This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Bittersweet - that's probably the world that best describes this book to me. It was a story of love, family, joy and ideals, but it was also a story of heartache, struggle, bitterness, loss and pain, the story of a future that could have been but wasn't meant to be.

In 1934, British Guiana, Mary Grace is the "coloured" teenage girl of two white sugar plantation owners. Although she knows that they cannot be her biological parents, she waits patiently to be old enough for her mother to reveal the secret of her birth. Her mother is a controlling person but she does allow Mary Grace to take all opportunities life as given her and make the most of her gift : music. Music is an important aspect of Mary Grace's life at the beginning of the book, although it slowly fades away.
At 16, Mary Grace meets Jock Campell, a revolutionary white plantation owner, whose interest in reforming the system to improve the workers' life conditions couldn't be further from Mary Grace's concerns which are to stay out of politics and play music. I didn't really liked her: Ifound her to be quite selfish and though it was sad that she didn't get more involved in plantations' reform, as she had so much potential. Unfortunately, as her interest in this topic was limited, the reader didn't learn as much about the labourers' condition as one might wish.
Jock Campbell, on the contrary, was a remarkable and likeable character which I wish I learnt more about, especially since I learnt at the end of the book that he has a real person - one we should hear more about! I'm in awe of what he has achieved and the sacrifices he has done in his life. I wish I knew more about what the real Jock Campell thought of his life in his old days. His life was definitely an example for us all, but it didn't go with sacrifices... Hence a very bittersweet story (hopefully more in the fictitious story than in his real life).

On a side note, for those who liked this book and who speak French, I highly recommend "Le Souffle des Marquises", by Muriel Bloch. It's the story of a young girl, also passionate about music, who also fell in love with a deeply passionate man, who had to make sacrifices, and who has to deal with racism one century earlier than Mary Grace. This was also a bittersweet read, where you can get to see the main character grow up and make hard choices. Reading it gave me precisely the same emotions as "The Girl from the Sugar Plantation" - these are two of the rare books which give me nostalgia at the end...

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

I apologise for the length of time it has taken me to review this. This was a beautifully written story which captivated me from the very beginning. Clearly the author did a lot of research and it shows - I felt like I did actually learn a bit more history by reading this! Would definitely read this author again

A beautifully written, fascinating book. I really enjoyed reading this book. Mary Grace had an amazing life. Her story held me captivated the whole way through. There has obviously been a lot of research put into this book. I learnt a lot about that era of history that I did not know. This book is really well written and easy to read. I will definitely be reading more books by Sharon Maas.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish this book which means I will not be able to review it. I truly appreciate the opportunity and apologize for the inconvenience the lack of review may cause you.

Haunting beautiful and thought provoking. I was immersed in the setting and culture this book is not one that will be easily forgotten. Crossing continents and racial division this book is incredible!
Heart rendering but yet mesmerizing a definite reread.
Pub Date 19 Oct 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl from the Sugar Plantation is the final book in The Quint Chronicles, it follows The Secret Life of Winnie Cox and The Sugar Planter’s Daughter – but it is absolutely a standalone novel. How can I be sure? Because I read and fully enjoyed it without reading the previous two novels. Whereas the previous two novels focus on Winnie Cox, Mary Grace’s aunt, this novel branches off and gives you the life of Mary Grace. What I will say is, this novel is such a delightful read, it will make you want to read the other two – they are firmly now on my wish-list, along with The Small Fortune of Dorothea Q, which is a further branch off story of one of the characters we meet in this novel. I hope that’s put this novel in context for you, if not – all you need know is: it’s good, read it!

My initial pull to this novel was its location, Georgetown, Guyana – the birthplace of my father, and it made me so happy to learn more about Guyana through this novel. It’s always a beautiful touch when you read something in a novel that resonates with you in real life, for example, my dad has long been a fan of the sport of cricket, and every time these characters went to play cricket, it made me think of my dad and the times, as a little girl, I would go and watch him play. I toyed with the idea of playing myself, until I was hit in the face with a cricket ball! This novel certainly had a sentimental pull to it and I thank Maas for really allowing the culture of Guyana to shine through in her storytelling.

