Letters from Home by Gracelyn Buckner {Book Review}


~ Description 

It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it.
~General Robert E. Lee, CSA

Marigold Ruth Bryant and Rueben Collins lived the life of farmers in Western North Carolina during the early 1860s. But times are changing. With the attack on Fort Sumpter, Marigold and Rueben’s lives are turned upside down. Meeting legendary figures in the war, they must decide what they truly believe. Follow the steps of these simple farming families and discover more about the lives of those impacted by this conflict.


~ My Rating 

3.5 stars


~ My Review 

Letters from Home was a nice story, that fairly accurately showed every day civilian life during the Civil War. The fact that it's set near my home made it more enjoyable, as I recognized town and landmark names. 

The characters were well-done and mostly relatable. There were a lot of them to keep track of however—something that usually bothers me—but the character list near the beginning of the book helped with that. 

There were a few inconsistencies throughout the book that caused me to lower my rating a bit. 

*Spoilers through the next two paragraphs*

A man from town comes to the home of the main character, nearly frozen from the weather, to tell the family of a raid that just took place. Instead of asking the poor man what happened, prompting him to traipse through a snowstorm to tell them about it, Marigold's mom sends her out in the storm. She walks to town, visits two families, and ends up drinking ice tea with the colonel's wife, with no mention made of the cold weather. Wait...what about the blizzard? :P

There was also a Charles mentioned a couple times...I never did figure out who he was.

Toward the end of the book, Marigold receives a letter saying that Rueben was captured by the enemy and she worries about. But up until that time, she hadn't heard from him in months and she was 'okay' with that. So...why the sudden worry, when you at least know he's alive now?

*end of spoilers*

Inconsistencies aside, I did enjoy the story, the peek into the horrors of Civil War POW camps, and the inclusion of real events. If you enjoy stories about the Civil War, you'd probably like this one! :)


**I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**

Comments

  1. Hmm...might have to check this one out! I love studying the War Between the States and have an ongoing series that I'm writing, 3 out of 5 being released already. Always looking for new books on the topic ;) And I'm from North Carolina too! High five!

    Just curious, which side of the war do the main characters take? Just curious ;)

    Hey, if your family is in the Denton nc area the week of July 4th, swing by the Farm Park for the Southeast Old Threshers Reunion! I'm working there giving tours of a Civil War plantation house! It would be great to meet a fellow NC author!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's awesome, Ryana!! I remember looking at your books on your site. Definitely need to check them out sometime!! :) Hey, great! *high five*

      Haha... xD The characters are confederates. Stonewall Jackson actually makes an appearance in the book!

      Wow, that sounds super amazing, Ryana!! I'd love to come. :) Denton is nearly 4 hours from where I live though, so I won't be able to make it. I'm going to be going through that area this weekend though!

      Delete
    2. Hey , that would be great!

      Ohhh! Stonewall is my favorite ...in fact my characters are in the Stonewall Brigade! Definitely need to check this out!

      Aw...:( maybe next year;) or you could always come to Christmas Train! I work the same job then! Have fun this weekend !

      Delete
    3. Definitely!!

      That's awesome! Yes, do. :)

      That would be great too! A meet-up would be fabulous. ;)

      Delete
  2. This book did sound interesting but I think the mistakes probably would lower my rating too. Lovely review Faith!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it wasn't a favorite, but still a fun story. :D Thanks!

      Delete
  3. Inconsistencies in books are a bit annoying, but that's great that other then that you enjoyed this book. :) I like the cover. ;)
    Thanks for the review, Faith!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, to me too. ;) Isn't it cute?? I think a friend of the author posed for it. :D

      Delete
  4. Thanks for the review, Faith! I really appreciate pointing out my inaccuracies, they all make sense. (Charles is actually a typo, Richard replaces that character. I'm glad you mentioned it, I need to fix it. :P)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the opportunity, Gracelyn! (Ahh, okay! That makes a lot more sense now. XD)

      Delete

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