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1627: The true story of an Icelandic family kidnapped by pirates and taken to Northern Africa.
The Sealwoman’s Gift
What you need to know before your trail
In 1627 Barbary pirates raided the coast of Iceland and abducted some 400 of its people, including 250 from a tiny island off the mainland. Among the captives sold into slavery in Algiers were the island pastor, his wife and their three children. Although the raid itself is well documented, little is known about what happened to the women and children afterwards. It was a time when women everywhere were largely silent.
Travel Guide
Iceland
Ásta, the pastor’s wife becomes enslaved in an alien Arab culture and the only thing she has to survive are the stories in her head which she has kept from her homeland of Iceland. These stories are the sagas and folk tales of her people and culture. They bring comfort and hope and hopefully a little wisdom.
Storytelling can help people survive. Spread wisdom and history as well as hope.
The Turkish raid was one of the most traumatic events in the history of Iceland. Within a matter of days in the summer of 1627, corsairs from Algiers and from Sale in Morocco raided a number of coastal regions , killing dozens and carrying at least four hundred people back to North Africa where they were sold into slavery”
Apparently many countries lost people to the whims of the pirates. This was the time when slavery was at its peak and there were captives from all over including England and Wales.Most of the people were captured at sea but there were also land raids -one in Ireland which was much the same as the Icelandic one in the book.
Iceland was hardest hit – before the raid, the population was only some 40, 000 and so a loss of 400 was a huge tragedy. There have been many stories and recorded accounts of the tragedy such was its impression on Iceland’s people over the years. The author mentions some of the these at the end of the book.
Booktrailer Review
Susan: @thebooktrailer
This really is a remarkable book and one I was very very happy indeed to receive. It looked like a gift when it arrived with that gorgeous cover and end papers and I’ve now taken off the dust jacket and framed it. But I digress, what about the goodness within?
It’s an ethereal read and one which haunts and linger long after you’ve read it. I had heard of the Iceland invasion only vaguely so this was a dream of a find to discover its telling in a novel like this. It’s a debut too which is unbelievable as although the author has written books, this is the first fictional journey of hers. And I do hope she continues!
It’s based on a raid on Iceland in 1627 by Algerian and Moroccan pirates and resulted in many Icelanders being killed and 400 sold as slaves in Algiers. It’s one of the most traumatic events in Icelandic history and it;’s not hard to see why.
Going back in history like this is wonderful in the hands of the great writer and this really is a treat for the senses. Asta and Olafur and their three children are fleshed out and very real characters, Asta’s sale to the pirates is raw and gritty. Her family suffers with the others and even when the Danish King gets involved (Iceland was under Danish rule) f it would take many years for the situation to even remotely improve.
The Sealwoman is also a story about stories and legends and how they affect and shape our lives. whatever happens to your home and your body, no one can take away your thoughts and memories of stories you have grown up with. The writing in this book conveyed this message well as it was lyrical and poignant.
There’s a good author note at the end explaining the historical aspects of the story but the story itself holds its own. It’s well researched but the detail does not overshadow the main story. The pace, story, themes, lyrical message and the role of the pirates is well woven like a tapestry : telling its own stories for all to see.
Now, as I see the dust jacket spread out on my wall, it makes even more sense to display this to remind me of the stories and history behind it.
Booktrail Boarding Pass: The Sealwoman’s Gift
Destination : Iceland Author/Guide: Sally Magnusson Departure Time: 1627
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