Ti Marie

Valerie Belgrave
iUniverse (2007)
ISBN 9780595440429
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (1/08)


“Ti Marie” takes you into the late 1700s, into the lives of a family living on the island of Trinidad.  Initially, living on the island was very rough and involved a lot of hardships, especially to the people who weren’t originally from there.  This was the case for Don Diego de las Flores and his family.  He went to Trinidad to develop his Santa Clara cocoa estate.  When he lost his wife, a mystical island woman, named Yei, stepped in and helped his family.  Yei, also known as a healer, carried herself very regally.  When she has twin daughters, one white, one black, the islanders believe that they are very powerful. 

Both daughters are beautiful, however, Elena, the black one, has a special beauty that makes her stand out.  This attracts the attention of Barry Wingate, an English aristocrat, who is hiding out on the island while his family is having murder charges against him dropped.  Barry and Elena fall for each other; however, due to his family obligations, he feels he is unable to act upon it.  It would be unheard of for an Englishman of nobility to marry a black woman.  He thinks that she would be miserable in England.

There are also other relationships on the Santa Clara estate that need resolution and healing.  Valerie Belgrave draws you into the heart of each one.  Further upsetting the personal relationships, consequences of the war switch the power of the island over to a very cruel man.  He has no sympathy towards the slaves and is so cruel to them, that he forces many to become violent and revolt.  The people of Santa Clara do not share his sentiments, but in spite of this, they are also seriously affected by this man’s actions.  The lives of the free blacks are also affected.  Seeing the cruelty that is inflicted on innocent people really helps Barry to grow up.   Much has to be done to overcome the damage that this evil man has wrecked upon this peaceful place.

“Ti Marie” is a beautiful story.  It is also very heart-wrenching.  If you are looking for a light, fluffy novel to read, this is not the one for you.  I have to admit, that this story drew tears to my eyes, several times.  Belgrave brings “Ti Marie” alive so that the people are real.  She develops their characters and draws them close to your heart.  The main characters have to endure great hardships, yet this also adds to their depth of character.  I am really glad that I had a chance to read a novel of this quality.  The lore of the people of Trinidad and the devastation caused by slavery are both infused throughout the story.  I highly, highly recommend this novel to fans of quality historical fiction.  Belgrave will not let you down.

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