Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wells
The Civil War looms large for Southerner India and her family. They are sure the South will beat those Yankees in no time flat. The reality quickly hits as India's father, and every other male over 17, goes to war. India's dad needs his asthma medication and she goes to the aftermath of the battle of Appomattox to find him. What she sees is the horror. This is a fantastic anti-war book with many themes. India is an intelligent young woman who is more interested in chemistry than the "womanly arts". She realizes that even Yankees are loved and have families as she helps a dying soldier. A great read. A definite YAY.
posted by Deb Motley @ 7:47 AM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
While I thought the story was interesting and thoughtfully crafted, certain aspects of the writing irked me. There were lots of explanations and descriptions of feelings where I just wanted more action, more "doing" what was described.
The author seemed to be cramming lots of veiw-points in, but not taking them anywhere interesting, except perhaps the jerk who ends of being an important soldier in the GAR. I wanted to see more of him. :)
Another major problem for me of the medical breakthroughs being discovered by the main character's tutor/love interest. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't stand the idea that this kid was discovering penicillin in the 1860s. Sure, bacteriology was really taking off at that point, but I wish they had stuck a little closer to actual medical knowledge of the period.
Of course this wouldn't really bother a teen, I'm sure, and while I would tell a teen looking for a civil war story or a historical book to try this one out, NAY for me.
I'm only a MAYBE here. I liked this book and thought it was one of the stronger historical fiction titles on the list so far, but there were some things about it that irked me a little. Not enough for a definite yes or no yet, though.
Yah for me, it is fiction so you sort of have to overlook the liberties the author took with certain aspects. It was strong historical fiction novel. I enjoyed it and has been checked out several times since it was put in the teen section.
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