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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
Highly enjoyed this fictionalized tale of real-life Deborah Samson. Amy Harmon’s writing is Kristin Hannah/Kristin Harmel-like, combining true events with women’s fiction. The story was engaging and kept my interest. The audiobook narrator was excellent in her story telling tone. There was quite a bit of telling vs showing happening in the story, but the subject matter more than made up for it.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
I loved this book so much! It was beautiful and inspiring. I was immediately gripped by the story and could not put it down. It’s the kind of stories you don’t forget.❤️
I loved the characters. They felt so very real. This whole story came alive for me.
Deborah was so inspiring. And as for John Paterson, I adored him just like Deborah did. He was one of the best heroes I’ve read in a very long time.
The love story was absolutely beautiful and I loved it so much!
I loved the Thomas brothers and Deborah’s relationship with them🥺
I also loved Deborah’s faith and how she memorized scripture throughout this story. It was inspiring.
In conclusion, this book was beautiful. I loved watching Deborah grow up. I loved seeing her story come together. This is one of those books I won’t forget and will reread because it is just that good.
Content notes: There are vaguely described love scenes between a married couple and descriptive kisses. A few of the love scenes were more open-door and some were more fade to black but could be easily skipped. The romance was definitely more steamy at times than I prefer.
There is some infrequent language. Some violence since this book is set during the Revolutionary war.
I’d recommend to ages 18+ or older. Definitely more for an adult audience.
I loved the characters. They felt so very real. This whole story came alive for me.
Deborah was so inspiring. And as for John Paterson, I adored him just like Deborah did. He was one of the best heroes I’ve read in a very long time.
The love story was absolutely beautiful and I loved it so much!
I loved the Thomas brothers and Deborah’s relationship with them🥺
I also loved Deborah’s faith and how she memorized scripture throughout this story. It was inspiring.
In conclusion, this book was beautiful. I loved watching Deborah grow up. I loved seeing her story come together. This is one of those books I won’t forget and will reread because it is just that good.
Content notes: There are vaguely described love scenes between a married couple and descriptive kisses. A few of the love scenes were more open-door and some were more fade to black but could be easily skipped. The romance was definitely more steamy at times than I prefer.
There is some infrequent language. Some violence since this book is set during the Revolutionary war.
I’d recommend to ages 18+ or older. Definitely more for an adult audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Sexual content
Minor: Miscarriage, Slavery
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
"I need to tell my story because it is not just my story. It is Dorothy’s. And Elizabeth’s. And Mrs. Thomas’s. It is my mother’s story and your daughters’ story. We were all there too. We suffered and sacrificed. We fought, even if it was not always on the battlefield. It was our Revolution as well, and yet . . . no one ever asks us."
This book was such a pleasant surprise! It’s a fictionalized account of the real-life story of Deborah Sampson, a woman who disguised herself as a man to fight in the Revolutionary War. I’d never read anything set during that time period before, and that’s one of the things I love most about historical fiction: it pulls you into stories and historical events you may never have considered or known much about. Overall, Deborah was such a compelling and inspiring character, and Harmon did an excellent job portraying her story and the challenges faced by a woman trying to survive and be taken seriously in a man’s world. That said, I have to admit the pacing dragged at times, especially in the beginning and middle. The second half definitely picked up, though there were still a few moments where the pacing felt off. Maybe that’s also why I never fully connected with the characters on a deeper emotional level, even though I genuinely liked them.
Amy Harmon’s writing is truly captivating, and this book is full of beautiful quotes. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s mostly read historical fiction set during the World Wars and wants to explore a different time period :)
This book was such a pleasant surprise! It’s a fictionalized account of the real-life story of Deborah Sampson, a woman who disguised herself as a man to fight in the Revolutionary War. I’d never read anything set during that time period before, and that’s one of the things I love most about historical fiction: it pulls you into stories and historical events you may never have considered or known much about. Overall, Deborah was such a compelling and inspiring character, and Harmon did an excellent job portraying her story and the challenges faced by a woman trying to survive and be taken seriously in a man’s world. That said, I have to admit the pacing dragged at times, especially in the beginning and middle. The second half definitely picked up, though there were still a few moments where the pacing felt off. Maybe that’s also why I never fully connected with the characters on a deeper emotional level, even though I genuinely liked them.
Amy Harmon’s writing is truly captivating, and this book is full of beautiful quotes. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s mostly read historical fiction set during the World Wars and wants to explore a different time period :)
Side note: That final sentence was so good, even though it hurt so bad, it was such a perfect choice 😭
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I read this for book club and it was so good.
Historical fiction set in the Revolutionary War about a young woman who goes off to war dressed as a man. It has some Mulan vibes going on and some definite girl power!! It's worth reading.
Historical fiction set in the Revolutionary War about a young woman who goes off to war dressed as a man. It has some Mulan vibes going on and some definite girl power!! It's worth reading.
This was an unexpectedly powerful and unforgettable read! Usually I steer clear off this era. Just not for me but I like strong female characters who challenge societal norms and don’t let men put them in „their“ place. So this book delivered… until the romance part I suppose.
A girl called Samson is about you guessed it… a girl but not just any girl. Samson is bold, complex, and unapologetically herself. She grew up with brothers and wants to be like them. So when they all go off to fight, she disguises herself as a man to fight alongside them in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and thus breaking societal norms and reclaiming her identity. She wants to be a soldier and serve her country instead of pleasing a husband and popping out babies. I loved how the book challenged traditional expectations of womanhood. Don’t we all have male and female qualities? Why must we choose one over the other?
While the romance introduced later in the narrative slightly overshadows the feminist themes and somewhat undermines Samson‘s accomplishments (part of me wishes that I could’ve seen the story through without the romance), it also underscores a vital truth: that women can want love without compromising their autonomy. You can have both. Don’t we all, men or women, crave to be unconditionally loved by someone at the end of the day?
4.5 ⭐️
A girl called Samson is about you guessed it… a girl but not just any girl. Samson is bold, complex, and unapologetically herself. She grew up with brothers and wants to be like them. So when they all go off to fight, she disguises herself as a man to fight alongside them in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and thus breaking societal norms and reclaiming her identity. She wants to be a soldier and serve her country instead of pleasing a husband and popping out babies. I loved how the book challenged traditional expectations of womanhood. Don’t we all have male and female qualities? Why must we choose one over the other?
While the romance introduced later in the narrative slightly overshadows the feminist themes and somewhat undermines Samson‘s accomplishments (part of me wishes that I could’ve seen the story through without the romance), it also underscores a vital truth: that women can want love without compromising their autonomy. You can have both. Don’t we all, men or women, crave to be unconditionally loved by someone at the end of the day?
4.5 ⭐️
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes