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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
The Thread Collectors by Shaunna J. Edwards; Alyson Richman is a historical novel set in the American Civil War time period and follows two very different couples and how they managed during the war.
Stella is the slave mistress of a rich plantation owner in New Orleans, as the daughter of a slave and a white man, she’s able to live on her own in a small shack amongst other slave mistresses. But, her true love is a Will, also a slave, with the same awful master. When Will runs away to join the Union Army, Stella knows she has to do everything she can to help other slaves run away too. Stella embroiders maps on bits of cloth to help her neighbors find the Union army camp and escape a life of bondage.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Lily is doing everything she can for the war effort and is waiting for her husband, Jacob, to come home from the war. Jacob is a private in the union army, and also a gifted musician. Jacob and Will strike up an unlikely friendship as two musicians who bring music and joy to the troops. But, when Jacob doesn’t write home for weeks, Lily knows she has to go and find him.
I loved this book as it looks at four very different perspectives of the war. Instead of looking at the north/south perspectives, it looks at the perspective of a fairly wealthy Jewish couple from New York, and a black couple trying to free themselves from slavery in New Orleans. Both couples are on the side of the Union but come from very different backgrounds. Stella, Will, Lily, and Jacob are strong, courageous, and very compelling characters.
The book also revealed some of the ravages of war, both from the north perspective and the south's. It also reveals some of the horrific conditions of slavery and especially the different ways slave owners treated the girls and women they owned.
The Thread Collectors is a book that will stay with me for a very long time. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Thread Collectors by Shaunna J. Edwards; Alyson Richman is a historical novel set in the American Civil War time period and follows two very different couples and how they managed during the war.
Stella is the slave mistress of a rich plantation owner in New Orleans, as the daughter of a slave and a white man, she’s able to live on her own in a small shack amongst other slave mistresses. But, her true love is a Will, also a slave, with the same awful master. When Will runs away to join the Union Army, Stella knows she has to do everything she can to help other slaves run away too. Stella embroiders maps on bits of cloth to help her neighbors find the Union army camp and escape a life of bondage.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Lily is doing everything she can for the war effort and is waiting for her husband, Jacob, to come home from the war. Jacob is a private in the union army, and also a gifted musician. Jacob and Will strike up an unlikely friendship as two musicians who bring music and joy to the troops. But, when Jacob doesn’t write home for weeks, Lily knows she has to go and find him.
I loved this book as it looks at four very different perspectives of the war. Instead of looking at the north/south perspectives, it looks at the perspective of a fairly wealthy Jewish couple from New York, and a black couple trying to free themselves from slavery in New Orleans. Both couples are on the side of the Union but come from very different backgrounds. Stella, Will, Lily, and Jacob are strong, courageous, and very compelling characters.
The book also revealed some of the ravages of war, both from the north perspective and the south's. It also reveals some of the horrific conditions of slavery and especially the different ways slave owners treated the girls and women they owned.
The Thread Collectors is a book that will stay with me for a very long time. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
informative
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:
No
Two women support the men they love who are fighting on the side of the Union Army in the Civil War.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
This is one of those stories that makes you travel in time and discover characters and events. History is not only king/battles/etc but also women like those in this book.
It's a well researched and riveting story that kept me reading. I liked the voices of the characters and found the plot fascinating.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's a well researched and riveting story that kept me reading. I liked the voices of the characters and found the plot fascinating.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I found the most compelling dynamic to be between Stella, her half sister and their mother. Her sister is dark-skinned and has been made, by their mother, to be a servant to Stella, since she is fair in complexion. Honestly, I wanted to hear more about the three of these women. All in all, this story is about love, friendship, what we sacrifice for others and fighting for injustice any way we know how.
What's interesting about this book is the collaboration between the two authors. Richman is a Jewish New Yorker and Edwards is a Black native Louisianan. Both women come from completely different backgrounds but they pulled from their own familial history in order to shed light on perspectives that haven’t yet been seen in historical fiction.
What's interesting about this book is the collaboration between the two authors. Richman is a Jewish New Yorker and Edwards is a Black native Louisianan. Both women come from completely different backgrounds but they pulled from their own familial history in order to shed light on perspectives that haven’t yet been seen in historical fiction.
3.5 stars. Beautiful story told from unique perspectives during the civil war. Mostly told from the Jewish man and Black man enlisted in the war, it was billed more as the women’s story. While we needed to hear from the men to fully understand the story, it was slow at times.
