Description

Silver Nutmeg by Norah Lofts is a historical novel first published in 1947. Set in the 17th-century Dutch East Indies, it tells the story of Annabet van Goens, a young woman from Holland who is sent to the spice island of Banda to marry Evert Haan, a wealthy black-market trader. Upon her arrival, Annabet is stricken with rheumatic fever, and Evert, enraged by her altered appearance, orders her death. However, Annabet survives, recovers her health and beauty, and becomes entangled in a passionate and dangerous love affair with an Englishman.

The novel is noted for its dramatic narrative, rich historical context, and vivid portrayal of the exotic setting. Lofts was inspired to write Silver Nutmeg after reading H.W. Ponder’s In Javanese Waters, which highlighted the romantic and tumultuous history of the Banda Islands