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linseyr's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to BookSirens for the eARC.
Hattie Logan, estranged from her family, has joined the Pinkerton spy agency to help the North during the Civil War. She is assigned the task of opening letters and setting the ones that seem noteworthy aside for her "superiors" to look over.
Hattie is far smarter than the man she works for gives her credit for, and she yearns to do more. She learns to decode and begs to be considered as a courier, or someone deeper in the spy network.
Her position puts her in a place where she learns secrets that could endanger her, and we follow along as she navigates the complicated webs of war.
A nice read; I am eager to see where the future leads for the characters in this book.
Hattie Logan, estranged from her family, has joined the Pinkerton spy agency to help the North during the Civil War. She is assigned the task of opening letters and setting the ones that seem noteworthy aside for her "superiors" to look over.
Hattie is far smarter than the man she works for gives her credit for, and she yearns to do more. She learns to decode and begs to be considered as a courier, or someone deeper in the spy network.
Her position puts her in a place where she learns secrets that could endanger her, and we follow along as she navigates the complicated webs of war.
A nice read; I am eager to see where the future leads for the characters in this book.
terriep's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Thanks to #BookSirens for the free copy of #TheCouriersWife for review. The opinions are my own.
This story takes place during the Civil War as a couple of privileged white women work their way into spy work for the Pinkerton agency. They aid a letter courier in delivering letters, befriending other wealthy people to pick up gossip, etc.
I enjoyed the Civil War era setting as something other than WWII, though the story could have been set there by making just a few changes. Hattie is a strong, determined female protagonist, out to do her part against the enemy and a belief system (slavery) she doesn't agree with. She is attracted to Thom, the courier and a fledgling romance begins.
There wasn't really anything particularly new in the plotline, the characters were okay, and the dialog felt true to the era. Yet, for some reason, I wasn't ever truly engaged. It felt a bit flat throughout the storytelling. And the ending was such an abrupt cliffhanger, leading to the next book, that I felt a bit cheated.
This story takes place during the Civil War as a couple of privileged white women work their way into spy work for the Pinkerton agency. They aid a letter courier in delivering letters, befriending other wealthy people to pick up gossip, etc.
I enjoyed the Civil War era setting as something other than WWII, though the story could have been set there by making just a few changes. Hattie is a strong, determined female protagonist, out to do her part against the enemy and a belief system (slavery) she doesn't agree with. She is attracted to Thom, the courier and a fledgling romance begins.
There wasn't really anything particularly new in the plotline, the characters were okay, and the dialog felt true to the era. Yet, for some reason, I wasn't ever truly engaged. It felt a bit flat throughout the storytelling. And the ending was such an abrupt cliffhanger, leading to the next book, that I felt a bit cheated.
ashley_schulte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.25
This was an interesting historical fiction placed during the Civil War. I am not too knowledgeable of the spying that took place during this time, so it was a very interesting read. It definitely made me more interested in learning about how each side employed spies and the impact it had on the war. The story did pull me in and I grew invested in the characters. It moved a little slowly, but overall it was enjoyable. I was disappointed in the ending, but when I realised it was a series I understood and will just have to be patient to see how the story progresses. A good and interesting start!
*I received this advanced reader copy for my fair and honest review.
*I received this advanced reader copy for my fair and honest review.
auntieyorgareads's review
3.75
I received a digital advance review copy of this book for free from the author and BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily as a courtesy.
It's the midst of the Civil War in the United States, and our protagonist Hattie finds herself working in the mailroom at Mr. Pinkerton's spy agency in Washington D.C. to help the Union learn secrets about the Rebel's plans. Hattie's background is shrouded in secrecy and her shame is a driving force to do good and help enslaved people find freedom. Determined and tenacious, Hattie puts herself in a position to go behind enemy lines to Richmond, VA, and become a spy herself as a courier's wife. Is she able to convince the Rebels that she's one of them while secreting information back to Pinkerton's and the Union?
This was my first time reading a novel about women spies during the Civil War and I'm so glad for the experience! Hattie is a young woman trying to find her way in a world at war where women aren't seen as having the value other than at home. I appreciated the author's use of the term "enslaved" throughout the book (with the exception of some character conversations where slavery was still used) and that some of the characters and events were loosely based on actual historical events. It was an easy read and a great introduction to a series. Also, this is random, but I loved the font choice for the digital copy -- it is quite different than the usual and somehow made me feel like I was jumped back in time.
I was a little disappointed by the lack of representation of enslaved people or interaction with any characters who were enslaved, or those who had escaped enslavement. Hattie was most certainly an abolitionist and was horrified by the atrocities committed against Black people, but there was no meaningful interaction presented to reinforce this throughout the book.
Overall, I would recommend this book as an example of strong, intelligent, and courageous women who fought to make the world a better place.
It's the midst of the Civil War in the United States, and our protagonist Hattie finds herself working in the mailroom at Mr. Pinkerton's spy agency in Washington D.C. to help the Union learn secrets about the Rebel's plans. Hattie's background is shrouded in secrecy and her shame is a driving force to do good and help enslaved people find freedom. Determined and tenacious, Hattie puts herself in a position to go behind enemy lines to Richmond, VA, and become a spy herself as a courier's wife. Is she able to convince the Rebels that she's one of them while secreting information back to Pinkerton's and the Union?
This was my first time reading a novel about women spies during the Civil War and I'm so glad for the experience! Hattie is a young woman trying to find her way in a world at war where women aren't seen as having the value other than at home. I appreciated the author's use of the term "enslaved" throughout the book (with the exception of some character conversations where slavery was still used) and that some of the characters and events were loosely based on actual historical events. It was an easy read and a great introduction to a series. Also, this is random, but I loved the font choice for the digital copy -- it is quite different than the usual and somehow made me feel like I was jumped back in time.
I was a little disappointed by the lack of representation of enslaved people or interaction with any characters who were enslaved, or those who had escaped enslavement. Hattie was most certainly an abolitionist and was horrified by the atrocities committed against Black people, but there was no meaningful interaction presented to reinforce this throughout the book.
Overall, I would recommend this book as an example of strong, intelligent, and courageous women who fought to make the world a better place.
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