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yarm's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A sad story about enslaved people during the time of the American civil war. The story is mostly told from the first person view of Jemma, a young girl born into slavery. I found it hard to read about the torture and suffering that the slaves endured. I was shocked to read the first person perspective of Anne-May, the plantation mistress, her entitled views of her superiority over people of colour. Also sad to have the story based in the war where there was so much death and destruction. Such a tragic era, but maybe war was the only way sudden change to an abhorrent social structure could take place. I understand now why African Americans ask for reparations from wealthy white families who are rich only because of how their ancestors earns their money from slave labour. The first person perspective of Georgy, a wealthy young woman who dedicates her life to nursing this who are injured or sick, regardless of race or background. The author’s note was very interesting to read. She had based her book on historical account of the Wolsey family. It was pleasing to find out that Georgy was eventually able to realise her dream of setting up a nursing school for women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, Slavery, Death, Racism, Violence, and War
abbyarm's review
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Slavery, Violence, Racism, Torture, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence, Murder, Sexual assault, and Medical content
Minor: Gore and Sexism
This book is about nursing during the American Civil War. It is split into three perspectives. One of a northern nurse, one of a slave in Maryland and one of a plantation owner in Maryland. The author does not do much to sugar coat what those people would have been through or done to other people. It is a good book. I would just recommend being ready for that aspect of the story.teyahdawn's review
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, and Death
Moderate: War and Violence
Minor: Sexual content and Rape
laheath's review
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
An exceptional conclusion to the trilogy chronicling the family of Caroline Ferriday, although I am sad to see it end. Each book has been thoroughly researched and the author's note even documents what the fictional events and characters were based upon, as well as her reflections on her travels to these places and reading the family's letters.
As each book has gone back in time looking at the family history, this book is set during the Civil War. The ancestral Woolsey family is comprised of several sisters who are actively involved in the abolitionist movement and various charities supporting orphans and the Union troops. Georgeanna is focused upon as she trains as a nurse to serve in the war and plans to open a school for female nurses which is unheard of in this time. A second perspective is given by Jemma, an enslaved teen on a tobacco plantation in Maryland, as she witnesses the horrors from the owners and fights to save her family. The third narrator is the mistress of the plantation, Anne-May, who is oblivious in her selfishness.
The writing is excellent, and this family's story encompasses some important historical moments, so it's definitely worth reading and remembering, though the subject matter is hard to read at times. Although this book is slightly longer than my typical reads, it never dragged, but life sometimes got in the way of my reading time!
As each book has gone back in time looking at the family history, this book is set during the Civil War. The ancestral Woolsey family is comprised of several sisters who are actively involved in the abolitionist movement and various charities supporting orphans and the Union troops. Georgeanna is focused upon as she trains as a nurse to serve in the war and plans to open a school for female nurses which is unheard of in this time. A second perspective is given by Jemma, an enslaved teen on a tobacco plantation in Maryland, as she witnesses the horrors from the owners and fights to save her family. The third narrator is the mistress of the plantation, Anne-May, who is oblivious in her selfishness.
The writing is excellent, and this family's story encompasses some important historical moments, so it's definitely worth reading and remembering, though the subject matter is hard to read at times. Although this book is slightly longer than my typical reads, it never dragged, but life sometimes got in the way of my reading time!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Racism
Moderate: War, Violence, Murder, and Medical trauma
kamin8882's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What a beautiful ending to an amazing trilogy. Being the last book of the "Lilac Girls" Trilogy, I have to say this one was probably my favorite. I am so used to reading historical fiction based on WWII or in Europe, but this was such a beautiful story told during the Civil War from the POV of Caroline Ferriday's ancestor Georgiana, or Georgey, Jemma- a slave in Maryland on a tobacco farm, and her owner Anne May. Martha Hall Kelly really does such an amazing job with her characters and I loved most and really hated others, which was a perfect combination.
Georgey Woolsey is part of the family of very strong women, with 6 sisters and a little brother who do everything they can to help with the war and to help everyone, including the slaves they encounter. Georgey is a very strong willed woman and wants to be a nurse and open a women's training hospital, which is highly looked down upon during these times. But she is not giving up and will do anything she can. Her family is just as passionate about helping in anyway they can and I love it.
Jemma is owned by Anne May on a tobacco plantation with her family. She goes through so much, getting beaten, watching horrible things happen to the ones she loves, while also dealing with pain herself. Finally she gets the chance to get free and gets mistaken as a boy and "taken" up in the army, to fight for the Union. This is where she meets Georgey and her mother, and they help her get on her feet and become even stronger than she was before.
