Old Hurricane has a very bad temper, but this is used more to provide humor and set off his character than for anything else. However, she also extends mercy in very potent ways. Capitola is very fiery and tends to get herself into trouble, and she also has difficulty respecting and abiding by the rules of her guardian, Old Hurricane the authoress states in one place that she does not condone Cap's actions - merely "relates them." Cap struggles with her desire for justice and at one point challenges a character to a duel. The overarching theme of the story is that of a conflict between good and evil, in which good triumphs. Their story intertwines with Cap's, and the escapades take characters from the Mexican War, to insane asylums, to duels on the streets, while all along Southworth makes it clear that God's hidden hand is bringing about the triumph of good and the downfall of evil. With a relative out to kill her, an outlaw trying to kidnap her, mysteries and legends surrounding the nearby Hidden House, and a tangle of other problems, Cap's life is peppered with wild adventures that earn her the title of a female Don Quixote.Īlongside Cap's story is that of the widow Marah Rocke and her son Traverse as they suffer from the same villain who now attempts to do away with Capitola. But when an old and wealthy benefactor takes her home with him as his ward, knowing more about Capitola's tangled past than Cap herself, she is thrown into a whole new world - but not one without adventure. Note: This is a review of the Lamplighter Publishing edition, which has some differences from the original (notably the marking out of oaths).Ĭapitola Black has lived on the streets of New York from the time she was a child, fending for herself quite skilfully in the city slums.
A fun, action-filled novel with an excellent heroine and plenty of intrigue.
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