It was eye-opening and very realistic. The Separatists endured so many hardships coming to Plymouth. The novel, based on fact, taught me a lot about how independent and religious these religious people were. Mary Elizabeth and William were fictional but many of the characters really lived and had lots of children. Present day people can trace their lineage back to the Mayflower. It was a pleasant and enjoyable story. My only criticism was that as much as I enjoyed the scriptures and their meanings, there was just a bit too much for the story line. This is a great and entertaining read for those who love early American history. I definitely would recommend it to others as well as people who love a interesting read.