The Indigo Girl

A Novel

By: Natasha Boyd

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

In this incredible story of ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice, an extraordinary sixteen-year-old girl in Colonial South Carolina defies all expectations to achieve her dream.

The year is 1739. Eliza Lucas is sixteen years old when her father leaves her in charge of their family’s three plantations in rural South Carolina and then proceeds to bleed the estates dry in pursuit of his military ambitions. Tensions with the British, and with the Spanish in Florida, just a short way down the coast, are rising, and slaves are starting to become restless. Her mother wants nothing more than for their South Carolina endeavor to fail so they can go back to England. Soon her family is in danger of losing everything.

Upon hearing how much the French pay for indigo dye, Eliza believes it’s the key to their salvation. But everyone tells her it’s impossible, and no one will share the secret to making it. Thwarted at nearly every turn, even by her own family, Eliza finds that her only allies are an aging horticulturalist, an older and married gentleman lawyer, and a slave with whom she strikes a dangerous deal: teach her the intricate thousand-year-old secret process of making indigo dye and in return—against the laws of the day—she will teach the slaves to read.

So begins an incredible story of love, dangerous and hidden friendships, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.

Based on historical documents, including Eliza’s letters, this is a historical fiction account of how a teenage girl produced indigo dye, which became one of the largest exports out of South Carolina, an export that laid the foundation for the incredible wealth of several Southern families who still live on today. Although largely overlooked by historians, the accomplishments of Eliza Lucas influenced the course of US history. When she passed away in 1793, President George Washington served as a pallbearer at her funeral.

This book is set between 1739 and 1744, with romance, intrigue, forbidden friendships, and political and financial threats weaving together to form the story of a remarkable young woman whose actions were before their time: the story of the indigo girl.

©2017 Natasha Boyd (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Maarleveld characterizes Eliza so well that listeners will feel they know her, and understand her complex emotions and struggles to succeed in a man’s world. Her excellent reading enlivens a large cast…Pacing is spot on.” - Booklist

“….fully transports the listener to a different time and place.” - AudioFile

My Best “Read”

Since my vision is deteriorating, I have turned to audibles selections to enjoy literature. The Indigo Girl was wonderfully entertaining and enlightening as to the history of Charleston, one of my favorite areas. That said, the author created a story based on fact and allowed a look at the role of women of the time period. The loves of Eliza, the difficulty of some plantation owners who respected and cared for their slaves, the disrespect for intelligent resourceful women held by many.. even other women of the time period. All woven together into a story that will challenge you to hold onto your emotions. The reader interprets the writing superbly and I will look for other stories that she performs. I so obviously recommend this novel.

Female Hero

This book was AMAZING!!! Natasha Boyd turly captured the HERO Eliza was/is. She showed that women had a mind in a day when women were property of their husbands. How she stood up to her mother and not married until she found a man who respected her and her brillent mind. How one women single handedly change South Carolina for the better. How she and many people from Charleston, at that time, respected "slaves" by "taking down the wiping post" and not beating them, teaching "Negros" to read and write when it was against the law, and allowing them to stay together as a family on plantations. Then allowed them to buy their freedom and property. This wasn't the case in a lot of the South. Yes, I am sure other states had good "slave owners" but Charlestonians are known to have been kinder to their slaves.
This book MUST be come a movie! Both white and black people need to learn more than one very ungly side of history during the development of the United States of America.

Worth the purchase

I enjoyed the fictional story of a historical person I had never heard of before. It was worth the purchase.

thumbs up

Thanks for portraying a fascinating girl worth of our admiration. I highly recommend! there's a lot to learn from Eliza Lucas

Very Enjoyable

Unreasonable mother pushing abusive money grabbing, property hoarding, suitors at our sixteen year heroine, Eliza Lucas. Yeah, that about summonizes the novel, still it’s worth the two days of your life to read the novel.

Eliza has been given the reins of her family’s three plantations while her two younger brothers study in England and her father goes off to Antigua to fight a war against the Spanish.

Eliza at home has to fight the slave masters, who refused to follow directions about flogging the slaves, raping the women slaves and following simple requests of movement of slave when she needs help.

Eliza then has a mother who has suitors show up at the door, immediately want to help reorganise the slaves and planting, to the point Eliza asks them to pack their bags and leave.

Then her saving grace is her set of friends who do believe in her, want her to do well and will she in the end?

I loved the book. I found some parts historically questionable. It’s still worth the read.

The narration was slow and I put it at 1.25 and didn’t lose anything in story.

Beautifully written

I enjoyed this very much! I want to thank the author for telling Elizas story.

Historical fiction informed by facts

This book is based on the history of indigo production in South Carolina, and tells the story of a brilliant and brave girl who refused to conform to patriarchal and racist 18th-century social standards. It is full of adventure, heartbreak, and romance, with strong faith and a little bit of the mystical thrown in for flavor. It kept me awake to finish listening, and the narrator was absolutely perfect.

Deeply Felt

I could feel all of the protagonist's emotions. It was beautifully written and read. Very special story, told so well.

Fascinating Story

I thought this was a fascinating story about a dark time in US history. It makes me want to learn more about the main character Eliza Pinckney & her roll in US history during the time of slavery. Based on the authors research she sounds like a woman of compassion for all human beings & saw the cruelty inflicted on dark skinned people for what it was. She made an effort to lift up those who were enslaved & working on her families plantation with a vision to set them free & pay them for the services they provided.

Worth the read / listen .....

Although I felt the story began slowly, I soon became hooked and eager to spend time each day listening as the story and characters developed. Quite enjoyable!