My Name is Resolute by Nancy E. Turner

I do love historical fiction, so I went into this huge beast with an open mind.  And it was easy to keep reading. It's an epic that follows that title character from childhood to death.

Resolute isn't a young girl you want to like--she's a rich, snobby girl with slaves on a Jamaica plantation.  But her home is attacked by pirates and she is taken with her sister to be sold into slavery.  Her childhood is horrible--she's a slave, beaten, and eventually sold to Canadian Catholics where she learns to spin and weave.  Her trade saves her and gives her a purpose.  Eventually she crawls out of the ashes and marries, has many children, and becomes a supporter of the American Revolution. Her name fits her well.

There were a few instances of choppy transitions and plot gaps that were summed up in a sentence or two, but overall, her story is a smooth read. I'm sure Turner's research was extensive--Resolute comes across many famous people in her life--Revere, Washington, Margaret Gage, etc.