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Our Own Country is a novel by Jodi Daynard written in 2016. The novel is a historic fiction and the second novel in the midwife series set during the Revolutionary War. The novel is told by Character Eliza Boylston who tells her struggles of family, love, and betrayal.

About the Author
Author info

Plot Summary
Elizabeth, who everyone calls Eliza, lives in high society with her family, servants and slaves in Cambridge Massachusetts. She begins the story by telling about being child and playing with her brother, Jeb. She is close to everyone around her even the slaves. On her sixteenth birthday she learns two of her closest slaves, cato and toby have been sent to auction; when she tried to retrieve them Toby has already been sold. Eliza was very close them; when toby saw her he instantly stopped crying. Maria encouraged Eliza to dream her own dreams and not what her parents wanted for her to dream about; unfortunately, she dies during a winters storm. After Maria’s the family learned that Jeb is part of the  Sons of liberty and participated in the dumping of the tea in the party. parents are furious and gives him a cold shoulder for awhile. his father disowned him and claims that the family has to pay for his son’s wrong doing. After the Tea Party Innocent ports were shut down and people became angry. Mr Inman, a high societal man, invites Eliza to a party. Mr Inman likes Eliza very much she, as she does him. he invites her to many parties.She didn’t like him as she thought she did. one day he ask Eliza to merry him, unknowingly that her father gave his consent; and didn’t want to merry him. by August 1974, many families started leaving. Families became angry of what was to come and leave before war broke out. One day at church Jeb met the love of his life, Liiza, and fell in love instantly; however his mother didn’t approve. After they got married, they moved to Lisas’ uncle's Cottage. While Eliza kept things positive, her mother never really approved of their marriage. Days later Eliza revive a letter from Jeb, telling about the farm and meeting mrs Adams. He states that he will be home from christmas. At a party that Eliza was invited to by Mr Inman, and was raped. Because the mans power no one wives her. After the incident she was afraid of him and didn’t want to near him. She never told her parents, but she did confide in Cassie, the maid. Cassie took care of Eliza as her own and told her story when she was raped, when she arrived at her fathers farm. Eliza was upset in hearing this she wanted to ask her father. Things are getting worse in the town and beginning for a start of war. in April 19, 1775, Eliza hears a man shouting on a horse exclaiming that the British Are coming. During Christmas Jeb came home with Lizzie when war is just begginning. Eliza wanted to stay and help the injured men, but her parents wanted to leave. When war was geting worse more people are leaving and dying, father recieves a letter saying that Jeb has died. they cried for many days. Many people were at the funeral who was also honoring those who died; there was no reception and left straight for Portsmouth.

After Arriving in Portsmouth in 1775, they lived with uncle and his slave and cook, Jenny. Jenny didn’t like the presence of other cooks in her kitchen, and others were a threat. Eliza Also falls in love with a shipwright called Watkins, who also lives at the house. A day later papa receives a letter about his house in Cambridge is destroyed, slaves missing, caretaker murdered, and leaves immediately. During the first night at uncle Georgia’s house Cassie has to sleep one the floor, which Eliza is irritated when she bumps into her during the night and demands that Cassie gets a bed. Several days later papas gets sick and tells Eliza to steal Star from Lizza and give her a maid. When getting the maids for Lizza she overhears some women wanting a cook, so Eliza offers jenny for them. Lizza gets upset when Eliza asks for the horse, saying that it was a gift and you can’t take it back. it is few months before Thanksgiving and things are looking rough. They decide that there would be no meat for Thanksgiving meal, until Watkins bravely goes after curfew to hunt some meat for the family. While Eliza is pleased, her isn’t and whips Watkins in the town for not being inside after curfew and not getting permission to do so. The next day papa arrives late from sea. The following day Cousin George arrives. On Thanksgiving day, When food was about to be eaten Eliza refused in eating the meat that Watkins got gracefully got because it is not christian like, and Watkins got beat for it. after refusing the meat family is embarrassed is shunned for the next two weeks. Uncle threatens to send Eliza away if she doesn’t apologize. She finds out that uncle is a Torrie and will soon be arrested. In January father is getting sick and is required to stay in bed. Within next few days the spreading of the refusal to eat the meat is spreading within the slave community. In March she is kinda regretting what she did but is proud that she was sticking up to him. Eliza was invited to a negro election, where Watkins was elected for a position. In July 1776 the Declaration of Independency was read and people was to sign allegiance to the country, but when it was uncles turn to sign he refused. March of ’77, a young shy slave boy came to Elias house for help. he was quite and had lots of beating marks on him and Eliza desperately wanted to help him. Eliza uses uncles guilt to keep the child. the child is called Issac, and is going to be an apprentice for Watkins. it was about tow months until she told her mother. during this boys were sick and dying on the fields, and went to help the boys. In April the facility receives a letter that all home will be reinstated to everyone immediately. After arriving at the home in Boston, the house is destroyed, blood was everywhere and skin was everywhere. The next day Eliza notices Cassie and other slave cleaning floor, and gets upset about it and she helps them, while mama is being a snob. later the day, papa receives a letter that has money that he has sold many things. The next day she notices that she is pregnant with Watkins baby. She is tells her father that she wants to get married but doesn’t want to tell who it is. While papa gets sicker, he gives Eliza house in Barbados. Eliza is told that she is suppose to go to Braintree. Before she leaves she teaches Cassie to read. the next couple of weeks Eliza finishes packing, being with her sick father. Before she leaves for Braintree, she tell mama that she petty here and she will never be around anyone.

