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A review by bekahklemke
A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
I don't always read historical fiction, but when I do it's Amy Harmon.
A Girl Called Samson follows the story of Deborah Samson as she joins the Revolutionary War dressed as a boy. She faces battle and the ramifications of her secret identity, and learns about who she is and what she truly is looking for in life.
A Girl Called Samson addresses themes of conflicting identity, feminism and human rights, conviction and commitment to one's values, and unexpected love.
Amy Harmon's writing pulled me in immediately, and Deborah Samson kept me hooked. I literally could not put this book down. I adore Mulan, so reading about an actual woman fighting secretly in a war was so fascinating to me. We were able to follow Deborah Samson from girlhood to womanhood as she struggled with the constraints upon her gender, and we got to go along with her as she faced the horrors of war. Her character development was strong and inspiring, but she never lost the spunk that defined her character.
Amy Harmon perfectly captured the confusion and terrors of war. There were so many scenes where I was unsure of what was happening until we were in the throes of battle, and my heart was torn apart when dealing with the death and sorrow that followed. The whole while, she remains strong in her convictions towards human rights and fighting for what she believes in.
And let's not forget the ROMANCE! It was so subtle and just crept up on us. And when it was here is was just so freaking beautiful. A romance has to be intense to satisfy Deborah Samson.
Overall, I give this book all the stars. I felt so much emotion while reading and ultimately this book was unputdownable (we're making this a word, guys). I think everyone, from historical fiction to romance lovers, would appreciate this masterpiece of a story.
A Girl Called Samson follows the story of Deborah Samson as she joins the Revolutionary War dressed as a boy. She faces battle and the ramifications of her secret identity, and learns about who she is and what she truly is looking for in life.
A Girl Called Samson addresses themes of conflicting identity, feminism and human rights, conviction and commitment to one's values, and unexpected love.
Amy Harmon's writing pulled me in immediately, and Deborah Samson kept me hooked. I literally could not put this book down. I adore Mulan, so reading about an actual woman fighting secretly in a war was so fascinating to me. We were able to follow Deborah Samson from girlhood to womanhood as she struggled with the constraints upon her gender, and we got to go along with her as she faced the horrors of war. Her character development was strong and inspiring, but she never lost the spunk that defined her character.
Amy Harmon perfectly captured the confusion and terrors of war. There were so many scenes where I was unsure of what was happening until we were in the throes of battle, and my heart was torn apart when dealing with the death and sorrow that followed. The whole while, she remains strong in her convictions towards human rights and fighting for what she believes in.
And let's not forget the ROMANCE! It was so subtle and just crept up on us. And when it was here is was just so freaking beautiful. A romance has to be intense to satisfy Deborah Samson.
Overall, I give this book all the stars. I felt so much emotion while reading and ultimately this book was unputdownable (we're making this a word, guys). I think everyone, from historical fiction to romance lovers, would appreciate this masterpiece of a story.