Ohhkay, wow! I'm not sure why it took me so long to get around to this book or why I more than half expected just "another Revolution story." Guess it serves me right for putting it off!
To be clear, this book is so much more than "just another Revolution story." It's not platitudes and easy answers and quick changes of opinion, and it's also not modern characters running around in historical garb across a backdrop that happens to be the Revolution. Everything about the story--dress, setting, characters, opinions, quotes--anchored me in the time and place as firmly as any historical story I've ever read. And it was done without info dumps or painful amounts of detail. (P.S., if you know me, my description/detail tolerance tends to be on the low end anyway, so that's a serious compliment. :D)
I loved the ways the different historical characters were woven into the story, especially the way they were given individual personalities and roles and made to feel like real people instead of cardboard cutouts stuck in for brief cameos. I absolutely loved Dr. Joseph Warren and his centrality to the story (although I have to admit my only knowledge of him prior to this comes from Johnny Tremain--the movie, not the book :P). For as little as she was seen, Abigail Adams absolutely popped off the page as well. One character whose name I didn't know had me looking things up as the story was wrapping up...then realizing it was all explained in the historical note at the end. ;) And another had me wincing in anticipation of the so-easy application of 20/20 hindsight and left me blown away by the unexpected complexity and depth of his characterization.
As for the non-historical characters, William had me both hurting for and rooting for him from the word go. His complexities, insecurities, secret love of adventure, and deep desire for the love and acceptance of his father made him an incredibly real, deep, and vibrant character. Unlike some book heroes whose choices leave me scratching my head, I always understood why he was choosing the things he was choosing and why certain decisions were so hard for him. The only thing I didn't quite get was how a couple of things in the prologue fit with his main motivations, but that might be me missing something. ;) I really liked his relationship with Matthew as well and would have loved to see more of it. <3
There was a bit of tragedy in certain parts, which is not my forte in the slightest, but somehow it was done well enough that I didn't want to collapse into a sad lump when it was over, which is not my normal response to tragic subplots. ;) And even though I had tears running down my cheeks by the end, it was still such an amazingly satisfying story that it's going in my favorites list, no question about it.
Also, I listened to this on audiobook and thought the narrator did a great job. The only drawback for me was the addition of sound effects, which tends to distract me in an audiobook, but that's a personal preference. :)
4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.
Content--mentions of gunplay, wounds, and deaths; mentions of drinking and drunkenness; veiled references to men having weaknesses for women, safeguarding women's reputations, etc.
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