Anneke Jans in the New World Book Review

Synopsis

Timed perfectly to publish just as New York celebrates its 400th birthday, a riveting story of a spirited young mother who faces the unknowns of seventeenth-century New Amsterdam after fleeing the Old World in search of a better life.

It’s 1630, and Anneke Jans has just arrived in the fledgling colony of New Netherland with her husband, Roelof, and their two young daughters to create a new life for herself and her family. One of very few women in the colony, Anneke quickly realizes that she will need to make her own rules if she is to survive.

When Roelof dies, Anneke marries Everardus Bogardus, the flamboyant minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. With this marriage, Anneke joins the elites of the colony—but when the colony’s new director provokes war with the region’s American Indians and her new husband emerges as the head of the anti-war opposition, she also finds herself in the midst of political turmoil. As difficulties mount, she must rely more than ever on her quick wits to protect herself and her growing family.

Based on real events, Anneke Jans in the New World tells the story of an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life.

REVIEW

As a family historian myself, I really admire Anneke Jans in the New World as a sincere and valiant attempt to bring real ancestors to life on the page. The premise immediately intrigued me, even if the execution felt a bit simple at times. I did occasionally struggle with the sheer number of characters—many with very similar names—and, understandably given the time and place, the frequency of deaths throughout the book. Alongside that, there are quite a few terms and references that could have benefited from more clarification for readers unfamiliar with Dutch history or culture. If you have a Dutch background or a solid grounding in that world, this likely won’t be much of an issue.

I also found the continuity somewhat uneven, particularly between chapters or the different “eras” of Anneke’s life. That said, I grew more engaged as the book went on, especially once I shifted my expectations and approached it less as a traditional novel and more as a journal or chronological record of a life unfolding. Viewed through that lens, the latter portion of the book worked especially well for me.

Overall—and unfortunately, given the United States’ painful history with Native Americans—I found the depiction of life in the 17th-century “New World” to feel largely accurate and unflinching. While not without its flaws, this book stands as a thoughtful and earnest contribution to historical and genealogical storytelling.

Thanks to BookSparks for the gifted copy for review.

Expected publication date is 6 January 2026.