Daughter of Conflict – Jennifer DeBruin

Inspired by true events

Isolated on the frontier of colonial Deerfield, Massachusetts, Sarah yearns to know what lies beyond the distant hills — beyond her strict Puritan life.

What she does not know is that her family lies dangerously exposed to those with ambitions to rid the land of the English.

Lurking amidst the majestic beauty, which captivates her imagination, their enemies, the French and their Native allies, await the opportunity to strike.

With the enemy at hand, Sarah learns what lies beyond, but it is nothing as she imagined or dreamed, for she awakens into a nightmare.

Specs:

ISBN 978-0-9947461-2-2
Trade Paperback | 290 Pages | Dimensions: 9 × 6 in
Full colour, laminate cover; natural colour interior pages
Genre: Fact-Based Historical Fiction
Original Publication Date: 2015
Language: English
Printed in Canada

ORDER at your favourite online retailer OR for Signed Copies contact Author for details

Reader Feedback after History Links

Explore the History of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield, Massachusetts

Raid on Deerfield: The Many Stories (Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association/Memorial Hall Museum)

Historic Deerfield

1704 Raid on Deerfield (Canadian Encyclopedia)

Deerfield Massacre (American Heritage)

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(Plot revelations removed from reader feedback)

“This is a really well crafted book told from the perspective of a 12 year old girl taken hostage by French soldiers and their indigenous allies in Massachusetts in 1704. The hardships suffered as they walked to Quebec are visceral and you become deeply engaged as the story evolves. The ending had me in (happy) tears. A good read for all ages.” – Gail Walker (5 Star Amazon Review)

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“A remarkable history related in a manner that one can only imagine were the emotions felt initially. A very well written account.” M. Gibson

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Review in the Loyalist Gazette

NOTE: A few corrections in review (correct in book): Fort Chambly is on the Richelieu River, Deerfield is located on the Deerfield River (not Mohawk River), and also not set in Mohawk Valley – it is colonial Massachusetts.

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“I have just finished reading Daughter of Conflict and my first thought on closing it was “Wow”. Thank you so much for writing such a powerful and emotion-inspiring book! I have read many accounts of the early history of Canadian settlers, including your own ancestors, but never one told from a very personal perspective such as this. It recounts in a very visceral way the struggles, fear and experience of the conflicts between the French, English and First Nation peoples in their search for acceptance, dominance, understanding and retention of culture and identity. I wasn’t able to put it down and I will need to re-read it to comprehend fully all the details and characters, whose lives you so vividly portray. Sincere congratulations on this book. I can only wish for more!” – Linda Halliday

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“Just a little note to let you know I just finished the book Daughter of Conflict and it is such a great story. Easy to read and a page turner for me.” – France Taylor

Awesome book about the French and Indian War era. The story takes place in Deerfield, CT and is in the midsts of the French and Indians raiding and taking prisoners. This book is considered historical Fiction and is based on the author’s actual ancestors. – B. Ozog

“Just finished Daughter of Conflict. Wow!!! Awesome reading, very emotional, very intense!!! Great reading!!! Well done!!!” – Cheryl Tourangeau

“Just finished a fantastic book, a North American historical fiction/creative nonfiction drama set in the early 1700s. Jennifer DeBruin’s “Daughter of Conflict” is a must read. Outstanding! Well done, Jennifer. Chronicalling the life of the author’s ancestors in the Puritan community of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Sarah Allen was only 12 in 1704 when the joint French and Mohawk troops invaded and sacked Deerfield, taking over 100 Deerfield residents hostage. After a months-long trek north, the hostages that survived the trek were either assimilated into Mohawk communities or adopted into the French Catholic communities. Sarah was one of the hostages and her fate was marked by her determination to survive, even if, at times, the cruelty of the attackers numbed her with grief and disbelief.

Jennifer DeBruin has written a powerful story about conflict and survival in the very rugged and often frightening era of early colonial North America. She leads the reader along the long trek, introducing the reader to the hardships the captives, the hostages, endured along the way. The story is brutally honest and historically accurate. A fantastic historical tale made all the more compelling by the simple fact that the story is true and the story is connected to the author’s ancestry. Well done!” – Emily-Jane Hills Orford, Award-Winning Author

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“…you must have been an emotional wreck while writing this because it invoked such emotion in me. I knew nothing of the history of Deerfield or the plight of the people there. Thank you for the history lesson and for sharing Sarah’s story. It is truly unbelievable what she went through. Thank you for yet again taking me on a journey – a journey that left me teary eyed, speechless, terrified and wanting to know more. Sarah will remain with me for a very long time. She shines through you Jennifer. Determination defines you both. Bravo, bravo, bravo!!” – Susan Seymour

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“I read your book and I thought it was amazing! Your writing is so descriptive; your unbelievable ability to illustrate the raw emotions of the character makes the reader feel like we are there with Sarah on her journey. I couldn’t put the book down…I was hoping the story wouldn’t end and maybe a sequel in the works?” – J. Heagle