1820: Mercy, the orphan of an African prince, is uprooted from her life when her benefactor dies. She goes to live with Dr and Mrs Stephens who are relatives of her former friend. They espouse anti slavery rhetoric yet continue to patronise her. One night she meets Matthew, a black man who has been searching for his sister, stolen by slave traders...
Daughter of the Shipwreck is an historical novel set in 1820 which is 13 years before the UK outlawed slavery. At the beginning of the book we see two siblings ripped away from their village. However, the focus of this book is not the slave trade but the attitudes and identities surrounding black people in London.
Class and race are important themes in this book. The Stephens' are patronising in their treatment of Mercy while ardently supporting the abolition campaign. The other servant in the household sees Mercy as privileged at first and dislikes her for her snooty behaviour rather than the colour of her skin.
Mercy has been protected and respected by her late benefactor. She is unprepared for the attitudes of others and this separates her from the other servants as well as the Stephens'. I was not clear if they are giving her a wage or simply giving her food and lodging in exchange for domestic and administrative work.
Matthew's journey has been more fraught with danger as he searches for his sister which has taken him to unsavoury characters and locations. He is frequently rejected and reviled but his focus on his search gives him a passion to survive.
Daughter of the Shipwreck is a thought provoking novel about class and race issues in the past.

After multiple attempts to connect with this story, I have had to admit defeat and mark as dnf. Really disappointed as the premise was so promising.

This book just did not do it for me. I really wanted to like this story of Mercy and how she came to live in London with only snippets of memory of the past. I wanted to like the story, I wanted to like the characters, but I couldn't. The plot line has so many holes and we have to rely on a LOT of chance meetings to make this all work.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this advanced readers copy. This book released August 10, 2021.

Sadly I'm DNF this one , I've tried 4 times to get into it and only got to 40 pages in.Which is upsetting because historical fiction is one of the genres I love to read.

Brother Matondo and sister Malu are separated by slave traders raiding Africa. Somehow rescued, Malu, now named Mercy, is raised gently and has become educated and comfortable in her new life. But the nagging memories of her mother and the intrusion of people she had previously trusted bring her wonderings about her real beginnings. Well written with many unexpected plot twists.

Lora Davies’ writing plays with the reader’s senses from the first turn of the page – from the children’s familiar market stalls, to the streets of London – transporting you into the heart of the novel and very soon wrapping you up in the story that takes place in 1980s London but in reality spans a lifetime.

Historical fiction has long been a favourite genre of mine and Davies’ Daughter of the Shipwreck did not disappoint. The novel is split between two narratives; one follows Mercy as she travels from the late Mrs Whitworth’s to her new home with Dr Stephens and his wife Catherine, while the other follows Mat, a young Black sailor who is seeking revenge. It isn’t long before Mercy has settled into her new home and is supporting Catherine with her campaign to abolish slavery but in a sudden turn of events, she finds herself unsure of who she is and where she belongs.

A novel about identity, race, slavery, family and love, Daughter of the Shipwreck is a rewarding story that delivers all it promises to and more!

I liked this book. It was set at a very interesting time in British history which the author brought to life vividly. I liked and cared about Mercy, the main character. However it never really made sense to me why she would be attracted to Doctor Stephens. I think the story could have been more successful if if the author presented him as a father figure rather than a romantic interest. Their relationship was a little creepy, and maybe it was supposed to be. I really felt for the brother, Mat. He seemed to be a nice guy who lived a very hard life but remained devoted to his sister. He was the heartbreaking character of the story. Mercy was supposed to be; but, as much as I liked her, I did not pity her the way I did Mat.
I hope the author decides to write a sequel. I would love to read about the next phase of Mat's life. I found him to be the more intriguing character in this novel. The book was well written; characters well developed; time period well researched. I want to read more about these people.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy of the of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks for allowing me to read this Arc.
I absolutely loved it. Two children, brother and sister, separated by slave traders. The brother, being the elder, screams to his little sister that he will find her. Does he? Read on to track their journeys. Absolutely brilliant.

