The Underground River

I was thrilled to get an ARC of The Underground River, Martha Conway's third novel. I was thrilled because I had bought her first two and had become a fan of her writing. In each of her novels, Martha captures a period of American history, that could easily be forgotten. It's one thing to read an academic text on the subject. It's another to become immersed in some of the characters of the day and what they are hoping to achieve. What I especially love about the author's stories is her portrayal of ordinary people with hopes and dreams that we can relate to.

In The Underground River, May Bedloe, a seamstress for her cousin, an aging and still aspiring actress, finds herself out of work when an abolitionist appears on the scene and gives her cousin the job of speechmaking for the cause. Determined to find her way without her cousin by her side, she becomes involved with The Floating Theatre, a showboat on the Ohio river. She meets a variety of people, both off and on stage, some savory and others not. One of them is Hugo, the director, who develops more than a passing interest in her.

During the showboat's tour of small towns, May learns about the plight of slaves in the south and how abolitionists are working to set them free. May is an intriguing protagonist, not only because she is insecure but also because she is annoyingly honest when honesty is not the best policy. Though timid in general, May surprises the reader with her resourcefulness and personal sacrifice.

Author Martha Conway's writing is both fluid and colorful. I was swept along the river with all the delightful characters. The seriousness of the subject is well balanced by the lightness of some of the performers' escapades on The Floating Theatre. Having acted myself on stage in the past, I can say that the scenes are believable and well characterized.

A highly recommended read. I was sorry when the story ended. I wanted to keep reading about May.