After arriving Braintree, Eliza Greets Martha miller, who she gives to Lizzie years earlier. In the Beginning of her stay she also, conceives a baby, who she names Jonny. Eliza also gets puerperal Fever several days later after the baby. Months later Eliza’s dad dies, and Eliza packs and goes to the funeral, but Lizza doesn’t want her two in fear of her mothers reaction to the baby. She also receives a letter from John saying that people were being arrested, and Uncle may be fleeing; she returned to Braintree to send a letter back to john. After a dinner party at colonel Langdon’s house, Lizza overhears that two people were murdered and poisoned; and she dresses like a man to go find the culprits and see what their next move is. Eliza is worried about this. while Lizza is gone, someone broke into the house and stole some things. in June Eliza reviewed a letter from John saying that Watkins and Isaac was put into Auction. Then Isaac’s former master Richard saw him and demanded for him to come back and refuses to pay. When July came around, Issac finally begins to to walk. to celebrate they decided to go for a swim; which this would be the first time for Eliza. While Swimming, they start hearing weird shots in the backgound; they hurriedly got out of the water and see what was going on. They soon realized that star, Liza’s horse has been poisoned. After the finding Martha acts strange like nothing had happened; but Eliza thought something was up and asked Martha and she explained. Martha explains that their was going to be a surprise attack on John and Quincy Adams when they returned from France and that Thomas was to protect Abigail, the family and the cause. She also talks about the previous summer and how Dr Flaynt and Mr Thayer were imposters and not actually patriots, but enemies to the cause. Dr Flaynt wasn’t actually a doctor but a counterfeit, while believes that Mr Thayer is responsible for the break in. Within the next month three officers came to come to say that the enemies whining in the woods not the ship as expected and they were surrounded. The next day Eliza relieves a letter from  mama saying that she is going to hang the father of the child for Justice; Eliza packs and leaves for Cambridge. On the way, She asks Mr `Adams for his help in saving  Watkins. After arriving, Eliza tells Cassie what happened with mama and goes to Cassie to the store. Cassie explains that mama is not well and that she has been forgetting things. That night Cassie actually felt like part of a facility when mother let her eat at the table with she and Eliza. This was a special moment for Cassie. When it was time to depart Williams came to Eliza and whispered that they had freed Watkins and Isacc. While Eliza still had no remorse for her mother, explained that everything was a lie to get the the father free and that she loved him, explaining it was Watkins. She also says that cassie is coming with them back. Eliza gives mother a chance to come, but refuses, but eventually agrees to come. The went back to Braintree, Watkins was able  to finally see the Jonney for the first time. Lizzie mentions that she needs her own country of where freedom exists. Eliza also confronts and believes that she has something to do with the deaths and the break in. Martha killed the two men, and in retaliation Mr. Cleverly poisons Star. After the explanation Eliza understands and says that everyone can’t be judged and doesn’t judge her. This brings back that even though she didespises her mother she couldn’t leave her just because she judged her for the bad things she done. In August of 1775, Eliza and Watkins got married at st vincent, where the house was that her father gave her before he died. and by getting married they were able to be their own country where things can be different.

Characters
Eliza- Main character in Our Own Country, she cares about her family more than anything and struggles greatly from the loss of a loved one throughout the novel. Eliza developed a great friendship with a young slave boy and is distraught when they are forced to separate.

Mama- The mother of Eliza, Maria, and Jeb, whom she cares for very much.

Papa- The Father of Eliza, Maria, and Jeb. He often argues with Jeb because of Jeb’s strong believes and lack of filter, he does whatever he has to do to ensure the families financial safety which leads to him viewing the families slaves as objects just like many people did during this time.

Luisa - Friend of Eliza

Cassie - Cook/Slave

Toby - Slave boy who is close to Eliza

Uncle -

Watkins -

Johnny -

Issac -

Historic Places and Events
Eliza and her family lives in Cambridge Massachusetts. One day in December Eliza founds out that her brother Jeb was part of the Son's of Liberty and was part of the Boston Tea Party. On April 19, 1775 there hollering in the night man on a a horse saying that "The British is coming"; the reader can assume it was Paul Revere. After the Revolutionary War breaks out Jeb dies and father decides to Move to Portsmouth, New Hampshire where her uncle and slave Watkins live. Every Day Eliza would go to the port to greet Watkins and give him his lunch. On June 18, Eliza and her family herd the Declaration of Independence, but unfortunately Eliza finds out that her uncle is a  being tory read from the stairs of the church and after colonists signed the document showing allegiance to the states.