The Tinderbox

Elisabeth Anne MacDonald-Murray is a private scholar, writing and
editing in Souris, Manitoba.

After their house is burned to the ground one cold winter night in 1830
with their parents and two little sisters still inside, 13-year-old Emma
and 11-year-old John have to rely on the kindness of their neighbours in
Flamborough Township to take them in and care for them. The tragedy
leaves the thoughtful and introspective Emma in an emotional limbo as
she continues to mourn the loss of her family and of her happy
childhood. The kindly Wilbur family has absorbed the two children into
their own bustling household, but Emma doesn’t really feel as if she
belongs, and she has no sense of what the future holds for her and her
brother. When an unknown aunt suddenly appears, however, Emma is forced
to grow up very quickly. Mrs. Harriet McPhail claims guardianship of the
two orphans, and proposes to sell the family farm and take the children
back with her to her home in York. But why is she so secretive about her
life in the city and her plans for the children, and what is her
connection to the gentleman who is considering buying the farm for
speculation?

Marianne Brandis has created a sympathetic heroine in the character of
Emma, and she convincingly portrays the gradual maturation of a young
girl as she is forced to take control of her own life and responsibility
for that of her brother. The historical details of life in rural
Southern Ontario, as farms are still being hewed out of the dense bush,
are vividly presented in this charming story of loss and renewal. Highly
recommended.