This debut novel by Lora Davies is an emotional & thought provoking #historicalfictionnovel shining light on struggles that happened in our world’s history that hurt my soul. Class & race are in the forefront. Family secrets; siblings finding their way back to one another when they should’ve never been ripped apart; struggles to find identity.. so much speaks to you in this novel that’s given me more reason to adore a genre I didn’t use to.

When Mrs Whitworth died, nineteen-year-old Mercy was sent to live with Dr Stephens and his abolitionist wife Catherine in London. Mercy helped Catherine with her work, all the while knowing she was the orphaned daughter of an African prince, left with an inheritance she would receive when she turned twenty-one. But dreams or memories flickered through her now and then, and Mercy felt uncertain; sure something wasn’t right with the Stephens’.

Matondo had arrived off the latest ship he’d been working on, into London, determined, as he had been since he was a child, to avenge his sister who was stolen from him back in Africa. All he had was the date the ship sailed, and the name of the vessel Malundama had been on. It was a slave ship, and he shuddered at what he thought she would have been through. When he discovered the ship had gone down with all hands bar a few crew, Mat was shattered. His sister was dead – he would never see her again. He needed to find those who were left and kill them.

As Mat searched for those responsible, first one man then a second were found dead. It appeared that someone was doing all they could to stop word getting out about what happened fifteen years prior. Would that danger come to Mat and Mercy as well?

Set in 1806 and 1821, Daughter of the Shipwreck by Lora Davies is a remarkable tale of black slavery, the terrible things those involved would do to have more money in their pockets, and the trauma of those who survived to tell the tale. The two small children and the terrors they faced: but not just them – whole shiploads of slaves. I enjoyed the characters of Mercy and Mat, Joe and Bridget. Daughter of the Shipwreck is one I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Mercy is nineteen years of age and is living in the household of Dr. Stephens and his wife Catherine. Mercy is the orphaned daughter of an African prince and Catherine is a fervent advocate for the abolition of slavery. Mercy is educated and has quite a few freedoms. However, there are certain limitations in her life, as well as rather poor treatment at times, and these are things that confuse her.

Mercy is more than eager to assist Catherine, but when she is paraded about in a degrading manner, she strives to pull back. Meanwhile, on a visit to a museum on occasion, she sees a painting that brings disturbing dreams and memories to mind. One day she goes someplace with Catherine's maid Bridget and that is when she meets a scruffy stranger - and this stranger shockingly tells her that she is his long-lost sister.

There are other facets to this story. One thing is that Mercy seems quite connected to Dr. Stephens and this takes time to work out. Also, she had a rift with Bridget and it is intriguing as to what draws the two togther. Furthermore, Mat's story begins to be told. Who is Mat? He is Matondo, or Matthew, and he has a significant role in this story. He is the stranger that introduced himself to Mercy. Where has Mat been and how is it that he is just now seeing Mercy?

This story shifts back to the time when the pair were young children, ripped from their lives in Africa and then each other. Mat vowed to find Mercy one day and that he did. This does not mean happiness for them, however. In fact, the challenges grow and that is what make this such a riveting story. Mat was filled with more than the desire to find Mercy. He is filled with revenge for the man that pulled them apart.

I thought this would be a slave story. In fact, I thought it would be written by a BIPOC author. It was neither. Instead, it is an incredible story of identity, family and bravery. It is quite a sensitive story of two people who needed to find one another again, but at a time that was full of prejudice, judgment and danger. Kudos to Lora Davies for penning such an impressive story, one that garnered deep emotion and thought.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Lora Davies writes historical fiction exactly how I think it should be written and this is a stunning debut novel.

The characters are front and centre of the historical context and the social commentary in this book. The characters are well-developed and jump off the page, and despite the obvious differences in their life when compared to my own, the empathetic style of writing, I definitely felt a connection to the characters, especially Mercy.

The author provides a lot of useful social commentary and historical context through the dialogue and relationships we see in the novel. We learn a lot about the role of women and the treatment of people of colour. As a black woman in early 19th century Britain, Mercy unfortunately realises her place but I still admired her bravery, strength and resilience. However, her close proximity to white women teaches her about possibilities for the future: “She had never realised that women could do so much”.