Ann May is the WORST!! She is the inheritor of the Peeler plantation and treats her slaves HORRIBLY!! She also is just snobby and the worst kind of character, who you definitely won't have any problem hating. She becomes invested with a man who is not her husband, selling secrets to the enemy against the Union. She made the mistake of having Jemma write it all down for her (since she can't write) and panics when Jemma is gone and she can't find this book. She goes through all the hoops to get Jemma back and hide her secrets, even if they will hurt everyone in her path.
This book was beautifully written and I loved all the different POV and how they all intertwine eventually. This is was slightly different than the other two books in the series as there was not a dual timeline going on here. I loved all the relationships in this book, being romantic or friendships. It was sooo good!! It definitely is a long one, but so worth it. The narrators were great..really bringing to life the characters and making you really feel them with you. What made it even more beautiful, it that it is based off a true story-- these beautiful strong Woolsey Sisters really did exist and were extraordinary women. I would definitely recommend reading this book, along with Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.
Thank you to Netgalley, Martha Hall Kelly and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC copy of Sunflower Sisters.
Georgey Woolsey is part of the family of very strong women, with 6 sisters and a little brother who do everything they can to help with the war and to help everyone, including the slaves they encounter. Georgey is a very strong willed woman and wants to be a nurse and open a women's training hospital, which is highly looked down upon during these times. But she is not giving up and will do anything she can. Her family is just as passionate about helping in anyway they can and I love it.
Jemma is owned by Anne May on a tobacco plantation with her family. She goes through so much, getting beaten, watching horrible things happen to the ones she loves, while also dealing with pain herself. Finally she gets the chance to get free and gets mistaken as a boy and "taken" up in the army, to fight for the Union. This is where she meets Georgey and her mother, and they help her get on her feet and become even stronger than she was before.
Ann May is the WORST!! She is the inheritor of the Peeler plantation and treats her slaves HORRIBLY!! She also is just snobby and the worst kind of character, who you definitely won't have any problem hating. She becomes invested with a man who is not her husband, selling secrets to the enemy against the Union. She made the mistake of having Jemma write it all down for her (since she can't write) and panics when Jemma is gone and she can't find this book. She goes through all the hoops to get Jemma back and hide her secrets, even if they will hurt everyone in her path.
This book was beautifully written and I loved all the different POV and how they all intertwine eventually. This is was slightly different than the other two books in the series as there was not a dual timeline going on here. I loved all the relationships in this book, being romantic or friendships. It was sooo good!! It definitely is a long one, but so worth it. The narrators were great..really bringing to life the characters and making you really feel them with you. What made it even more beautiful, it that it is based off a true story-- these beautiful strong Woolsey Sisters really did exist and were extraordinary women. I would definitely recommend reading this book, along with Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.
Thank you to Netgalley, Martha Hall Kelly and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC copy of Sunflower Sisters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Violence
kimmyslostchill's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
It is hard to put into words how powerful this book was and how much it means to me. At times, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever read and yet still, it will go down in history as one of my all time favorite books.
The cruelty of humans is all too evident anytime one thinks of slavery, and this book does not shy away from horrible, ugly truths. At times it was so hard to read that I could physically feel the weight of it in my bones and would have to pull my eyes away from the book and take a moment to breath. However, looking back, that is not what I will remember about this book. I will remember Jemma and Georgy and how they never stopped fighting for what is right. Despite every cruel injustice and unfair circumstances and on and on and on, they fought. Even when they were tired or hurting, they never stopped thinking of what was important and what they knew they needed to do. I also deeply appreciated their friendship and how together they learned how to do even better then they already were, how to advocate for themselves better, how to tell the truth and how to grieve and how to be a friend. It was beautiful to watch them grow.
I also appreciated how well perspectives from all sides of the war. Not even just from the obvious narration standpoint but from the brothers and soldiers who crossed the paths of our three narrators. It really shines a light on how there were truly good and bad people on both sides and truly, when it comes down to it, what matters is how we treat people. Simply being an abolitionist isn’t enough to make you a good person if you don’t treat the person in front of you right, slave or free.
Truly, the only downside is the label of historical fiction. I simply wish I could know every detail of what was real and what was fiction. I of course read the Author’s Note and appreciated the attempts at clarifying that for me. However, I am so engaged that I will definitely be looking up the resources listed there to learn even more for myself.
If it was up to me, Sunflower Sisters would be required reading for all. I loved this book so much and it will stay with me for the rest of my life.
