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just_fighting_censorship's review
3.0
Fleischman does a great job of capturing the essence of a large collection of characters and objectively telling the story of the first battle of the American Civil War. We have a diverse collection of voices, women and men, old and young, black and white, Northern and Southern. He doesn't skimp on the gory details of war, which I think is a good thing, but be warned.
elizabethseebee's review
2.0
I have always enjoyed stories that are told through multiple characters perspectives, BUT sixteen characters is far too many to keep track of... Perhaps if the characters full stories were condensed into separate chapters instead of flipping back and forth through all the characters, it would've been easier to read. Though I did like how the characters intertwined at the end and how the perspectives were through slaves, generals, soldiers, and other folks...
mary00's review
4.0
I was helping my son with a Civil War project for school and picked up this book for him. Well, after reading the glowing starred reviews inside the front cover, I started reading it myself and found it to be a jewel of a book. It is brief, but powerful. The story of the beginning of the Civil War and the Battle of Bull Run is told from the perspectives of 16 different people. I thought that it was very effective, poetic, and engaging. It would make a great addition to a classroom discussion of the Civil War, as it is such a quick read. I don't know how much kids would be drawn to this book on their own, but if used in conjunction with a classroom or home unit on the Civil War, it would be a great way to personalize the war and give their learning added dimension. Personally, I thought it was a great (but sad) stand-alone look at the war.
mrskatiefitz's review
4.0
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
In sixteen different voices from both sides of the Civil War, Paul Fleischman's 1993 novel Bull Run relates the events of the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. Included in the cast are men and women, black and white, who range from soldiers on the battlefield to artists and newspaper reporters, a young fife player, and a real-life general named Irvin McDowell.
There are a lot of characters in this short book, and even with wood carvings at the start of each chapter to differentiate one from the other, it was really hard to keep track of all the different storylines and personalities. As I read, I continually had to flip back to earlier chapters to make sure I was thinking about the correct character at the correct time. Though the battle is really the overarching plot that holds the story together, the constant shifts in perspective made it feel as though there was no real cohesive storyline. I really would have benefited from a prologue contextualizing the battle, as well as a dramatis personae introducing all the characters.
That said, this book is a powerful illustration of the impact of not just this battle, but of the Civil War as a whole on the people of the United States. By hearing stories from both sides, the reader really has the chance to understand each point of view and to empathize with both Southerners and Northerners, rather than simply taking a side. Because there are 8 characters from each side of the war, each viewpoint is represented equally and while the author does not sensationalize anything that happens, he also does not sugar-coat the pain and sadness of war, so readers really come to understand the horrors of the Civil War in an age appropriate way. Fleischman also avoids inserting his authorial voice into the text. There is no editorializing; the facts merely speak for themselves and allow readers to discuss the issues and draw their own conclusions.
The note at the end of the book states which characters are from the North and which are from the South, and it suggests reading the story as a reader's theater performance. Considering the trouble I had keeping the characters sorted out in my mind, I think a performance would be the ideal way to really appreciate this book. I also really wished I had kept a chart to refer to as I was reading and would recommend doing so to any potential reader of the book.
Overall, Bull Run makes a great starting point for delving into a deeper analysis of the rationale, impact, and experience of the Civil War. It would be especially useful in a classroom setting, where students could each take on a part and act out the story, but with proper preparation and prompting, the story can also be enjoyed independently. I will definitely keep this one on my list for future homeschooling lessons!
In sixteen different voices from both sides of the Civil War, Paul Fleischman's 1993 novel Bull Run relates the events of the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. Included in the cast are men and women, black and white, who range from soldiers on the battlefield to artists and newspaper reporters, a young fife player, and a real-life general named Irvin McDowell.
There are a lot of characters in this short book, and even with wood carvings at the start of each chapter to differentiate one from the other, it was really hard to keep track of all the different storylines and personalities. As I read, I continually had to flip back to earlier chapters to make sure I was thinking about the correct character at the correct time. Though the battle is really the overarching plot that holds the story together, the constant shifts in perspective made it feel as though there was no real cohesive storyline. I really would have benefited from a prologue contextualizing the battle, as well as a dramatis personae introducing all the characters.
That said, this book is a powerful illustration of the impact of not just this battle, but of the Civil War as a whole on the people of the United States. By hearing stories from both sides, the reader really has the chance to understand each point of view and to empathize with both Southerners and Northerners, rather than simply taking a side. Because there are 8 characters from each side of the war, each viewpoint is represented equally and while the author does not sensationalize anything that happens, he also does not sugar-coat the pain and sadness of war, so readers really come to understand the horrors of the Civil War in an age appropriate way. Fleischman also avoids inserting his authorial voice into the text. There is no editorializing; the facts merely speak for themselves and allow readers to discuss the issues and draw their own conclusions.
