The Ransom of Mercy Carter

Loved this book in middle school had to purchase for my 10 year old niece.

I started reading and could not put the book down, literally. The author wrote in such a fashion that drew the reader into the story and could feel the emotions and struggles of both the captive and those who did the destructive ravaging work and kidnapping in virtual time. The book provoked a lot thought. The internal struggle and conflict between religion, culture, social structure, etc., of the main characters was so real. I was, further, very happy the way the author concluded the story. It was like being brought back to level ground after an intense in depth read. For any who enjoy reading about the early years of our country this is a must read. To add another thought, the book gave a great appreciation that the hardships and conflicts which individuals of the past experience are no longer experienced today. I am thankful that we basically have a good life void of the fears lived in the past.

Great young adult book that’s engaging for adults as well. Provides and alternative perspective on the famous Deerfield raid. Of the young people who were captured less than half chose to go back to New England when they had the chance to do so after the war. Most of them preferred to continue living with the Indians.It’s a bonus that Mercy Carter was my seventh great aunt. Three of her nieces married three brothers from the north family and all became Leading citizens of Walton New York.

I just finished reading this book and am moved to write a review. This story is compelling and very insightful. And, in my opinion, it rings true. I highly recommend it for readers of any age who are interested in the topic of white captives in the early years of New World settlement by the Europeans. The writing flows well and there are very few proofing errors. I found myself picking up the book every spare moment because I really wanted to find out what happened to Mercy. I was not disappointed as to how the story ended. Wonderful book!

It was easy to get into this book because Mercy Carter was an ancestor of mine (her brother John Carter was my sixth great grandfather) because it was personal. This book seems perfectly suited to young female readers (ages 10-16)who would like to read about a girl their age caught in a traumatic and tragic situation. Very sensitive readers may not like the descriptions of the deaths of Mercy's stepmother and some of her siblings and would need guidance. However, they will admire Mercy's courage, her own sensitivity and her eventual independence. It seems the Native Americans are treated fairly in this account. It's a good read for parent and child as it sets the stage for discussion about the role of Indians in our early colonial history.

Well written & I've read a lot of books about children captured by Native Americans since I was in 4th grade (many years ago). I recommend this book for adults even though it was written for older children, When I lived in Mass. from 1957 to 1966, I visited Old Deerfield Village a number of times. Having done so, helped me better visualize the Native American attack on the community is described. In addition, being familiar with the topography & the Berkshire Mountains gave be a better understanding of the forced journey the prisoners endured. How any of them survived is truly amazing; but, then, they did not live with central heating, etc. as we do today.

This is a young adult book that I read as a mentor for a group of young teenage girls. It is compelling in its complex yet clear examination of themes of family, loyalty, religion, duty, diversity of cultures, importance of the development of one's own identity; all told within a simple story and with very clear and compelling writing. The world a lot of teenagers live in today is very murky as to these themes and it is refreshing to find the themes clearly delineated and viewed in a world where things are very different from, yet much the same as, today's world. I wish all of today's teenagers had to read this book.

I recently discovered via Ancestry.com that Mercy Carter is, in fact, my 6th Great Grand Aunt, so was delighted to find this book about their experiences beginning on Feb. 29th, 1704. While this book is fiction, it is based on historic fact. I appreciate that Ms. Cooney tells what is fact, what is fiction at the end of the story. I've done research since this discovery and this is pretty much "spot on". The true horror of their experience is impossible to imagine, but the book tells the story in an age appropriate manner. I've purchased several copies to distribute among the family, as we are decendants of her brother John who is mentioned in the book. Any student of American history would certainly learn something of the dangers and struggles of our founding fathers.

I read a lot of books and this is a great read of the time period and Iroquois people