SEA TIGERS AND MERCHANTS is the second novel in Sandra Wagner-Wright’s Salem Stories series. A work of historical fiction, it is inspired by the true-life stories of members of the Derby and Crowninshield families of Salem, Massachusetts in the late 18th century. During this period, Salem was the sixth largest city in the world and a powerhouse of maritime trade. Making their fortunes and building their empires are a number of key characters, the most notable being Elias Hasket Derby, who reputedly became America’s first millionaire. He has been building his father’s business overseas, and now, on his return to Salem, he is headstrong and empowered by his successful voyages. Captain George Crowninshield has founded a rival company to the Derbys, and though some of his own family work for the opposition, they are inextricably linked through marriage. There is intense rivalry both in business and in social standing.
The book is an epic narrative of ambition and familial intrigue. Though the plot moves slowly and deliberately, it allows Wagner-Wright to build her characters with emotional layers that resonate beyond mere action and reaction. The competitive yet complex Crowninshield brothers struggle to find their way out from the shadow of their father. Elias Hasket Derby, a man with his own father issues, displays drive and determination that are not always in his best interests. The novel excels in its depiction of female characters. Though their lives may lack the obvious dramas of those lived on the oceans, their tales are full of emotional heft and provide a believable insight into a period where the empire-building and war-mongering of men often overshadow female achievement.
Underpinning the narrative are ideas of the American Dream, perhaps in its early dawning. This is most clearly represented in the character of Lizzie, who arrives in Salem with nothing and works her way into society.
The story is revealed through the shifting points of view of its main characters, each section delineated by a heading with the character’s name and often their location. Their internal thoughts are shown by the use of italics, though these are often rather prosaic and, as a stylistic choice, distract more than they add. For example, Captain Nathaniel Silsbee, after showing his sister the sloop he has been sailing on, has an internal aside: “I need to get back aboard larger ships for longer voyages. I need money for adventure stakes. But needing and getting aren’t the same thing”—which would have worked more fluidly as part of a conversation or expressed by implication. Too often, these internal words merely repeat what the reader can easily glean from the speech and actions of the character.
Amidst the family upheavals are a few unusual moments that speak of the period, notably the appearance of the first elephant in America. A thing of intrigue and wonder, it is soon denigrated to an exotic object whose sole import is its financial value and the owner’s bragging rights. As Captain Jacob Crowninshield, the elephant’s captor, says when asked if it is for sale: “My dear sir. Everything is for sale, provided the price is right.”
Those looking for swashbuckling tales and seafaring derring-do may be disappointed, but readers seeking a keenly researched, engrossing multi-family saga will appreciate the attention to detail and well-developed characters in SEA TIGERS AND MERCHANTS.
Sandra Wagner-Wright’s SEA TIGERS AND MERCHANTS is an enjoyable historical novel with compelling characters and details that bring its late-18th century setting to life.
~Kent Lane for IndieReader