leila_scola's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bags_and_bookz's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture and Samantha Rajaram for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.
17th century Amsterdam. Jana Beil is a young girl, who run away from abusive house, only to end up in a brothel. She made her escape from there and found herself hungry and lost in Amsterdam knocking on wealthy people’s doors in search of house work. Jana is lucky and Master Reynst offers her a house cleaning job. She met his daughter, Sontje. Through many years of friendship and hardship, Jana and Sontje found themselves as Company Daughters on one of the colonies, where they must be married to one of the colonists.
I loved the theme of the book. The idea of basically selling oneself for a possible better life somewhere is hard to believe and yet it did exist. Throughout many years of colonialism human trafficking was flourishing not only in terms of slave trade but also women trade as a wife material. Samantha Rajaram did amazing job in setting the scene of old Holland and its traditions. She did fantastic research on the topic and the book is very impressive in its novelty
However, if I feel that the premise s amazing, the execution felt short for me. I did not enjoy writing style, it was dry and uninspired. In terms of character development, only Jana was evolving greatly. The rest of them, even Sontje, was flat and mundane.
Overall, good book, I learned a lot and it facilitates my further research into the topic.
17th century Amsterdam. Jana Beil is a young girl, who run away from abusive house, only to end up in a brothel. She made her escape from there and found herself hungry and lost in Amsterdam knocking on wealthy people’s doors in search of house work. Jana is lucky and Master Reynst offers her a house cleaning job. She met his daughter, Sontje. Through many years of friendship and hardship, Jana and Sontje found themselves as Company Daughters on one of the colonies, where they must be married to one of the colonists.
I loved the theme of the book. The idea of basically selling oneself for a possible better life somewhere is hard to believe and yet it did exist. Throughout many years of colonialism human trafficking was flourishing not only in terms of slave trade but also women trade as a wife material. Samantha Rajaram did amazing job in setting the scene of old Holland and its traditions. She did fantastic research on the topic and the book is very impressive in its novelty
However, if I feel that the premise s amazing, the execution felt short for me. I did not enjoy writing style, it was dry and uninspired. In terms of character development, only Jana was evolving greatly. The rest of them, even Sontje, was flat and mundane.
Overall, good book, I learned a lot and it facilitates my further research into the topic.
neens_m's review
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Racism
zachzakku's review
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
burritapal_1's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I liked this story, The Company Daughters, very much. It points out parts of History that I'm not aware of, such as life conditions in Amsterdam, in the 17th century, and also about what life was like on a ship going on a long journey on the sea, at that time. But most of all, the terrible life that women in this book faced, and I'm wondering why it's not much better now.
The aspect of lesbian love, and what it was like for someone of that persuasion, especially at that time, was interesting. No doubt it was extremely dangerous if you were found out.
The protagonist, Jana Beil, had an extremely difficult life. Her father beat her and sexually abused her, and her mother did not defend her. When she ran away from home to escape the harshness, she lost her beloved sister in a cave in, and was sexually trafficked, where for 2 years she suffered greatly.
Jana, when she escaped from the house of prostitution, wentt knocking on doors in Amsterdam, looking for work as a cleaning woman. After sleeping for nights in the alleyways, she knocked on one door that was opened to her by a girl, Sontje, who she convinced to give her a chance.
Sontje was the daughter of a merchant in Amsterdam who invested in a voyage that was bringing spices to the Netherlands.
Santa had a bow, hans, who was from a rich family. She had hopes of him asking to marry her. She asked Jenna to accompany them on walks, at Tina chaperone. Jenna was puzzled by Sanchez affection for hans, seeing a different person than obviously saw:
" 'the other night, he kissed me,' she continues. 'the kiss felt very strange, but then, I started to like it. Not too much, of course,' she adds, blushing prettily.
'How odd.' I've never felt what she describes. Only the Man's Tongue plunged in my mouth like a wriggling, digging creature, and I was its dark little den.
'if he kisses me, then he must marry me, don't you think?'
I'm not sure what to say, thinking of our stretching wombs, which trap us in lives no one wants. But I know Sontje seeks reassurance. 'he seems honorable. And he's told you that you'll be married.'
'yes,' Sontje nods, comforted. 'that's true. He is very romantic. He acts one way around others, but with me he's much softer.'
I think Sontje has created a story in her mind of Hans and of the life she wishes to have with him. I even managed to feel a little sorry for him, for he is only an instrument in it. And she is in his story. Just another Italian horse cart."
When the ship sank, and he lost his money, he was ruined. He told Jana that they would no longer be able to keep her, because they would need to rent out her attic room to a tenant.
Jana looked for work, in order to pay sontje's father and be able to stay with Sontje, for whom she had feelings. She found work in her rich family's home, cleaning and serving. The master was a predator who lost little time and putting his hands on Jana.
Sontje's father drank himself to death, and Sontje and Jana were forced to leave their home.