The cruelty of humans is all too evident anytime one thinks of slavery, and this book does not shy away from horrible, ugly truths. At times it was so hard to read that I could physically feel the weight of it in my bones and would have to pull my eyes away from the book and take a moment to breath. However, looking back, that is not what I will remember about this book. I will remember Jemma and Georgy and how they never stopped fighting for what is right. Despite every cruel injustice and unfair circumstances and on and on and on, they fought. Even when they were tired or hurting, they never stopped thinking of what was important and what they knew they needed to do. I also deeply appreciated their friendship and how together they learned how to do even better then they already were, how to advocate for themselves better, how to tell the truth and how to grieve and how to be a friend. It was beautiful to watch them grow.
I also appreciated how well perspectives from all sides of the war. Not even just from the obvious narration standpoint but from the brothers and soldiers who crossed the paths of our three narrators. It really shines a light on how there were truly good and bad people on both sides and truly, when it comes down to it, what matters is how we treat people. Simply being an abolitionist isn’t enough to make you a good person if you don’t treat the person in front of you right, slave or free.
Truly, the only downside is the label of historical fiction. I simply wish I could know every detail of what was real and what was fiction. I of course read the Author’s Note and appreciated the attempts at clarifying that for me. However, I am so engaged that I will definitely be looking up the resources listed there to learn even more for myself.
If it was up to me, Sunflower Sisters would be required reading for all. I loved this book so much and it will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Torture, Slavery, Physical abuse, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Child death, and Blood
emileereadsbooks's review
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
Thank you PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook! And Netgalley and Random House Ballantine Books for a digital copy.
I have long awaited this book. In 2019 I got to see Martha Hall Kelly at a book talk/signing for Lost Roses at Interabang Books (Dallas, TX). At that book signing, Kelly talked about the next book she was working on and I was THRILLED it was a Civil War novel continuing the story of the Woolsey women. I am a lover of Civil War stories, but don't always find them to handle all aspects of that time period well. I read many books from this time period growing up that romanticized slavery and plantation life and want to make sure I am reading books now that show a better picture of what life was really like for those enslaved.
This book ticks every box of what I wanted it to be in more. Told through the stories of 3 women, Georgeanna Woolsey, a wealthy socialite who becomes a Union nurse; Jemma, a young enslaved girl who gets pulled into a new life, and Anne-May Wilson, a spoiled Southern plantation mistress who is out for her own interests. Each character is nuanced and layered and you are rooting for them to make good choices. This book has war, family drama, romance, women bettering themselves, and new layers constantly being unfolded.
Even if you haven't read Lilac Girls or Lost Roses (which I do recommend them both!), you can still read and fully enjoy this book. Plus I do recommend the audiobook version. These narrators are some of my favorite narrators period and they do a phenomenal job bringing these characters off the page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, and Death
Moderate: Violence and Medical content
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Having read both Lilac Girls and Lost Roses, and having had the chance to visit the Ferriday-Bellamy House in Connecticut, I was excited to read the next installment in this family’s history. However, though I did like this story overall, it’s my least favorite of the three. It took me almost a month to read this book because I found the beginning chapters boring and the story didn’t really pick up for me until over halfway through the book. There were too many time jumps and a lot of characters—I had trouble remembering who was who. The book is told from three perspectives, and for most of it, it felt like we were just getting snippets of those characters’ lives rather than the full story.
I enjoyed Jemma’s chapters the most. Georgy was hard to connect to and I didn’t understand her relationship with Frank at all—she would hate him in one chapter and love him in the next and I found it just annoying. Anne-May was a terrible person but I found a lot of her actions to be nonsensical. Even in the pursuit of her own selfish goals, they just didn’t make sense to me.
I will say you can tell this book was heavily researched and I appreciated the little touches of setting and historical events that impacted our characters’ lives. I enjoyed reading the author’s note at the end—it definitely adds more to the story.
I am sad to have the Ferriday family story come to a slightly disappointing end to me. I think I still liked this book and will probably buy it to complete my Lilac Girls series. But I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC.
I enjoyed Jemma’s chapters the most. Georgy was hard to connect to and I didn’t understand her relationship with Frank at all—she would hate him in one chapter and love him in the next and I found it just annoying. Anne-May was a terrible person but I found a lot of her actions to be nonsensical. Even in the pursuit of her own selfish goals, they just didn’t make sense to me.
I will say you can tell this book was heavily researched and I appreciated the little touches of setting and historical events that impacted our characters’ lives. I enjoyed reading the author’s note at the end—it definitely adds more to the story.
I am sad to have the Ferriday family story come to a slightly disappointing end to me. I think I still liked this book and will probably buy it to complete my Lilac Girls series. But I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, and Sexism
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