Access Widow Of Gettysburg (Heroines Behind The Lines, #2) Prepared By Jocelyn Green Accessible As Digital

book drew me in from the very beginning, My heart went out to Liberty, who was trying to prove her worth as more than 'a symbol'.
I loved seeing her interactions with Bella, Silas, Amelia, and Harrison as their stories intertwined in ways that I could not have foreseen.

I loved that Liberty chose to 'rise up' when she was tasked with the almost impossible job of loving her enemies.
I love that she discovered her own worth as a daughter of God as she sought to do His will for her life.

I won't spoil the ending, but will simply say that it brought me to tears,
.As one who has studied war in college but not experienced it in real life, I found Jocelyn Green's Widow of Gettysburg to be more effective at conveying the horrors of battle than most of the non fiction I read in college.
Part of it is that I cannot see myself in the place of a soldier, which is the viewpoint taken by most when writing of war, but I can see myself as Liberty Holloway, a woman who knows nothing of battle but suddenly ends up in the midst of its aftermath.
She is not particularly happy about housing and helping the enemy's wounded, nor does she know how to deal with digging out bullets and amputating limbs, and to top it off her home and her livelihood as an innkeeper are basically destroyed without ever feeling a bullet.
But she relies on God through it all, and she finds a strength that surpasses her former understanding.


Widow of Gettysburg is such a poignant depiction of that historical town in the days leading up to the battle, the battle itself, and the aftermath, as Gettysburg and its inhabitants slowly recover from the devastation.
It really encourages one to really think about how a battle affects civilians, Through Liberty's eyes, we can grasp the horrible sights, the putrid odors, the fatigue, the hunger, and the devastation that remains when "it is all over" and the rebel soldiers are gone.
Her house and barn are half destroyed, she has no garden or animals left, her food supplies were gone in a day, all spare bedding and material were shredded for bandages, and she only has one dress left to her name.
Those are just the material side effects if anything, after caring for the wounded, she has changed even more emotionally and spiritually.
These things were not unique to Liberty these things happened to real women all over Gettysburg, throughout the whole Civil War, and probably at nearly every battle in history that could in any way affect civilians.


Green's novel is full of good characters who are likeable, and yet none are perfect each has issues to work through, from the main characters Liberty and Silas, to her former motherinlaw and the rebel doctor.
Even the undisputed bad guys have moments of grace just like anyone, Besides the obvious plot of the assault on Gettysburg, there is also a strong storyline full of surprises that further inspires the main characters and moves them on their personal journeys.

Ms. Green's meticulous attention to historical detail is a hallmark of her style, She has a compelling voice, and creates plots and characters that surprise, delight, challenge and ultimately inspire.

Liberty Halloway lost her husband early on in the war, and has been left to run her farm near Gettysburg with only the help of a hired freed woman and the companionship of a half blind and deaf Newfoundland dog.
Dressed in "grave clothes", she greets a potential boarder who turns out to be a half starved young man begging a bit of breadthe most polite and enchanting beggar she's ever met, Silas.
He challenges her to leave off her mourning, and also leaves a cryptic

warning about finding another place to go for the near future as things are about to get intense.

Silas is more than meets the eye, Without giving away too much of the intricate and fascinating plot, both Libbie and Silas are on a journey of discovery and healing, navigating mutual attraction and impossible obstacles to their star crossed romance.

Again with this book as with the last, the secondary characters and subplots make this a gripping read.
Freedmen and women grace the periphery of this story until a climactic moment brings them center stage.
Also featured is the role of newsmen and military couriers and scouts from the Civil War,
Ms. Green does an exceptional job creating the sights, sounds, culture, and voice of the age, I was transported into a world of bucolic beauty and peace ravaged by the chaos of war and its aftermath.
Though the journey has moments of great drama and depicts the reality of war, the destination delivers the reader to a satisfying and hopeful place.
This novel is destined to become a classic for its broad view of America's greatest land battle, and its intimate portraits from several points of view from its diverse cast of characters.
Libbie is sure to steal your heart and have you rooting for her all the way to the end, to find love, peace, and her happily ever after.

As the newest member of my book club I felt added pressure to suggest a good title for the group to read and discuss.
However, knowing that all the members of our group enjoy historical fiction I had confidence in suggesting a title by Jocelyn Green.
Time and again Green has delighted me with wellresearched, wellwritten, and flawlessly delivered Civil War era novels.
Widow of Gettysburg was no exception,
In Widow of Gettysburg, Green assembles a diverse group of characters: a seminary school dropout, news reporter, former slave, and a young Union widow.
The manner in which their stories overlap and intertwine makes for a compelling read, I was always looking forward to what would happen next and wondering how their struggles would eventually play out.
A major theme was our propensity to judge others based on outward appearances instead of right judgement John:.
This played out in many ways in this story based on gender, the color of a person's skin, and the color of one's uniform.
These prejudices along with the ample amount of factual history within these pages will provide plenty of fodder for our book club discussion.


I've readtitles from the Heroines Behind the Lines Series, but not in sequential order,,.
This indicates how strong each title is, and how well they each can stand on their own.
I highly recommend this series to both history buffs, and book clubs!,