyline.
Rating Scale 1 – 10: 8.5
Genre: Historical fiction. Legal, suspense thriller.
Appeal Factors:
The storyline is character-driven and intricately plotted.
The novel unspools at a measured pace.
The tone of the story is haunting and heart-wrenching. Overall, I found the story thought-provoking and suspenseful.
I found the writing style compelling, descriptive, and dialogue-rich.
Booktalking Ideas:
Worthy Brown’s Daughter would be an appropriate selection for a booktalk highlighting various reading suggestions related to Black History Month.
Book Discussion Ideas:
Worthy Brown’s Daughter would be an appropriate selection to discuss during Black History Month.
Read-alikes:
The Known World by Edward P. Jones
A Million Nightingales by Susan Straight
The Purchase by Linda Spalding
The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier
TAGS: Oregon, free man, slavery, historical fiction, legal fiction, widowers
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