But that’s not to say you need this sentimental value to enjoy this novel, The Girl from the Sugar Plantation is a touching read, rich in history and characters, creating a pleasant reading experience for all. With strong themes of social injustice and prejudice, Mary Grace struggles to find her place in a world where skin colour determines your social status. Being mixed-race, her mother said she cannot marry a black man because that would mean to marry down in social status and that simply will not do, but to upper white class society, her skin is simply too dark.

Set against the backdrop of the onset of the second world war, this novel is also a coming-of-age story for Mary Grace and Maas does a brilliant job of developing her character, from her somewhat sheltered life to the harsh realities of the society she lives in. Where love is not as simple as it should be, where family secrets threaten to tear her world apart.

Winnie was my favourite character in this novel, a confidant to all, a strong woman who knows her own mind. But I did enjoy the portrayal of Jock’s character, his determination to right the wrongs of his family but he’s about to find out just how hard it is for change to come from above – from a white privileged background, can Jock be a catalyst for change?

I’d recommend The Girl from the Sugar Plantation to anyone who enjoys reading family sagas, enjoys meeting members of the family from each generation and most importantly, enjoys meeting a fictional family whose dynamic and life-stories are interesting and a pleasure to read about. I look forward to reading all the books in The Quint Chronicles.

I could not get into this novel. I had not read the other two in the series so that we probably a factor although this was to be a stand alone.

I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed The Quint Chronicles and I will really miss all the characters in the series, especially Winnie.

This book concentrates on Mary Grace, and her tragic and yet uplifting story. She grows up as a mixed-race daughter of two white people in Guyana. Obviously, questions are asked as she gets older and tries to figure out how this can be. What follows is a rather complicated book where a lot of things are not what they seem, but throughout it all, Grace remains strong, passionate and yet very caring. Her Aunt Winnie is her rock, and she is the matriarch of her family, a widow with seven sons.

There are a lot of cultural shifts and changes happening in Guyana at the time this book is set and to say that it is a tumultuous period in that country's history, is an understatement. What I like about this story is that the character of Jock Campbell was a real person, and the author has done a great job of melding fact with fiction.

I am really pretty sad that we have come to the end of this series because I have enjoyed it so much. I have laughed, cried and sighed along with the characters. All of them have added to the richness of this novel and the author has a wonderful gift of storytelling; she really makes you feel like you are right there.

Highly recommended from me, 4.5 stars.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Mary Grace is the MC in this wonderful story. She is of mixed-race in a country and era where racial relations were quite tense and racial prejudice was the norm. All non-white races are treated poorly as low class citizens. Mary Grace lives with her adopted mother who is white. However, she doesn’t totally fit into her mom’s circles because of her skin color. Right from the first page, I was drawn to Mary Grace. Her struggles with identity and acceptance tugged at my heart-string. I also enjoyed reading about her love for music. The racial relations are a key aspect of this story and the author does an excellent job in helping readers understand all the struggles undergone by the different races at the time.

There were quite a number of wonderful characters in this book. Winnie, Mary Grace’s aunt is such a force to reckon with. She is a strong character and I fell in love with her family. I am still torn about my feelings about Jock, confused about whether I like him or not. Let me just say that Maas carefully crafted each character in such a way that you can’t help but invest in them and their lives. They all evoked different emotions in me.

The pace in this story is well-balanced. The events take place over decades and the author masterfully takes readers through the change of time. There are a lot of joys and pains along the way. Nevertheless, this is quite a beautiful, emotional read. As I have mentioned, it can be read as a standalone but I still think that it is best to read all three books in order. Interestingly, I thought this is purely fiction until I got to the end of the book and found out it was actually a mix of facts and fiction. The first thing that I noticed was the mention of the origin of the Booker Literary prize. It turns out that some of the characters such as Jock Campbell and Cheddi Jaggan are real life people. If you enjoy this type of historical fiction, then you definitely need to read the Quint chronicles by Sharon Maas.

The Girl from the Sugar Plantation is a gripping and compelling read, where fact meet fiction and a wonderful story arises.

The plot is based on factual events, on the sugar plantations in Guyana and the life of the people at the time. Many of the characters are also real people, who made a difference or had an impact on the lives of people. The story is well written and brings out the emotions of the people in the story. It will draw you in and keep you hooked until the very end.

