Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

"The Indigo Girl" is a great example of what I wish all historical fiction could be. Far too often for my patience or taste, I'll start reading something that makes it clear that the author thought all you needed to do was state the year, slap some period clothes on your paper-doll characters, and make a quick trip to Wikipedia, and there you have historical fiction. You don't, and the number of stinkers that have appeared in the genre in recent years has practically ruined historical fiction for me until one like this comes along. Not having known Eliza Pinckney's maiden name (so not recognizing the name Lucas), I actually didn't realize this was about "that" Eliza (whom I know only because I'm a huge American history buff) until about a third of the way through the book when the character started sounding similar to her. Besides knowing that she turned indigo into a major cash crop for the colonies -- an accomplishment that's a LOT more important than it sounds -- I knew nothing about her life. I would have enjoyed the book just as much if it were not based on real life. The love story is beautiful and heart-grabbing without pulling cheap punches like unnecessarily schmaltzy situations or dialogue, and without trying to pander to our present-day voracity for sexuality by having the characters behave in ways they would not have, given the mores of the times. Again, good historical fiction. While I know it has nothing to do with the words that are inside, I like the cover art in that the woman's face is indistinguishable, suggesting that she has more or less faded into history. It's a shame this woman does not more often rate a place among the most vital contributors to early America, male or female.