When the name Harriet Tubman is mentioned, what comes to my mind is "Moses" of the Underground Railroad. But, in this novel, the author choses to focus on Harriet's time as a spy and scout for the Union army during the Civil War. It proves to be an amazing chapter in her outstanding life. In May of 1863, Harriet is in charge of a team of black scouts spying out plantation properties along the Combahee River near Beaufort, South Carolina. She convinces Union army leaders to carry out a naval raid up the river to destroy crops and free slaves, thereby weakening the Confederate supply chain.
Harriet and the South are brought to life in these pages with such great description; I felt as though I could smell the river water and hear the mosquitos. As she and her scouts spy and prepare for the raid, the tension builds. Whether artfully dodging patrollers looking for runaway slaves or avoiding alligators in the river, this was tense and dangerous work. By the time I reached the chapters involving the actual raid, I was on pins and needles. The action was so well written, I could easily visualize the scene unfolding. Though Harriet's legacy of achievements had to be rewarding, this novel helps me appreciate how mentally burdensome it might have been for her to carry the heartbreak and guilt from those that she couldn't save. I've always been a bit enthralled with Harriet since writing a term paper about her in school, so I'm glad to see her get some well deserved attention in this novel. Prepare yourself to love this amazing woman.
Harriet and the South are brought to life in these pages with such great description; I felt as though I could smell the river water and hear the mosquitos. As she and her scouts spy and prepare for the raid, the tension builds. Whether artfully dodging patrollers looking for runaway slaves or avoiding alligators in the river, this was tense and dangerous work. By the time I reached the chapters involving the actual raid, I was on pins and needles. The action was so well written, I could easily visualize the scene unfolding. Though Harriet's legacy of achievements had to be rewarding, this novel helps me appreciate how mentally burdensome it might have been for her to carry the heartbreak and guilt from those that she couldn't save. I've always been a bit enthralled with Harriet since writing a term paper about her in school, so I'm glad to see her get some well deserved attention in this novel. Prepare yourself to love this amazing woman.