From Publishers Weekly
Rinaldi (Coffin Quilt; Wolf by the Ears) delivers another fast-paced Civil War adventure, this time about a Michigan girl who masquerades as a Union soldier and then becomes a Pinkerton spy. Readers will immediately like 16-year-old Sarah, introduced just as she is planning to shoot at the lecherous widower whom her abusive father intends for her to marry. Before long, Sarah has enlisted in the Second Michigan under the alias Neddy Compton. Rinaldi rather quickly describes Sarah's efforts to conceal her identity (she cuts her hair and avoids the latrine), and more exacting readers may also wonder how she hides menstruation and breasts. On the other hand, the rapid narrative doesn't leave the audience too much time to question Rinaldi's devices. Sarah works for a Union doctor, enters into battle and shoots her first Rebel, then carries out a dying man's poignant last request. When her secret is at last discovered, she is pressed into service as a spy and thrust undercover as a maid for a notorious Confederate socialite and spy. There Sarah craftily deduces how her Mata Hari mistress ferrets messages behind enemy lines, and there, too, Sarah falls in love with the rakish Lieutenant Sheldon, who may or may not be a traitor. The relationships between the characters do not seem as strong as the narrative claims, however; fortunately, Sarah's force of personality is enough to hold readers. Ages 9-14.
Rinaldi (Coffin Quilt; Wolf by the Ears) delivers another fast-paced Civil War adventure, this time about a Michigan girl who masquerades as a Union soldier and then becomes a Pinkerton spy. Readers will immediately like 16-year-old Sarah, introduced just as she is planning to shoot at the lecherous widower whom her abusive father intends for her to marry. Before long, Sarah has enlisted in the Second Michigan under the alias Neddy Compton. Rinaldi rather quickly describes Sarah's efforts to conceal her identity (she cuts her hair and avoids the latrine), and more exacting readers may also wonder how she hides menstruation and breasts. On the other hand, the rapid narrative doesn't leave the audience too much time to question Rinaldi's devices. Sarah works for a Union doctor, enters into battle and shoots her first Rebel, then carries out a dying man's poignant last request. When her secret is at last discovered, she is pressed into service as a spy and thrust undercover as a maid for a notorious Confederate socialite and spy. There Sarah craftily deduces how her Mata Hari mistress ferrets messages behind enemy lines, and there, too, Sarah falls in love with the rakish Lieutenant Sheldon, who may or may not be a traitor. The relationships between the characters do not seem as strong as the narrative claims, however; fortunately, Sarah's force of personality is enough to hold readers. Ages 9-14.
To avoid marrying a neighbor, Sarah Louisa Wheelock disguises herself as a boy and enlists in the Flint Union Greys, a regimanet that becomes part of the 2nd Michigan Infantry during the Cival War. Sarah, now known as Neddy Compton, works as a male nurse and entertains the wounded soldiers until her real identity is discovered. But her talent for mimicry brings her to the attention of Allan Pinkerton, head of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Pinkerton offers Sarah the opportunity to become a woman "operative." Her first assignment is to investigate Rose Greenhow, a suspected Southern spy.
Suddenly Sarah is plunged into a world of danger and intrigue where the simplest mistake could cost her her life.
Suddenly Sarah is plunged into a world of danger and intrigue where the simplest mistake could cost her her life.
To avoid marrying a neighbor, Sarah disguises herself as a boy and enlists in the Flint Union Greys, a regiment in the 2nd Michigan Infantry during the Civil War. She works as a male nurse until her identify is discovered. This is a great little story about her adventures.
A good book about a girl during the Civil war:
"To avoid marrying a neighbor, Sarah Louisa Wheelock disguises herself as a boy and enlists in the Flint Union Greys, a regiment that becomes part of the 2nd Michigan Infantry during the Civil War. Sarah, no known as Neddy Compton, works as a male nurse and entertains the wounded soldiers until her real identity is discovered. But her talent for mimicry brings her to the attention of Allan Pinkerton, head of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Pinkerton offers Sarah the opportunity to become a woman "operative". Her first assignment is to investigate Rose Greenhow, a suspected Southern spy. Suddenly Sarah is plunged into a world of danger and intrigue wher ethe simplest mistake could cost her her life." For younger readers... 9th grade and younger, but older people could definately read...
"To avoid marrying a neighbor, Sarah Louisa Wheelock disguises herself as a boy and enlists in the Flint Union Greys, a regiment that becomes part of the 2nd Michigan Infantry during the Civil War. Sarah, no known as Neddy Compton, works as a male nurse and entertains the wounded soldiers until her real identity is discovered. But her talent for mimicry brings her to the attention of Allan Pinkerton, head of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Pinkerton offers Sarah the opportunity to become a woman "operative". Her first assignment is to investigate Rose Greenhow, a suspected Southern spy. Suddenly Sarah is plunged into a world of danger and intrigue wher ethe simplest mistake could cost her her life." For younger readers... 9th grade and younger, but older people could definately read...
A great book about the Civil War. Rinaldi is always good.
Wow this book really blew me away
This is an amazing book about the Civil war and the effect of women spies.
One of Ann Rinaldi's best. It is attention grabbing and a really fast read. One of my favorites of hers.
This book was pretty boring and you really don't get what is going on most of the time. It was not very enjoyable.
This book was previously in a junior/senior high school and the story is at that age level. Having said that, I did enjoy both the story and the author's note at the end relating the fact that some women did join the army during the civil war disguised as boys. There weren't mandatory physicals so it was fairly easy to pull this off. The descriptions of the battle Sarah, the main character, took part in would have been psychologically damaging to any young person, male or female. Also reading about the beginning of the Pinkerton spy system was very interesting. No matter what age, if you like historical fiction you'll enjoy this book. I just feel there must be a sequel because I was left wanting the ends of the story tied together.