The reader has the pleasure of meeting Mary Grace, a strong willed girl who learns to believe that there is more to life than the one she leads on the sugar plantation. As the story progresses, we see her grow and blossom into a wonderful woman with a burning passion for life. We are exposed to the brutality of life, the concept of slaves and workers, the upper class society and a certain level of superiority based on color of the skin. The author exposes us to the shocking truth and mindset of the people, and the ideas behind revolutions and changes. Jock is a strongly described character with an interesting mindset and a set goal in life. He is willing to sacrifice love for his goal.

The supporting characters in Mary Grace's mother, her aunt, her cousins and the secrets they hold only seek to expose us to the reality of life and the people. The strength and unity, the confidence and pride they have for and in each other is inspiring. The impact of the Second World War on the world and lives of people is portrayed really well and it is sure that the reader will be able to experience an array of emotions.

The choices a person makes at different stages in life shapes their life and this is seen clearly through the decisions of the people in the book. This story will stay with you until the end and after, leaving behind a deeper impact and food for thought.

By Sharon Mass

Unforgettable. This historical book has prejudice, hate, in justice along with music, truth, self reliance and preservation. It is beautifully written and a most wonderful conclusion to a great series.

5☆ Simply Perfect!

The Girl From The Sugar Plantation is the third and final book in the Series.
However my first book by Sharon Maas.
I had no problem settling straight into the story. In fact from the first few pages I was drawn in and hooked!

I'm seriously asking myself why is it that I have only just found out about Sharon Maas and her Captivating writing.
So if like me you are a newbie... I strongly suggest reading Sharon's Books.

The Girl From The Sugar Plantation is captivating, highly moving, a Poignant, evocative and Compelling read, full of history, which had me reading till the early hours.

I was blown away by how much I was effected by the story and the how Sharon made me feel. Sharon transported me to a time where there was cultural differences and social injustices and prejudices, which was powerfully written and left me thinking.

Young Grace is adopted. Grace is mixed-race and Growing up the wrong 'Skin Colour' to her parents she is subjected to lots of abuse. Her parents own the Sugar Plantation.
Her mother comes across as trying to protect Grace from being judged and picked on, but in turn she comes across as just worrying about her personal social stature.

Grace' s passion for music is a joy to see.
I loved Grace's determination and  strength as she battles her mother, falls into a Forbidden love, tries to uncover the secrets and lies of her family and battles the cruel world.

I can't praise The Girl From The Sugar Plantation enough!
This really is a fantastic, emotional, evocative read. Full of secrets and lies, heartache, family, forbidden love.
From the very first page I knew this book was going to be special.

I urge you to pick up this book, you won't be disappointed!!!

A perfect read for lovers of Historical Fiction, romance, war time themes.

As a lover of Historical Fiction, I was understandably very much intrigued when Bookouture approached me with an invitation to participate in an upcoming Blog Tour for Sharon Maas's latest novel The Girl From The Sugar Plantation.....


THOUGHTS
When we first meet 16 year-old Mary Grace amidst the sugarcanes of her ancestral plantation, the juxtaposition between her family's social standing and her perceived lower class personal standing due to her mixed race heritage is clear. On the one hand, she has been brought up as a young lady of the English upper classes; but destined to never be accepted by her peers she is unsure of her place in the world.

At times, her behaviour seems spoiled & brattish, as she pouts & wheedles to ensure her mother capitulates to her every whim; but in reality I think the strained relationship with her mother combined with the constant bombardment of racist treatment has left her having no option but to construct this veneer.

Young and naive as she is, Mary Grace is a likeable character, who ultimately aspires for a better fairer life for those around her as well as herself.

As we learn more about the difficulties of being both a young woman and of mixed race in 1930s British Guyana, it is all too clear that Mary Grace is going to have to struggle to find a place where she feels that she 'fits'.

The author's passion for both place and time is made obvious by the way her well-researched factual findings are seamlessly woven into the fabric of this thought-provoking, tale evocative of the era.

Whilst this particular book can be read as a stand-alone novel, it is in fact the third offering in Maas's The Quint Chronicles trilogy and having enjoyed The Girl From The Sugar Plantation, I fully intend to read both The Secret Life of Winnie Cox and The Sugar Planter’s Daughter to find out more of the family's backstory, as well as reading ahead into the future with The Small Fortune of Dorothea Q.


RATINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Maas presents a tale as perfectly woven as the fluid green silk of Mary Grace's concert debut gown, her descriptive prose brings the landscape and feelings of the era to life and the story is as full and rich as that skirt.

I rate this touching and enthralling tale 4 out of 5 sugar-encrusted stars.

An utterly compelling and evocative story about the heart-breaking choices men and women had to make during a time of unimaginable change. Perfect for fans of The Secret Wife and Island of Secrets, lovers of Historical Fiction, and those interested in the history surrounding the British sugar trade.



DISCLOSURE
I received a digital copy of The Girl From The Sugar Plantation, from Bookouture via NetGalley and free of charge, for the purpose of supplying an honest review and participating in this blog tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Girl from the Sugar Plantation transports you back to a time where the British ruled the plantations in Guyana. You follow the story of Mary Grace who is a mixed race daughter of white plantation owners as she grows up, discovers first love and the history of her family.
Mary Grace is very aware of her standing in life due to the colour of her skin but this does not stop her wanting more. Controlled by a mother who is determined that Mary Grace will “marry up” despite her heritage you witness the struggle for her to break free. Even with the issues that race still throws up today, you do tend to forget that in the 1930’s skin colour played an even greater part in society and how you were accepted.
I absolutely loved Aunt Winnie and her brood. Winnie had married beneath her (or at least that is what society at the time believed) by falling for then marrying a coloured man. Over time she had fought her way back into society by refusing to let others dictate what was acceptable. She also adored Mary Grace and encouraged her to go for her dreams. Family secrets that could have wrecked the bond between them actually made them closer.
For me the story started slowly but despite this I couldn’t put the book down as I became drawn into the lives of the plantation owners and their families. Intertwined with the family saga are the details of the changing social & political landscape of the time. I have a real fascination with history so finding out that a couple of the characters in this book actually existed in real life and quite a bit of what they were involved in was based on facts was a real bonus for me and shows the level of attention to detail that the author went to in order to capture that period in time.
The Girl from the Sugar Plantation is the third book in the Quint Chronicles but I will admit it is the first one I have read. That being said it seemed to work well as a stand-alone story and I had no problems following it, but I do now think that I will have to hunt down the first two books to complete the set just to see what I have missed out on.

I have got to say what a really lovely, elegant cover for this book! It really makes you want to pick it up and delve into the story!

This is a completely different genre of book to the usual book I would read but it has completely opened my eyes reading books like this one! I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was much better than I had thought!

So this is the final part of the series but as I hadn't read the previous two books I definitely agree that this can be read as a standalone book. It doesn't take you long to get familiar and catch up with the story so far.

The story itself is utterly heartwarming and extremely emotional. I loved the character Mary Grace, we see her go through a lot and my heart went out to her - all she wanted was to know the truth about her parents and find that sense of belonging. It's been a pretty tough time for her.

I really loved the letter at the end of the book from Grace to her Aunt Winnie really made me smile.

You should definitely give this book a read if you haven't already it is really eye opening, and so easy to read! Once you pick it up and start to read it, it is very hard to put it down!

I have loved all Sharon Mass's books and this does not disappoint. A stunning story. A continuation of the wonderful saga of the Quint family. Following Mary Grace and the mystery of her heritage - mixed race to white parents. The descriptions of British Guyana are magical and your senses become alive reading this as the writer so cleverly brings the sights and scents alive. This is book three and brings the saga to a satisfying ending. I would recommend starting with book one to really love the characters and understand the background of the wonderful Aunt Winnie and Mary Graces journey but this can definitely be a stand-alone.

BRITISH GUIANA in 1934 was a time of financial wealth for white planters; while a time of abject poverty for the black and coloured workers. Mary Grace, was raised in the world of the white planters, as an adopted daughter; but knew the injustice of being coloured, looked down upon, being called awful names or just ignored. Her mother said Mary was weak, a jellyfish. Secrets his truth. Would love and support allow Mary Grace to stand and strike back, as jellyfish are known to do?
Stellar characters and storyline make this a gripping, page turning dramatic read! The last in a series. I have to read the previous books. Would also like to read a follow-up book about Mary. 4 1/2 stars.
Voluntarily read ARC, through Netgalley and publisher, for honest review