Skip to main content

This Side of The River: A Novel by Jeffrey Stayton: A Book Review

This Side of The River: A Novel
Author: Jeffrey Stayton
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Nautilus
Release Date: February 15, 2015
Pages: 256
Source: This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: At the end of the Civil War, a group of young, angry Confederate widows band together, take up arms, and march north to Ohio intent to burn down the home of General William Tecumseh Sherman.

       My review: A group of Confederate widows are filled with hatred  against General Sherman for what his army had done to them. In order to satisfy their lust for revenge, they get together, grab their guns, and march north to Ohio to burn down General Sherman’s home. Their chosen ringleader is Captain Cat Harvey, a Texas Ranger with a dark side. When the widows start to see Cat Harvey’s sinister side, they soon begin to wonder what price they have to pay for their common cause.

      The story is told from many points of view from both genders male and female. But the main characters are the widows and their leader with Cat Harvey. At first, the widows are full of fire, hope,and happiness that they are marching north. They also admire their ringleader, Cat Harvey, for they fall in love with him and compete for his affections. Yet, the story takes a dark turn when they are abused by Cat Harvey. They feel ashamed of themselves and come to despise him. However, it is through Cat Harvey’s abuse that these women become stronger and are more of a sisterhood. They take care of each other and make their own decisions. I admire these women because they are tough-as-nails and men are proven to be fools for underestimating them.

      Cat Harvey is an interesting character. At first, he seems to be the hero in the story, but in actuality he is the villain. He is haunted by a dark past and doesn’t believe he can be redeemed. I really disliked his character, but I found him funny when he cross-dresses as a widow and wears clown make-up and rides an elephant. This is because he considers himself a widow of the cause because he has lost his wife and daughter.

      Overall, this book is filled with betrayal and revenge, but also friendship, hope, redemption and choices. This book questions the meaning of justice. The characters and setting are well-developed. The writing is lyrical and heart-breaking. There are some adults scenes in this book for there are graphic details about Captain Cat Harvey abuse of the widows. Yet I recommend this for fans of historical fiction and Civil Wars fans alike.

 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Shelley Stratton: Trolley Cars, the Metro, and Bringing Historical Settings to Life

      Shelly Stratton is the author of She Wears the Mask .  This interesting guest post discusses how she incorporates realistic details and facts about streetcars from the early 20th century, which were common long before her birth. Mrs. Stratton describes her love of these older modes of public transportation as well as how she felt a joy and kinship with those who patronized these iconic symbols of urban transportation throughout the industrial age. Thank you, Mrs. Stratton! Trolley Cars, the Metro, and Bringing Historical Settings to Life By Shelly Stratton      Decades ago, whenever I visited my great grandmother and great aunt in NW Washington, D.C., they would always ask me, “Did you drive in or take the trolley car here?” As I removed my coat or stowed away my umbrella, I would politely correct them with “I took the metro.”  But after correcting them so many times and both of them persistently referring to the metropolitan transit ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath...
2 comments
Read more

Kateryn Parr: Henry VIII's Sixth Queen by Laura Adkins: A Book Review

Kateryn Parr: Henry VIII’s Sixth Queen Author: Laura Adkins Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography  Publisher: Pen and Sword History  Book Release Date: 2024 Pages: 185 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Kateryn Parr is mainly remembered today as being the sixth wife of King Henry VIII, the one who 'survived'. Kateryn was not only a wife but a queen, mother, reformer, and author. Kateryn would face a number of events in her lifetime including being held to ransom during the Pilgrimage of Grace, being placed as regent while Henry was in France, a role which only one of his five previous wives held, her namesake Katherine of Aragon, and overcame a plot which would have led to her arrest and execution. While Queen she was able to unite the Tudor family and establish some form of happiness for Henry VIII's three children. Raised by her mother Maud Parr, under a humanist education, Kateryn was intelligent enough to understand her role in life...
Post a Comment
Read more