The note at the end of the book states which characters are from the North and which are from the South, and it suggests reading the story as a reader's theater performance. Considering the trouble I had keeping the characters sorted out in my mind, I think a performance would be the ideal way to really appreciate this book. I also really wished I had kept a chart to refer to as I was reading and would recommend doing so to any potential reader of the book.
Overall, Bull Run makes a great starting point for delving into a deeper analysis of the rationale, impact, and experience of the Civil War. It would be especially useful in a classroom setting, where students could each take on a part and act out the story, but with proper preparation and prompting, the story can also be enjoyed independently. I will definitely keep this one on my list for future homeschooling lessons!
mayanw31's review
1.0
Okay, this is partly the fault of Paul Fleischman and partly the fault of my teacher. I had this book as a summer reading assignment and it reads like it's written for much younger readers. The characters have no personality, and are all annoying. And there are too many of them. I think the ones that annoyed me most were Shem Suggs not only because of his weird name, but because of his weird obsession with horses. I have a bestie who is obsessed with horses, and its not annoying at all. But this guy? Obsessed to the point of being unhealthy. Somebody pointed a gun at his horse and he "shot him without thinking". I half hoped his horse would die. I know, cold. But it was the author's fault for not developing the character enough so that I cared what happened to him and his stupid horse. (I know this may be surprising, but I actually do like horses quite a bit. I just wouldn't die for them.) Another annoying person always that naiëve eleven year old boy who wanted to fight and kill. Just another year, buddy, and you could volunteer for the Hunger Games!! Also, that cab driver's constant 'Tis a fact'ing was super annoying. I'm not sure what messages this books is trying to send, but people, in my own words, war is bad. Okay? It just is. And this book sucks. It was a wasted two hours. Why could I not have been assigned a better book? A classic, maybe, if it had to be educational. Then I could have added that classic to my repertoire. But this book sure ain't a classic, and it sure ain't going going on my repertoire.
andydcaf2d's review against another edition
3.0
Confusing with the perspectives shifting so much while trying to listen. Should have read it instead
abomine's review against another edition
4.0
#ReadKidsLit
2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A novel set during wartime
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The concept of this book is fantastic. The history-changing Battle of Bull Run told from multiple perspectives, creating a multi-faceted portrait of a battle in all of its historical and human context. Considering that this book is barely 100+ pages long, there's a lot of depth to this story. It's gripping, it's visceral, and it's tragic (it's amazing the kind of gruesome violence that writers can get away with in a children's book that they can't get away with in a children's movie).
My only complaint is one that a lot of readers seemed to have, that there were A LOT of characters (sixteen of them), and keeping track of them got a little tough sometimes. Each chapter is headed by a woodcut illustration specific to a certain character, which helps to give a visual on which character is currently speaking. There's also a complete cast list in the back of the book. Those two things helped a bit, but not much.
There was also, in my view, a slight shortage of black characters. Again, sixteen characters, and only two were black. Considering the subject matter, this strikes me as a bit of an oversight.
Still though, this was an excellent read that delivers more depth and intrigue in its slim 100 pages than in books twice or three times the size. Maybe this won't offer anything new to a historical fiction buff, but to a layperson like me, this hit the spot.
2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A novel set during wartime
-----------------------
The concept of this book is fantastic. The history-changing Battle of Bull Run told from multiple perspectives, creating a multi-faceted portrait of a battle in all of its historical and human context. Considering that this book is barely 100+ pages long, there's a lot of depth to this story. It's gripping, it's visceral, and it's tragic (it's amazing the kind of gruesome violence that writers can get away with in a children's book that they can't get away with in a children's movie).
My only complaint is one that a lot of readers seemed to have, that there were A LOT of characters (sixteen of them), and keeping track of them got a little tough sometimes. Each chapter is headed by a woodcut illustration specific to a certain character, which helps to give a visual on which character is currently speaking. There's also a complete cast list in the back of the book. Those two things helped a bit, but not much.
There was also, in my view, a slight shortage of black characters. Again, sixteen characters, and only two were black. Considering the subject matter, this strikes me as a bit of an oversight.
Still though, this was an excellent read that delivers more depth and intrigue in its slim 100 pages than in books twice or three times the size. Maybe this won't offer anything new to a historical fiction buff, but to a layperson like me, this hit the spot.
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