The Company Daughters by Samantha Rajaram is a historical fiction novel set in 17th Century Holland and revolves around two young women and the Dutch East Indies Company. I was instantly attracted to this book due to the cover and the fact of the Dutch East Indies Company, my husband is Dutch and for Holland this was known as The Golden Age for the Dutch.
We first meet Jana escaping from her abusive father and a life of prostitution. She knocks on a door and this changes her life. Master Reynst is a shipwright for The Dutch East Indies Company and it is his door she has knocked on, he is a wealthy and kind widower and his daughter answers the door to Jana. Sontje, a beautiful rich girl who has everything at her fingertips. Jana ends up working as a servant but soon begins to befriend Sontje and they grow close. Jana has a home and warmth she is happy. Tragedy strikes and Sontje and Jana sign up to be company daughters with the East Indies Company. This consists of sailing out to the Colonial outposts of the company and essentially marrying the male settlers out there, total strangers. The voyage alone is a treacherous 10 months and there is no guarantee they will even make it, and if they do…what do they have to face?
An absolutely gripping and captivating read. Based on facts this made my mind boggle, but how brave of these girls to sign up. This was the way back then, women would have no other means of income so they were left with no option at that time. This was all part and parcel of colonialism. They needed strong Dutch stock, I would assume something similar happened with the Colonisation of India later on.
Samantha has skilfully told a tale that grips your heart and won’t let go until it as wrung everything out of you. Sontje and Jana are two characters that I enjoyed getting to know and all I wanted, for Jana especially, was the best. She had so much in her young life, she only needed one good break. Truly enjoyed my time in the 17th century and felt like I could be there with the girls as they attempted to find a way to live.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of the book today for my review.
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