Cate of the Lost Colony Paperback – February 28, 2012

Cate of the Lost Colony is about a girl who is banished to the new world by a jealous queen. This is the kind of entertaining historical fiction that also happens teaches you a little something about history. There is a huge cast of characters in this book, most of whom existed in real life. The main characters really shined even though the minor characters often got mixed up in my mind (thank goodness for the awesome character list at the beginning). The main characters Cate, Manteo, and Sir Walter Ralegh all narrate this story. I found the voices of each of the narrators so distinct and beautiful that I could tell within a paragraph or two who was talking even though it wasn't labeled. Through each of the narrators we get to see the new world from different perspectives. Cate shows us life as a colonist. Manteo shows us the major changes that the Native Amercians went through. Sir Walter Ralegh, who is an historical figure, shows us the glory and wealth people dreamed of finding in America.I loved the summary at the end of the book that explained what was fiction and what wasn't. It was surprising how much of the story was actually not that far from reality. I read this at the perfect time of year. Who knew that a novel about pilgrims would be such a page-turner? The writing was authentic and wonderful. The romance was amazing. No instant love or cliches to be found.Overall, it was a great historical romance that had me hooked until the last page.

Having visited Roanoke Island on a family trip many years ago, I've always been fascinated by the story of the "lost" colony. I was very excited to see that Lisa Klein, a historical fiction author I've read and enjoyed in the past, had decided to put her own spin on the tale.Klein tells her story from three very different points of view. Acting as the main narrator, Lady Catherine Archer is a young handmaiden to Queen Elizabeth. She angers Elizabeth by flirting with Sir Walter Raleigh, one of the queen's favorite courtiers, and is first sent to the Tower and then later to England's new American colony, Roanoke. Another part of the story is told through Sir Walter's personal papers--letters, journal antries, and poems, giving readers a glimpse into the man who was the driving force behind Elizabeth's colonial experiment. Still another perspective is given by Manteo, a young Croatoan man who befriends the English, travels to the British Isles, and acts as an embassary between the English and their neighbors back in America. The three narratives blend skillfully to give readers a more complete picture of England's first attempt at colony building.Klein did a lot of research for this work, and it shows. I read Lee Miller's nonficton Roanoke: Mystery of the Lost Colony while reading Cate of the Lost Colony, just to compare it to the "real" story. Klein's attention to detail is amazing, and the conjectures she make seem realistic and plausible. If her story doesn't actually solve the mystery, I can safely say I wish it did! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who has wondered just what did happen to America's lost colony.

Cate, a young woman orphaned by the recent death of her father, finds herself a maid to Queen Elizabeth. At first thrilled at the amazing opportunity, Cate is disappointed to discover the politics and games played even amongst the servants to win the Queen's favor. When the Queen discovers Cates forbidden romance with another at court she is punished, by being sent to the America's to help settle a new colony. But to Cate, this is the freedom she has wanted.I really enjoyed this historical tale of the first colonists at Roanoke. The mistakes, friendships, and enemies made as colonist turned against colonist, and native against native was interesting to read about. My only disappointment in this novel was the lack of depth I felt for the characters. There was so much potential throughout the story to really move the reader emotionally, but the connection fell short. I liked it, but could have been more emotionally engaging.

A good book, lots of speculations. Since we do not know what happened to our lost colony we can only assume the worst or best. I like to think that Virginia Dare did integrate with the nearby Indians and possibly married and gave birth to many children of the New Americans. The strength of both backgrounds give us the variability of our great nation.Lisa Klein wrote a stirring book and at times I wasn't sure who was the person thinking or talking in the chapters. Was it Cate or her protector. All and all I read it and enjoyed reading number one a total mystery and two about the first colony on American soil.

I must admit that based on the cover and Kindle price, I wasn't expecting much. I bought Cate of the Lost Colony simply because I enjoy historical fiction and had an interest in the lost colony of Roanoke. I was pleasantly surprised that it exceeded my expectations and had trouble putting it down. While the author took quite a bit of creative license on a subject that has few recorded facts, I found it all believable. She weaved in fictional characters in with historical ones with such credible creativity. I was so amused by Klein's portrayal of Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth that I found myself researching them on the side as I read. What colorful characters! I have limited free time to invest in reading, but found this book to be well worth it! The quality of this book far exceeds its Kindle price. I will definitely be checking out Lisa Klein's other books.

My family vacationed at Nags Head, NC for many years and we always went to see the Lost Colony production. It never came up with an answer to what happened to the colonists left in Manteo, so this book gave a very possible explanation and it was presented in a believable fashion. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the first settling of America, it makes you appreciate the sacrifices made for the land that we love.