Sontje found a place on a ship leaving for Batavia, which is Jakarta nowadays, where she would be married to a settler there. The Dutch Indies company wanted these "company daughters" to become wives of settlers, to stop the tide of half-native, half-Dutch babies being created with the natives in the Dutch settlement there. Jana used blackmail on the master of the house she was working for, and got him to talk her into getting a place on the ship, which was full already.
These young women, one as young as 12, faced a hard life aboard ship, though nowhere near anything what slaves brought from Africa faced.
Sontje and Jana share a berth on the ship, and Jana notices Sontje beginning to slip out at night. She finally confesses to Jsna:
"...'you were seeing him, Sontje?'
She waits a moment, as though unsure whether to tell me. 'Yes, at night. I resented Maritjen with all her boasting about her dear husband Gerhard, and he flirted with me from the start. I missed that feeling of being desired. All my life I felt like an inconvenience to Fader, and then Hans came and paid me such compliments. I was hungry for more of it.' She sighs. 'I was a stupid girl. As though it is such a wondrous thing for a man to want us. Now I feel it a curse.'
Of course Hans had dumped Sontje after she was left with no money. He quickly married another rich girl.
I, too, wonder why, when we're young, we think it's such a desirable thing to be wanted by a man. Those lowly, toxic creatures whose only brains are in their sexual organs. Who do nothing but abuse women and bring cruelty upon them, putting children into their wombs and condemning them to a life of hardship.
Sontje was gang-raped one night, slipping back to her berth from her visit with Gerhard, and almost died from her injuries.
There's a horrible part where the crew is torturing a shark that was swimming alongside the ship. They purposely condemn it to a horrible death:
"at that moment, little Madaleen arrives on deck for air.
She takes my hand.
'What are they doing?' she asks, her gray eyes wide and Afraid at the pool of blood.
'I'm not yet sure, but I pity the creature.' I regret having brought it to Albert's attention. I pulled Madaleen closer to me and she peeks out from behind me.
'take out its eye!' another sailor says, his own eyes ablaze in a way that make me wish, for the first time, to be off this ship. Madaleen is shaking.
They plunge the spear into the shark's eyes as it writhes. Sea water sprays on us, even from a distance. I taste the salt on my lips.
'it's a mighty Beast indeed! This will be a story for when we arrive at the Cape!' the men slice off the shark's fins in quick Strokes using the blades they carry in their pockets, in a Deft movement that surprises me in its boldness and cruelty. How the creature must feel, lashing about on these foreign decks, suddenly stolen from its life?
Blood mixes with water and spreads across the deck. I wonder how I will return to the berth without blood staining the sandals I have made from fabric and rope since my klomps are useless on the tilting Layden.
'Throw it back into the water!' Albert yells. His eyes look maddened, too. 'tie a barrel to it first. Let it suffer 'fore it dies.' A barrel is produced and tied to the great fish, who still thrashes against the deck and slaps another sailor with its powerful tail. I cannot help but admire it's dark length of sleek muscle, it's steadfast will to live despite its wounds.
They somehow tie a barrel to the poor creature and then drop it back into the water. The men cheer and clap, watching the sharp bang against the side of the boat, blood blooming into the sea."
🥺 of course, I realized this is fiction, but this happens in real life, constantly, to these poor animals, from those days till now.
When they arrive in Batavia, Sontje is the first one to be claimed as a wife by a settler. He is a brute of a man, and uses his fists freely on Sontje. Moreover, he will not let her out of the house, so Jana goes months without seeing her.
Jana is claimed by an old man, 60-year-old Mattheus. Lucky for Jana, he is a kind man.
Life is hard for Jana to get used to, Being the wife of a man and forbidden to do chores. The settlers have slaves to do grunge work for them. This hurts Jana's heart, and she slips coins to the two women who are the slaves in Mattheus's household.
She rarely gets to see Sontje, who becomes pregnant with her husband's child.
But life improves for Jana, and she is able to make a little extra money selling her lace making, when her husband cuts off her allowance for giving the slaves the small amount she does.
Mattheus is old, and he dies one day. The Reverend of the settlement sends letters off to his grown children, and Jana can only hope that they will not want to come and claim his belongings. She is not successful, but the slaves who Jana has helped, help her in return. In this way, Jana is able to make a good life for herself, and Sontje's child, who becomes an orphan when Sontje dies.
This was a Bittersweet story, and I liked the author for bringing the double themes of lesbian love and the harshness of women's life to this historical novel.
rogue_raven's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
A slow burn but what a heartfelt and beautifully written story. The imagery, the emotions it invokes, beautiful. Yes, there is a bittersweet love story in this but this book is so, so much more than that. The journey, the obstacles, the heartbreak, the triumph, navigating the unknown twists of life, all delivered in a gorgeous style.
bringerofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Wow - what a wonderful whirlwind of humanity, love, adventure, and just overall life all wrapped up in this debut book. This book has quickly jumped to one of my favorites.
