I knew little about the Civil War when starting this book, and even less about the Jewish community's involvement. I also kept expecting this young author to falter. She didn't.
Horn finds a niche from which to share a lesser-known perspective on this much-written-about war, and she molds the intersection of Judaism and Jewish history with more familiar historical events and personages into an engaging and well-constructed storyline. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was headed, it either didn't go there, or it arrived in such a round-about way that I'd almost forgotten my earlier prediction. Equally impressive is Horn's characterization of her protagonist, Jacob, who matures, during the course of the novel, through realistic insights about individuality, commitment, discrimination and honor.
I enjoyed this story and recommend it to others, including (perhaps especially) to those less drawn to military history and more interested in characters, relationships, and theme.
Horn finds a niche from which to share a lesser-known perspective on this much-written-about war, and she molds the intersection of Judaism and Jewish history with more familiar historical events and personages into an engaging and well-constructed storyline. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was headed, it either didn't go there, or it arrived in such a round-about way that I'd almost forgotten my earlier prediction. Equally impressive is Horn's characterization of her protagonist, Jacob, who matures, during the course of the novel, through realistic insights about individuality, commitment, discrimination and honor.
I enjoyed this story and recommend it to others, including (perhaps especially) to those less drawn to military history and more interested in characters, relationships, and theme.