“She knew he would only see constellations atop the interlocking of dark blue squares that made up the night sky. But since the war began she knew the importance of putting her entire spirit into every endeavor. So as she fashioned the only protection she could now give him she sewed her soul into every stitch .”
Somehow I haven’t posted a review for this book yet. I read this for book club and thoroughly enjoyed it. I listened to it on audiobook and was so invested in every character. This was an amazing historical fiction book.
“The melody as light as a birds wings dipped and rose in the air like an invitation beckoning to a distant partner. It fluttered in trills and rose above the sea of tired and dirty men who had collected there in the fields to find a brief musical interlude from the war.”
The book takes place during the civil war and juxtaposes the experience of Jacob, a Jewish New York man in the Union army with William, an escaped Louisiana slave in the same army. An unlikely friendship is formed between the two men because they are book musicians. Similarly they both have women they love back at home and it pairs their perspectives and lives while the men they love are at war. The women’s perspectives bring in their sewing talents and how they use those to aid in the war effort.
“But as my sis always tells me being scared is a choice and so is being brave.”
I loved this book. My favorite part was the men talking about music. As a flute player myself I could really relate to some of the musical things they talked about. And I loved them talking about learning new songs and how inspiring the songs were. I also loved the perspectives of the women in the book and how we learned what the different colors of thread meant and how they used their skills to try to help and protect. Civil War historical fiction is probably my favorite era of historical fiction and I love the different perspectives we got in this novel. Would definitely recommend, although I will warn you there are a few hard scenes in the book having to do with treatment of slaves and black people.
Somehow I haven’t posted a review for this book yet. I read this for book club and thoroughly enjoyed it. I listened to it on audiobook and was so invested in every character. This was an amazing historical fiction book.
“The melody as light as a birds wings dipped and rose in the air like an invitation beckoning to a distant partner. It fluttered in trills and rose above the sea of tired and dirty men who had collected there in the fields to find a brief musical interlude from the war.”
The book takes place during the civil war and juxtaposes the experience of Jacob, a Jewish New York man in the Union army with William, an escaped Louisiana slave in the same army. An unlikely friendship is formed between the two men because they are book musicians. Similarly they both have women they love back at home and it pairs their perspectives and lives while the men they love are at war. The women’s perspectives bring in their sewing talents and how they use those to aid in the war effort.
“But as my sis always tells me being scared is a choice and so is being brave.”
I loved this book. My favorite part was the men talking about music. As a flute player myself I could really relate to some of the musical things they talked about. And I loved them talking about learning new songs and how inspiring the songs were. I also loved the perspectives of the women in the book and how we learned what the different colors of thread meant and how they used their skills to try to help and protect. Civil War historical fiction is probably my favorite era of historical fiction and I love the different perspectives we got in this novel. Would definitely recommend, although I will warn you there are a few hard scenes in the book having to do with treatment of slaves and black people.
Civil War historical fiction is abundant, and it takes an original story to capture my interest. The Thread Collectors brilliantly succeeds.
I recommend reading the authors' notes before starting this novel. There are no spoilers, but it provides insight into the co-authors' friendship and motivations for writing the book. It also gives the reader more information about the historical basis for the story.
What makes this novel stand out among other Civil War-themed novels?
The New Orleans and Louisiana setting is unique.
The Louisiana Native Guard, a Black regiment often forgotten relative to the Mas 54th, takes a significant role.
Military musicians are also rarely given center stage.
Jewish immigrants from the early and mid-1800s are also infrequently the focus of historical fiction.
All this leads to an original and engaging story. I found the novel's second half picked up the pace; it hooked me, so I had to read it in one sitting.
If you enjoyed The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson, I predict you'll also enjoy the thread collectors.
This is an excellent book club choice - lots to discuss and reader questions provided.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ebook version of this book in return for an honest review.
I recommend reading the authors' notes before starting this novel. There are no spoilers, but it provides insight into the co-authors' friendship and motivations for writing the book. It also gives the reader more information about the historical basis for the story.
What makes this novel stand out among other Civil War-themed novels?
The New Orleans and Louisiana setting is unique.
The Louisiana Native Guard, a Black regiment often forgotten relative to the Mas 54th, takes a significant role.
Military musicians are also rarely given center stage.
Jewish immigrants from the early and mid-1800s are also infrequently the focus of historical fiction.
All this leads to an original and engaging story. I found the novel's second half picked up the pace; it hooked me, so I had to read it in one sitting.
If you enjoyed The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson, I predict you'll also enjoy the thread collectors.
This is an excellent book club choice - lots to discuss and reader questions provided.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ebook version of this book in return for an honest review.