Title: Sisters of Shiloh
Authors: Kathy and Becky Hepinstall
Narrator: Xe Sands
Unabridged Length: Aprox. 7.5 hrs
Here is a summary of the book from the publisher's website:
Libby's husband, Arden, joined the army not long after their wedding and died in the Battle of Antietam. Libby finds his body on the unimaginably bloody field, Josephine already, suspiciously, at his side. Libby, mad with sorrow, decides to disguise herself as a man, and she sets off to kill twenty-one Yankees, one for each year of her husband's life. Josephine, disguised as Joseph, goes along with her sister. As Libby proves herself a competent soldier, Arden begins to appear to her in dreams, driving her on and whispering accusations about Josephine. Josephine then finds herself caught in another kind of danger: she's falling in love for the first time, but she is desperately afraid of revealing herself to the object of her desire.
My Review:
Novels set in the time period of the Civil War are hit or miss with me, and this one was a hit! I'm sure Xe Sands narration skills helped the enjoyment for me as I find myself enjoying almost any book she is reading to me. I must say that I also find it interesting that two sisters wrote this book together, that happens to be about two sisters.
Libby and Josephine grew up in a good home with all their needs provided for. Libby has always been a gentle soul while Josephine seemed to handle some of the hardships of life better. When Libby's husband dies in a battle, Libby's grief pushes her mind to a scary place. Not only does she talk Josephine into the two of them disguising themselves as men to join the army, but she even acts like a man at times when it is not needed.
The lives of the two sisters take a dramatic turn after joining the army. They have to be secretive with all their actions, lest their secret is discovered. When Josephine finds herself becoming attracted to a fellow soldier, Libby finds herself getting angry with Josephine's carelessness. It comes down to Josephine making a decision and having to choose between her only sister or the only love she has experienced in her young life.
As I indicated earlier, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this novel. With themes of mental illness, familial obligations, and love, you may enjoy it as much as I did. I don't hesitate in recommending this novel for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.
My Rating: 4/5
Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the publisher through the Audiobook Jukebox program in exchange for an honest review.
5 comments:
I'm not crazy about that time period but I do love Xe Sands!
Oh! Thanks so very much, Jo-Jo! This is such a quiet novel and I keep hoping more folks will pick it up, as the authors have such a beautiful way with words.
And bermudaonion - thank you for your kind words as well! I will say that I'm not generally a fan of that time period either, but this one really got under my skin. The authors certainly don't pull any of their punches...
I could not put down this book. It was so well-researched and the writing so beautifully composed that I felt I was right there in the story. The characters were magnetic and I felt I knew them intimately.
This book is excellent. Easy read & keeps you interested the entire time. Interesting plot. I would highly recommend it.
I was expecting a cheesy romance novel. Instead it was a true love story between sisters and I accidentally learned something. it's a quick and sweet read!
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