I love historical fiction, but I like it more historical than fiction, and this novel delivers on that front. In fact, sometimes, the level of detail became a bit overwhelming. I felt it dragged a bit narratively in the middle for this reason. However, the details truly position you in a time and place. Where I am, it is chilly weather, but I felt as though I was on the Combahee River in the summertime.
I enjoyed learning about this aspect of American history that I was unfamiliar with. I have learned a bit about the Civil War, but it was generally the battles in Virginia that preoccupied me. They seemed more relevant to the war, I suppose, but this particular excursion up the Combahee River was more vital than I realized. The rice that the plantations on the river produced basically fed the Confederacy. With the Union strike, they lost a major food supply. I would like to have known more about the consequences of this raid on the South and its war efforts. This is my only qualm with this book.
Harriet Tubman is a name we are all (or should be) familiar with. However, even though I was aware of her work on the Underground Railroad, I didn't know about her work as a scout for the Union Army. She was a formidable woman who worked with every ounce of her being for the freedom of those who were enslaved. Her work as a spy should be more widely known. Elizabeth Cobbs breathes life into Harriet Tubman and shows us the three-dimensional real woman behind the legend. This book is a must read for all who enjoy history. I will recommend this book to any and all who ask for a well-researched book about Harriet Tubman and the Combahee River Raid.
I enjoyed learning about this aspect of American history that I was unfamiliar with. I have learned a bit about the Civil War, but it was generally the battles in Virginia that preoccupied me. They seemed more relevant to the war, I suppose, but this particular excursion up the Combahee River was more vital than I realized. The rice that the plantations on the river produced basically fed the Confederacy. With the Union strike, they lost a major food supply. I would like to have known more about the consequences of this raid on the South and its war efforts. This is my only qualm with this book.
Harriet Tubman is a name we are all (or should be) familiar with. However, even though I was aware of her work on the Underground Railroad, I didn't know about her work as a scout for the Union Army. She was a formidable woman who worked with every ounce of her being for the freedom of those who were enslaved. Her work as a spy should be more widely known. Elizabeth Cobbs breathes life into Harriet Tubman and shows us the three-dimensional real woman behind the legend. This book is a must read for all who enjoy history. I will recommend this book to any and all who ask for a well-researched book about Harriet Tubman and the Combahee River Raid.