There is a beautiful balance in this book. There are times when it will make you so sad and angry, you may want to scream at the injustice of it all. However, there are moments that are filled with so much love, loyalty and hope, you’ll feel a warmth like you’ve just sat by a cosy fire.

This has been a beautifully written fictional exploration of the slave trade and what it meant to be a black woman living in 19th century Britain. I cannot wait to read more by this author!

A truly heart-breaking beginning to this book. Two children whose lives are torn apart by the destruction of their village and murder of its occupants, including their parents. Worse still, when they attempt to escape, they are captured.
Fast forward and we meet nineteen year old African princess Mercy. Mrs Whitworth, her benefactor, has just died. Now she is travelling to London to live with a cousin of Mrs Whitworth’s, a Doctor Stephens and his wife, where she will work in return for bed and board. Although things begin well, and Mercy feels welcomed, it is soon clear that Mrs Whitworth, at the forefront of the lobby trying to abolish slavery, is using Mercy for her cause. It’s also clear Dr Stephens is keeping secrets.
Seaman Mat is on a mission: to locate the captain of the ship who abducted his sister as a small child. Staying in London for a while, he meets Mercy quite by chance and realises she is his long lost sister

It’s a brilliant historical read, full of characters who bring an authentic feel of London in the early 1800s. It’s also a story wrapped in mystery and emotion – a must read for those who enjoy historical fiction.

My thanks to Bookouture, Lora Davies and Netgalley for an ARC of Daughter of the Shipwreck in return for an honest review.

The blurb got me intrigued, I must admit I haven’t really read many books dealing with slavery, which is what I thought this book was about. But it’s not. It touches on the abolition of slavery throughout the storyline via the Dr’s wife Catherine. Mainly the story focuses on brother and sister Mat and Mercy. They got separated as young children, Mercy has no recollection of this. Mat does, and all his life has fought to find her. One day he spots her in a pub in London. The story then starts to unravel revealing many dark secrets that people are dying to hide.

Daughter of the Shipwreck was a slow starter for me. Therefore I can only give it 4 stars. It took a while for me to warm to the characters and the storyline. Mercy seemed quite arrogant to start. I feel this is through a lack of understanding of the class system. But by the end, I did warm to her as she realised she was lied to her whole life. Mat is a fighter, he’s been dealt the bad card in life but shows strength and courage in his search for his sister. By around the middle, it got me hooked and the second half was going at full speed! I enjoyed the dual character aspect, reading about Mat and Mercy’s stories and how they intertwined. It ended up being an emotional story very well written.

Daughter of a Shipwreck is a story of siblings torn apart by the slave trade with an older brother vowing to reunite with his younger sister after being stolen from their ancestral home and separated at the slaver’s holding pens. The sister, Malundama, renamed Mercy by her benefactors fares better than her brother, Matondo aka Mat, because she eventually lands in the British countryside raised by a genteel, elderly woman who educates and raises her as a free person. Her background as an African princess is told to her (rather than remembered) and her suppressed early childhood trauma slowly emerges as clues about her true origins are revealed. Mat is resourceful, quick-thinking, and seizes opportunities to improve his lot by taking jobs on land and at sea, and does whatever he can to survive.

The story relies on a multitude of coincidences to connect the dots and move the plot. Although I’m not sure, I sense this book may be geared toward Young Adult or middle-grade readers because of its cursory exposition on the slave trade, bondage, and the true horrors of the trade. I admire the author’s homage to actual events, adherence to authentic cultural references, and presentation of the duplicitousness and controversy surrounding the politics of the era. At its core, it is a novel that embraces humanity and a brother’s promise to his sister.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher to allow me the pleasure of reviewing. Best of luck to the author!

This novel takes place in the 1800s and follows two siblings, Mercy and Mat, who were captured after their village was raided in Africa. With that, I want to let everyone know that THIS IS NOT A SLAVE STORY. I've seen many people say that they want to read historical fiction novels surrounding Black people that don't revolve around slavery, so I think this would be a nice change for some. While it touches on that topic, this book is much more than that.

