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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Kind of a page-turner of a history, Liar, Temptress tells the fascinating stories of four women deeply involved in subterfuge, espionage and social engineering to aid their respective sides in the US Civil War. Super interesting to learn of their daring--and to see how they used their society's own patronizing ways against the men in power, in order to achieve their very different individual goals. I can't imagine having their fearlessness, let alone having it in hoopskirts.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
Well-researched, and the women the author profiles are definitely interesting. That said, it took me nearly twice as long to get through as a book of this length typically does. The writing isn’t bad per se, but it wasn’t gripping me like other books have.
I also want to call out that all four women were white. And in particular, Elizabeth Van Lew’s servant (Mary Jane, who I believe was either still enslaved or had been freed but was still Van Lew’s servant) seemed much more interesting than she was, but was only spoken about as a sort of off-screen sidekick. I think this book would have benefitted from at LEAST one of the featured women being a woman of color.
I also want to call out that all four women were white. And in particular, Elizabeth Van Lew’s servant (Mary Jane, who I believe was either still enslaved or had been freed but was still Van Lew’s servant) seemed much more interesting than she was, but was only spoken about as a sort of off-screen sidekick. I think this book would have benefitted from at LEAST one of the featured women being a woman of color.
An excellent work of narrative nonfiction! I loved learning the stories of these four womens' lives as they worked as spies and soldiers (two for the union, two for the confederacy) during the civil war. The narrative takes the reader through their unique experiences from the beginning of the war and through its end. These women provided information to confederate and union armies that contributed to key victories for their respective armies. They fought valiantly for their causes in a society that didn't allow women to participate in the military, using different and various means to contribute in significant ways. Some were bold, and some worked in secret. This book gave an encompassing perspective on the Civil War by focusing on the experiences of these women and it was well-written, well-researched, interesting and an enjoyable read.
Ok, I am officially giving up. Although I read about 200 pages, I just couldn't get into this book, November's book club selection. And, it is interesting that 5 of the 8 book clubbers did not finish either (so, it is not just me). I thought I might get back to it, but it has been at least two weeks since I paused, and I am going to return the book to the library.
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy chronicles four women, 2 Union, 2 Confederate, during the American Civil War. The narrative skips around among the four women and I don't think that the four are connected, or even come into contact with each other. I found the book too long and too detailed. I didn't care much about any of the women, except perhaps, Emma, the soldier. I think the book would have been more readable if the author had concentrated on one, or perhaps even two, of the women.
The book is well-researched and includes photos of the women and other Civil War notables.
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy chronicles four women, 2 Union, 2 Confederate, during the American Civil War. The narrative skips around among the four women and I don't think that the four are connected, or even come into contact with each other. I found the book too long and too detailed. I didn't care much about any of the women, except perhaps, Emma, the soldier. I think the book would have been more readable if the author had concentrated on one, or perhaps even two, of the women.
The book is well-researched and includes photos of the women and other Civil War notables.
An excellent read about the women on both sides of the Civil War and how they chose different paths to serve their causes. From becoming a soldier and falling in love to being a spy, these stories will mesmerize you and keep you turning the pages. Highly recommended if you're looking for something a bit off the beaten path!
The stories were interesting, and I had no idea that so many women had impacted the Civil War in such important ways. However, I listened to the audio version and didn't enjoy that as much as I think I might have if I had read a physical book.
informative
medium-paced
A wonderful follow-up to having read Gone with the Wind. It never ceases to amaze me the things that women did in a time when they were not considered equal. I also appreciated that the book looked at women on both sides of the battle.
3.4 stars. A bit of a slog until I was about halfway through but then I got into it. I much preferred reading about the Union spies to the Confederate ones, but overall found it an interesting read about an aspect of the Civil War I knew very little about.