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A review by auntieyorgareads
The Courier's Wife (Secrets of the Blue and Gray, #1) by Vanessa Lind
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.