The story starts in Amsterdam during the 17th century, where we begin to learn about the protagonist and narrator, Jana. We quickly learn that Jana has not had it easy in her life so far, having run away from an abusive and broken household, and been on her own searching for work and trying to survive. She finally finds work with the Reynst household, and things begin to look up for her - Master Reynst and his daughter Sontja are very kind to her, despite her being their servant. Unfortunately a series of events leads to Jana and Sontja out of a home and no future in sight. Out of options, they sign up with the East India Company as Company Daughters, where they will become brides of male settlers in Batavia.
As we go through the story, it's impressive how much Jana has gone through and how she overcomes, but makes mistakes and fails like a normal person. This makes the story so much more realistic and beautiful.
The author really brought out the settings and made all the characters so realistic, I could not put it down - I had to read the whole book in a night. I am extremely excited to read more from this author.
Thank you so much Net Galley and the publisher Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The story starts in Amsterdam during the 17th century, where we begin to learn about the protagonist and narrator, Jana. We quickly learn that Jana has not had it easy in her life so far, having run away from an abusive and broken household, and been on her own searching for work and trying to survive. She finally finds work with the Reynst household, and things begin to look up for her - Master Reynst and his daughter Sontja are very kind to her, despite her being their servant. Unfortunately a series of events leads to Jana and Sontja out of a home and no future in sight. Out of options, they sign up with the East India Company as Company Daughters, where they will become brides of male settlers in Batavia.
As we go through the story, it's impressive how much Jana has gone through and how she overcomes, but makes mistakes and fails like a normal person. This makes the story so much more realistic and beautiful.
The author really brought out the settings and made all the characters so realistic, I could not put it down - I had to read the whole book in a night. I am extremely excited to read more from this author.
Thank you so much Net Galley and the publisher Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
bristoni74's review against another edition
3.0
After living in The Netherlands for 6 months when I was a university student, I'm always interested in reading books set in The Netherlands, especially historical fiction and particularly about the Dutch East India Company.
This book is set in three parts. The first is set in Amsterdam in 1616 where Jana is a servant in a merchant's household. The daughter is Sontje and after her father loses all his wealth she is poverty stricken due to his debts and her fiancee breaks off their engagement. She feels she has no alternative but to travel to Batavia (modern day Indonesia) to become a bride for a Dutch settler and Jana follows her. The second part describes the 10 month journey of Jana and Sontje and other women who are travelling to be brides. The journey is hellish and the descriptions harrowing - the food, behaviour of the sailors, etc. The third part of the book is set in Batavia and describes the experiences of Jana in the new colony.
This novel is based on true events and I was horrified to read how these women were treated (most were poor, orphaned, etc.) and were essentially "trafficked" to the colonies as brides for Dutch men. It is told in the first person by Jana and I empathised and liked her character's strength and resilience, but the story didn't captivate me like I thought it would. Perhaps, a 3rd person narrative would have expanded the story beyond Jana's personal experiences to show more diversity in The Netherlands, on the ship and in the colony.
This book is set in three parts. The first is set in Amsterdam in 1616 where Jana is a servant in a merchant's household. The daughter is Sontje and after her father loses all his wealth she is poverty stricken due to his debts and her fiancee breaks off their engagement. She feels she has no alternative but to travel to Batavia (modern day Indonesia) to become a bride for a Dutch settler and Jana follows her. The second part describes the 10 month journey of Jana and Sontje and other women who are travelling to be brides. The journey is hellish and the descriptions harrowing - the food, behaviour of the sailors, etc. The third part of the book is set in Batavia and describes the experiences of Jana in the new colony.
This novel is based on true events and I was horrified to read how these women were treated (most were poor, orphaned, etc.) and were essentially "trafficked" to the colonies as brides for Dutch men. It is told in the first person by Jana and I empathised and liked her character's strength and resilience, but the story didn't captivate me like I thought it would. Perhaps, a 3rd person narrative would have expanded the story beyond Jana's personal experiences to show more diversity in The Netherlands, on the ship and in the colony.
bookishwayfarer's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
For my full review: https://www.bookishwayfarer.com/blog/review-the-company-daughters-by-samantha-rajaram
Set in 17th-century Amsterdam & Indonesia, The Company Daughters tells the story of two young women who enlist as Company Daughters for the Dutch East India Company. This book ended up surprising me in the best possible way. What I thought would be a more-or-less generic historical romance turned out to be so much more. It is a beautiful yet heart-breaking story about healing, opening oneself up to love, & finding hope, even in the darkest of times.
Set in 17th-century Amsterdam & Indonesia, The Company Daughters tells the story of two young women who enlist as Company Daughters for the Dutch East India Company. This book ended up surprising me in the best possible way. What I thought would be a more-or-less generic historical romance turned out to be so much more. It is a beautiful yet heart-breaking story about healing, opening oneself up to love, & finding hope, even in the darkest of times.