Two Crows Sorrow is about the life of Theresa McAuley Robinson, a woman who lived on Nova Scotia’s North Mountain at the turn of the century. This is the true story of Theresa’s love and devotion to her children and her farmland, which ultimately led to her demise. In May 1904, Theresa was found murdered and her farm burnt to the ground. Her second husband William Robinson was accused of the murder. Two Crows Sorrow follows Theresa’s life to her death, then William’s court trial to its dramatic conclusion.
Review: The novel ‘Two Crows Sorrow; Love and Death on the North Mountain’ by Laura Churchill Duke was presented at Dartmouth Book Exchange’s book club this week as a definite “Must Read” for locally Authored books. So I took the challenge and brought home it home with me to read.
This Creative Historical Non-Fiction novel is based on the true-life story of Theresa Balsor McAuley Robinson. The story is drawn from trial transcripts, personal letters, newspaper clippings, and many hours of research. The author then developed a well-written, chair gripping story from her research. In fact, I read the story from cover to cover in just 2 sittings.
The novel brought the valley of Nova Scotia, in 1904, into detailed life, with the descriptions of the new Kentville courthouse with actual electricity and lighting, the modes of transportation of the times, with the train bringing people up and down the valley, and the limited forensic science of the times, and I could go on. History buffs will love this story. It even contains newspaper clippings and images of the time.
This story made you think about how domestic abuse and violence against women may have been covered up a century or more ago and what could have been and most likely had been, gotten away with.
I am pleased that Laura Churchill Duke spent the time to research this tragedy and write Theresa’s story, a story that may have been lost to time if she hadn’t put pen to paper. Sue Slade Goodreads July 2021
Connect with Laura on her website at https://laurachurchillduke.ca/ or her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LauraChurchillDuke
