Sunflower Sisters

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly  528 pages

This is the final book in the Lilac Girls or the Woolsey-Ferriday Trilogies

I fell in love with Martha Hall Kelly’s writing when her first book, “Lilac Girls” debuted. The second book, working backwards in time, was “Lost Roses.” And now this, the final story, has come along, which takes place during the American Civil War.

One thing I like about these novels is that they are truly standalones. They are about one family across history and other than the blood connection, there is no mention of the other relatives or protagonists in the other two books. Maybe that’s why author Hall-Kelly wrote them in reverse.

The book is told from three points of view. First is the main protagonist, Georgeanna “Georgy” Woolsey, a great-aunt to “Lilac Girls” Caroline Ferriday. Georgy ultimately becomes a nurse, serving during the Civil War. Hall Kelly takes readers right to the battle front without romanticizing the events or the war. Sometimes it was hard to read. Georgy believes her destiny is to open a nursing school for women.

The second point of view is from Jemma, a slave on the Peeler Plantation. She is brutalized and beaten, often to the breaking point. As life and white people conspire to make her life as hard as possible, Jemma pulls herself up and continues.

The third point of view is from Anne-May Wilson, mistress of the Peeler Plantation. She is meaner than any man could ever be to her slaves. Anne-May is in charge of running the tobacco fields until, and if, her husband and brother, fighting on opposite sides, return home. It’s no wonder that the slaves are constantly running away. Her brutality is legendary.

The story flows well and the characters are well-developed. From reading the Author’s Notes, I learned that most of the research was done through the Woolsey family letters. Georgy had six sisters and one brother. I highly recommend reading that last section as it provides some insight into the Woolsey family.

At first I was confused about the sunflowers; I wasn’t sure what they meant. Sunflowers were used to warn runaway slave of places that weren’t safe. They pop up in the book in several places.

At 528 pages, this is a massive book to undertake. I read it in a little over a week, it was that good. It’s been a couple of weeks since I finished “Sunflower Sisters” and I find myself missing these characters.

“Sunflower Sisters” receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War

Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War

 Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War by S.C. Gwynne, 

395 pages

The fourth and final year of the American Civil War is covered here by an excellent writer, who kept the pages turning with well-conceived chapters and intriguing descriptions of the people and times. I enjoy Civil War history, but I often find books detailing every moment and movement of battles tedious and dense. This one told the story of the battles the way I like to read them: who planned their strategy well, who didn't, who won, who lost. 

But what I really appreciated about this book was that its focus was not entirely on the battles: I learned more about Clara Barton, the "Angel of the Battlefield" in this book than I have anywhere else. And I'd never heard of African-American Civil War correspondent Thomas Morris Chester, whose newspaper reporting covered the stories in ways his colleagues never could, until I read this book. Likewise, reading about the importance of the 1864 election was timely to current events, and it was interesting to learn that even Abraham Lincoln felt his chances for a loss were high and that his own party was in the process of disassociating themselves with him.

The book did cover the important people and dates, but in a way that was accessible and readable. Each person was well-described so that they were distinguishable from others, and the impact of decisions and the heartbreaking aftermath of battles, while not enjoyable to read, was well-written. The author was good at debunking myths while still telling stories I hadn't read before. I would recommend this for anyone interested in the Civil War and American history.

The Tubman Command

The Tubman Command by Elizabeth Cobbs    336 pages

 

I had been seeing/hearing a lot of buzz about this book, and I was excited to read it. I learned about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad in grade school, but can’t say that I knew all that much about the woman. I’ve visited historic homes who had tunnels that claimed to be points on that infamous line and have stood in the darkened tunnel, aghast at the fear those poor people must have felt.  But fear is what kept them pressing on.

 

This story takes place in South Carolina, in May 1863. The tide had not yet turned for the Union Army, and many feared that the United States would split into two countries. From the book jacket:

 

“’The Tubman Command’ tells the story of Tubman at the height of her powers, when she devises the largest plantation raid of the Civil War. General David Hunter places her in charge of a team of black scouts even though skeptical of what one woman can accomplish. For her gamble to succeed, “Moses” must outwit alligators, overseers, slave catchers, sharpshooters, and even hostile Union soldiers to lead gunships up the Combahee River. Men stand in her way at every turn--though one reminds her that love shouldn’t have to be the price of freedom.”

 

I had high hopes for this novel. However, the use of dialect made it difficult, for me to read. I was often bored and kept getting thrown out of the story by the dialect. Therefore, “The Tubman Command” receives 1 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson

The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson by Nancy Peacock     336 pages

This wonderful novel opens on April 1, 1875, in Drunken Bride, Texas. Persimmon Wilson is awaiting a hanging. Given the fact that Persy is black and the main means of execution was hanging back in that time period, he’s no stranger to these events. Fortunately for him, he’s never been the guest of honor. He writes this for Chloe, the only woman he ever loved. “I write this that she may be known for who she was, and not for who you think she was."

In November 1860, Percy was put on the auction block. There he saw Chloe for the first time and if one believed in love at first sight, Percy and Chloe were struck by Cupid’s arrow. Author Peacock does an excellent, cringe-worthy job of illustrating the degradation the men, women, and children who were slaves had to endure. Fortunately, the master of Louisiana’s Sweetmore Plantation bought both Chloe and Persy.

Life on the sugarcane plantation is brutal. Chloe is designated as a maid to the mistress while Persy is sent to the fields. Peacock did her research and describes their life in all its horrors. I admire her use of the language of the time. It lends authenticity, and before I knew it, I felt like I was living alongside Percy. In this overly political world we live in, it’s nice to see an author be true to the historical time period.

When the Civil War broke out, Sweetmore wasn’t immediately affected, but soon the Yankees came a callin’. Wilson fled to Texas, taking his slaves with him. As the steamer pulls out into the river, Persy and Chloe are separated.  Persy spends five years searching for Chloe. During that time, Persy is captured by the Comanches and becomes a member of their tribe.

Percy and Chloe's love story is one for the ages.

This half of the novel doesn’t feel quite as realistic as did the first half. Still, the research felt genuine and provided Persy with an amazingly interesting life. He learns the language and their ways. He becomes a Comanche and gains a reputation throughout Texas.

I wanted so badly to give The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson 6 out of 5 stars, but the slightly-less-then-true feel of the second half force me to give Nancy Peacock’s novel 5 stars out of 5 in Julie’s world.

Neverhome

Neverhome by Laird Hunt
246 Pages

The story of a woman who goes to fight in the Civil War.  Constance/Ash is more masculine than her husband and feels the need to answer the call of the Union Army in the battle between the states.  Through her natural affinity to the outdoors and army life, Ash becomes a folk hero within the Union Army.

While the premise is interesting, the narrative style is very spare and unfeeling.  Ash is almost one step removed from her life and as she narrates the battles and struggles she goes through, her experience is dampened by this lack of emotion.