<https://nlsbard.loc.gov/nlsbardprod/download/detail/srch/DB83453> The
stargazer's sister DB83453
Brown, Carrie. Reading time: 10 hours, 38 minutes.
Read by Suzanne Toren.
Historical Fiction
Caroline Herschel's brother William, a composer and astronomer, rescues her
from a life of poverty in Germany to serve as his assistant and manager of
his household in England. She also helps in his scientific research, but
William's plan to marry alters her world. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
2015.
This was a really fascinating book. It transported me back to the later part
of the eighteenth century and drew me in completely to the story of
Carolina, referred to in the story as Lina. I've just checked on line and
verified that William and Carolina really existed and were astronomers who
received all of the honors that are mentioned in the story. The only fact
that appears to be altered in this fictional account is that in the book,
William has no children. But WikkiPedia says that he had one son, named
John. Of course this is historical fiction so there certainly may be other
facts that the author chose to alter. But in this novel, we first meet Lena
as a small child, living in a rather unhappy household in Hanover, Germany.
The family is poor. Her father is a musician and musical scholar, but barely
earns enough to care for his children. Her mother, work worn and constantly
pregnant with new babies, some of whom die, is angry and resentful at her
hard life. There is a special bond between Lina and her much older brother,
William, probably because William, who is incredibly intelligent, recognizes
this same quality in his little sister. From the time he was a young boy,
William was fascinated by the stars and he began sharing his interest in,
and knowledge of them with Lina when she was only five. But William grows up
and leaves Lina behind at home. She contracts smallpox which disfigures her
face and stunts her growth. She is badly treated by her mother and by her
eldest brother, Jacob. Her life is filled with drudgery and in
correspondence with William, she begs him to rescue her from a life of
servitude and loneliness. Eventually, William does come for Lina and most of
the book is taken up with what happens to Lina after she joins her brother
in England. I suppose that the author intended me to be captivated by the
stories of William's and Lina's astronomical studies, and I was intrigued to
some extent, particularly with how their accumulating knowledge of the
universe enhanced their belief in God. But I was much more interested with
what it took to do the everyday tasks that were required to live. Lina was
responsible for all of that. We forget how much effort was involved in
preparing simple meals, keeping clothes clean, getting from one place to
another. For example, when Lena discovers a comet and needs to give the
specific information about how to locate it to other astronomers so that
they can duplicate her find and verify it, she has to mount a horse and ride
for eight hours in the middle of the night after having meticulously written
out all of her findings twice, once for herself, and once for the person who
needs to see the work. And throughout the story, there is the issue of her
brother's assumption, which she shares, that he is the more important of
the two of them and that it is her responsibility to do all of the tasks
which support his work because she is a woman and he is, therefore more
important than she. The fact that he couldn't have accomplished what he did,
without her tireless efforts, seems not to occur to him. I think that
probably, one of the talents of the author is to evoke so much emotional
response in the reader. I was certainly not detached while reading the book.
I was angry on Lina's behalf a good part of the time. If you decide to read
this book, I'd be interested to know what parts of the book were most
meaningful to you.
Miriam