This unflinching historical fiction novel follows Hiram Summers, a north Alabama farmer who decides to enlist and join the conflict during the Civil War. He sees combat, which is portrayed in gruesome detail. Meanwhile, his young son David sees the war come to his very doorstep, while Hiram’s wife Caroline deals with the grim and thankless tasks that make up her day-to-day reality.
The Civil War has been portrayed in many books and movies, but seldom have the human struggles that formed its backbone been so beautifully and tragically rendered. This isn’t always the most cheerful book, but it’s masterfully written and eminently readable.
Harsh realities of war
With southern accents and colloquialisms, readers are transported from an old southern home life to the battlegrounds of the Civil War where soldiers and their families endure the harsh realities of war. The author immerses readers into the heart of the Civil War with language that resonates with that time frame in the south. While the men are away, the women are fighting their own battle at home trying to keep the Yankees from stealing anything. I think the women deserve combat medals too.
Hawkins’ description of desperate soldiers enduring bad weather, dwindling supplies, and the brutality of combat are stories I’ve heard from my own family and friends who served in the military.
The description of the war from the southern side was enlightening. This book is for anyone who enjoys history.
