A review by amyreadsgoodbooks
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott

4.0

The Civil War, despite knowing its facts, is always somewhat of a human behavioral mystery to me. Divergent actions throughout the years of battle are protrayed in this book which follows the lives of four women who are deeply entrenched in the war. Extreme violence and brutality are softened by remarkable southern charm and unwise chivalry throughout. The bravado of women on both sides of the war, although at times primitive, is quite commendable yet always tiptoeing on the insane side. The spoken word of the time was much more "civilized" and I found myself practicing a more formal arrangement of my words as I was influenced by the women within the pages. A good, challenging read for those not used to NF as well as those who seek out new works about the Civil War.