Mercy has no memory of her homeland or that she even has a brother. She was raised in the United Kingdom by Mrs. Whitworth, who told her that her father was an African King who died and left her an inheritance for her upbringing and education. Though Mercy may get rugged looks from time to time, she does not know much about slavery or racism. She is a princess and has been groomed to be an educated and sophisticated young woman.

When Mercy's caretaker dies, she is moved to London where she will live with Dr. and Mrs. Stephens. She begins to work as an assistant for Ms. Stephens in her fight to end slavery. Ms. Stephens got several side-eyes from me during some of her conversations and speeches on abolishing slavery but....okay girl. What Mercy doesn't know is that Dr. Stephens has played a big role in her upbringing and knew her before she was taken in by Mrs. Whitworth.

Mat is Mercy's older brother and remembers being captured. He remembers his parents being slaughter and being shackled and forced to travel by boat to the UK. While his life has been much harsher to him than Mercy, he was able to escape slavery. While on the slave ships, Mat showed that he could be an asset by often helping out during travels. He has done all that he can do to survive while never forgetting his sister. He's already lost his parents and refuses to lose his sister too. He is determined to find her. The problem is, how can you find someone who doesn't know they're lost?

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Mercy wasn't my favorite person at first, but she eventually grew on me. From the very beginning, I got a sense of arrogance from Mercy. I tried to see things from her perspective, though. Mercy considers herself high-class, has no first-hand knowledge of slavery or the struggles that black people face, and feels like she is on the same level as everyone else she comes across and that others see her as equal. Not quite realizing that these people don't see her in the same light.

I loved Mat's dedication to finding his sister, his resilience. He's been dealt a rough hand, and he takes it in stride. Midway through, you start to see him lose hope. The author does a great job of portraying that to readers because I was trying hard not to shed a tear.

This was so a heart-wrenching, well written book, that I couldn't put it down. I must admit, I didn't like Mercy initially because of the way she treated and thought of others, but really liked the secondary characters like Mat, Joe, and Bridget. I found it gripping and especially liked how realistic the ending was. Its written in such a way that you get to see the life of both Mat and Mercy and told from each point of view which was nice. I have already been recommending this to family members

Incredible. This book broke me into a million pieces. As a white woman, I can never fathom the fear that black people, specifically African's, faced and endured. Lora Davies wrote such a beautiful book and I greatly enjoyed it.

“Daughter of the Shipwreck” is a first time read by Lora Davies, new author to this reader. Not often do I read stories related to this abolition/slavery, but the description was so compelling that I had to read it. Well I can say that it did not disappoint by no means and I thought it was a well-written historical fiction.

The story is of Mercy and Matt, two individuals who were torn apart from other another when their village in Africa was raided by slave traders and their family killed in the aftermath. Later, we find that Mercy is sent to work for a doctor’s wife who campaigns for the abolishment of slavery. Mat is a sailor who has been in search for his sister Mercy for quite some time and in the process hopes to eliminate the men who kidnapped her. It is not until Mercy and Mat cross paths that events are put into motion that could destroy all that Mercy thought was true. The story has its bit of mystery in that while Mat and Mercy are determined to find the kidnappers, someone else is eliminating those who hold the horrible secrets of their past and could they be the next to be silenced?

Oh, this was just a really good read for me. I loved that Mat and Mercy have their own stories to tell and how both stories intertwined with one another. The author does a great job of pulling this together so that the reader can relate to both characters. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and kept my attention to the end. It was a book I found hard to put down and totally recommend the read.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a fantastic epic story of a brother and sister, cruelly torn apart after being taken from their home for a life of slavery. The opening scene, set in Africa, was truly a heart wrenching read and I was eager to find out what had happened to the two young siblings.

I really felt as though I was pounding the streets of London with Mat and Mercy. Both characters were so well rounded and likeable, I really enjoyed getting to know them as their stories unfolded. I loved the mystery element too. It had me guessing as to what had really taken place on the ship all those years ago.

‘Daughter of the Shipwreck’ is a brilliantly written story, full of emotion, with characters that I’ll remember for a long time. If you enjoy historical fiction, this really is a must read!