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Firefly A novel Whitney Hamilton 9781420807356 Books

Download As PDF : Firefly A novel Whitney Hamilton 9781420807356 Books

Firefly A novel Whitney Hamilton 9781420807356 Books

The first half of this book was magnificent and then, without warning, it faltered. The pity party Henry/Grace indulged in became repetitive and extremely annoying. Self involved and boring. Fell in love at the drop of a hat, even with a man with the mind of a child. Virginia was by far the better character. Strong, independent, refusing to give in to tragic events in her life. Virginia's hardship made her a better person. Henry/Grace never achieved anything close to being a better person. Just wallowing in misery of his/her on making. Why Virginia cared at all is beyond my ability to understand. Grace would have never had the courage to do the things Virginia or Louise did. A regrettable second half to what should have been a very good book.


Tags : Firefly: A novel [Whitney Hamilton] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Grace Kieler had a comfortable life in Charleston until the outbreak of the Civil War. After losing everyone but her sister and surviving the Great Fire of 1861. Grace found herself in the uniform of her dead Confederate brother,Whitney Hamilton,Firefly: A novel,AuthorHouse,1420807358,FICTION Historical General,Fiction,Fiction - Historical,Fiction Historical,Historical - General,Historical fiction,FIC014000,FICTION General

Firefly A novel Whitney Hamilton 9781420807356 Books Reviews

I have read thousands of books and this one is in my top 20. The writing was beautiful and almost poetic. Lesbian characters are in this novel but that is not the focus of this book. It is obvious that this writer did extensive research on the Civil War and women's roles and survival. The writing makes you think you are in the middle of the battlefield. If you are a history buff then you would definitely enjoy this book and is one to read again. I rarely give 5 star ratings but this book is deserving of one.
I gave "Firefly" a rating of three because the author seemed overly repetitive when she delves into the emotions of the two main characters. The yearnings of the two main characters was a bit trite. However, the historical portion concerning the Civil War proved to keep me enthusiastic to learn more about women who posed as men and fought as soldiers in the war.

As far as the version, there were several spelling errors that could have been corrected with more careful editing.
In conclusion, this was a fun, easy read when not looking for literary prose.
Whitney Hamilton brings the War Between the States to life, expressed through exceptional research and lack of romantizing the most horrific chapter in US history (recent revised estimates of causalties exceed 750,000). The story was completely believable and accurate as supported by historical archives of the number of women who did actively serve in both the Confederacy and Union.

The story is in depth and at times overly theological which becomes somewhat distracting for such a lenghty novel but the tempo remains intact and linear. The conclusion is thoughtful and satisfying.
I wanted to give the book a full 5 but the finalization of the book stifled some of the joy a bit.
The story was captivating and it dragged the reader raw across a grater.
So much ground was carefully laid for the two main characters so we can follow their development. After such an lengthy ordeal there were no intertwining of the full characters leaving the story unsatisfying but still a wonderful complex plot.
It is estimated that there were 250 disguised Ladies in the civil war! They were held in high regard by their fellow soldiers until they were found out. They joined their husbands and family and re married again as most of their husbands were killed. I was stunned by this truth as I would have tried anything not to join a war, I would have disguised myself as a lady if I were male!
This is such a moving, powerful book written with such elegance and poise. Despite the weight of the plot and subject matter in the first half (wow, wanted to slit my wrists at one point!), it ends ultimately on such promise and hope. The analogies alone are some of the most lyrical I have ever read. And Virginia is a complex, fascinating character. I love how the author juxtaposed both her strength and frailty, her breakdowns and her ability to recover from the harshest of tragedies. And the times where Henry switches back to Grace, how different this person is depending on the clothing/persona she embodies. Grace seemed more authoritative, mature and in control than Henry, yet it's Henry's shyness, respect, and his relationships with both people and the land that she ultimately craves.

Can't say enough about how incredible this book is, definitely one of the best in the genre.
I can only be thankful when I find a book that takes me to another place and time - the Civil War. The author stays true to the events and people of the time and goes on to describe people/characters that I remember fondly long after having completed the book. I like to think that life is a series of moments and books that describe in rich lyrical language moments and people that stay with you deserve to be praised and recommended. The book is more than a love story it is about coming to terms about what love truly is for family, friends, and the special people who touch us.

The author takes a terrible time in our history, the war, and takes us on a journey with Grace/Henry as she experiences lost, death, fear and manages to survive it all. The other protagonist in the story is Virginia's journey and the impact of the war on her life and the battering her heart and soul takes. I don't want to reveal much but I will state that sometimes when all seems lost but despair and hardship it is great to find characters that persevere and find other strengths. The author made these characters very special to me. I did not care about the particulars of loving men or women but the importance of love and the survival of some inner core we have and the ability to rekindle that.

The book uses many methods to tell the story - the narrator, the letters, the inner thoughts and dreams of characters. The story is told using the grit of the reality of the moment and the hallucinations or connections to people from our past, present and future. There are songs, music, and lyrical words used to transform us from the here and now to another century where we connect to the emotions of lost, love and heartbreak. (Can you tell I truly enjoyed the book!)

The book does have some weaknesses and could use some editing as noted by other reviewers but none of the weaknesses in any way took away from the power of the story, the strength of the writing and music the words made in my heart and mind. I wanted the story to continue. That says it all.
The first half of this book was magnificent and then, without warning, it faltered. The pity party Henry/Grace indulged in became repetitive and extremely annoying. Self involved and boring. Fell in love at the drop of a hat, even with a man with the mind of a child. Virginia was by far the better character. Strong, independent, refusing to give in to tragic events in her life. Virginia's hardship made her a better person. Henry/Grace never achieved anything close to being a better person. Just wallowing in misery of his/her on making. Why Virginia cared at all is beyond my ability to understand. Grace would have never had the courage to do the things Virginia or Louise did. A regrettable second half to what should have been a very good book.