Duncairn

June M. Blurton is a retired speech pathologist.

This book is based on historical fact. Veterans of the Napoleonic Wars
did settle in the area between Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay in Upper
Canada in the 1820s; there was a rebellion in 1837; and HMS Nancy did
sink near the mouth of the Nottawasaga River. The characters, however,
are fictional.

Duncairn is a simple adventure story. An unexpected infusion of money
changes the speed with which a village is created in the wilderness. The
strength of the book lies in the descriptions of how this is
accomplished: how the forests are cleared with horse- and manpower; how
nails, a bridge, and a dam are made with the simplest tools; and how
these hardworking men and women are able to turn their hands to almost
any task, be it building a house, hunting, or quilting. There are
descriptions of the types of food eaten, of the old fort at
Penetanguishene, and of the old City of York.

The author has done his research carefully, and has chosen an exciting
time in the development of Upper Canada about which to write. But the
excitement fails to communicate itself to the reader. Kenwell’s
characters are too black and white, and the incidents are too
predictable. His book belongs in the Juvenile section of a library,
where it will serve to introduce young readers to what life was like
nearly two centuries ago.