Shadows on the Rock

I learned about the existence of this novel (not one of Willa Cather's better known ones) while reading this article by Patricia Snow on First Things Magazine.  It is a historical novel covering a year in the life of Cecile Auclair, the twelve year old daughter of an apothecary in Quebec City in the 17th century.  Cecile and her family are originally from Paris, emigrating to Quebec when their aristocratic neighbor and patron, the Count de Frontenac, was appointed governor general by the king.  While Cecile and her family are fictional characters, the Count, the two bishops, and other persons of rank in the story are real, as are the events that are remembered and talked about so this is a believable picture of what everyday life might have been like on "the Rock" during French colonial times, when the Church had a strong influence on culture and lifestyle and when one had to depend on the infrequent visits of transatlantic ships from France to get word from home and much needed commodities not available in Canada.  Those who are familiar with Quebec City will recognize the landscape and architecture of the Upper and Lower Town, the Hotel-Dieu hospital, the church of Notre Dame des Victoires, and other historical landmarks.

Willa Cather has a great talent for creating realistic characters and environments, so it was easy to get engrossed in the story.