The Spymistress by Jennifer Chiaverini

"The garb of a Southern lady would be her uniform, her cleverness her weapon, her battlefield the prisons and markets and dining rooms of Richmond, or wherever else her duty beckoned her."
                                            -from the novel

This book was chosen for our book club because we could get several copies in a Book Bundle from our library and because it was a bit different from what we had read most recently. Historical fiction is a favorite genre of mine and, I believe, several of our members. I confess to being something of a history buff and the Civil War era is of particular interest to me. I have to say I have read many of this genre and setting that I liked much more. I will give this one only a 3 but I am glad I read it.

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Van Lew, a real historical figure, is a 43-year-old spinster living in Richmond at the outset of the Civil War. The Van Lews are fervent Unionists who find themselves in a hotbed of rebels as Virginia votes to secede from the United States. She risks her own safety by nurturing the Union prisoners being kept in deplorable conditions in the infamous Libby Prison and others. Not only that, she finds creative ways to pass secret messages from captive officers to the Union command. I have visited the site of the Confederate prison in Andersonville, GA, and the descriptions were horrifying, which really helped me to better understand what Lizzie was facing.

A friend who is a retired professor of Civil War history read the book and felt it was well-researched. Many situations and historical characters in the novel were familiar to me such as the capture of spy Rose Greenhow, the work of detective Allan Pinkerton and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, killed by friendly fire. There were surprises, too, for example I didn't know about the "Great Yankee Wonder," the escape of over 100 prisoners from Libby Prison and the reputation of General Benjamin Butler, called Butler the Beast, as the most hated Union officer. I would have thought that superlative would have described Sherman. My husband and I recently saw a one-man show featuring reflections of General Robert E. Lee. In reading The Spymistress, I found myself recalling a number of battles and events he had mentioned such as Seven Pines and the Wilderness.

It was interesting to me that Lizzie dreamed of meeting President Lincoln although she did not have the chance, due to his assassination soon after the end of the war. It reminded me of the children's book, Pink and Say, by Patricia Polacco, where the hand that has touched the hand of Lincoln is almost sacred. (A powerful story, if you've never read it!) Lizzie did, however, get to meet General Grant who thanked her for the valuable intelligence she had provided him.

In summary, a quote from the book jacket: "...in... Chiaverini's riveting tale of high stakes espionage, a great heroine of the Civil War finally gets her due." I really admired Lizzie's bravery, selflessness, unwavering patriotism and devotion to her cause. I look forward to our group discussion tomorrow though I suspect this novel will not be a favorite.

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When our group met, we had more folks than usual to discuss The Spymistress, eighteen of us. Refreshments included delicious homemade ginger cakes which were mentioned in the novel. As the one providing beverages, I could not bring myself to buy buttermilk which would have also been fitting.

Our average rating was 3.1, with the only 4's given by our male participants. Interesting! Many group members had more to contribute than opinions of the plot and literary style. One who has read extensively on the Civil War brought a large volume with photographs of Richmond pre and post-war. Another had lived in Richmond and provided insight into the "Virginia attitude."  Still another shared artifacts of the Confederacy held by her family. Also our retired history professor could answer many questions about the accuracy of the setting and events.

Our group pretty much agreed that Lizzie Van Lew's bravery and perseverance were admirable. I think many of us were surprised to learn of the work and sacrifice of Union sympathizers in the Confederate capital and many of us learned of Elizabeth Van Lew's heroism for the first time. One person who gave the book a rating of 3 said she felt as if she were reading a magazine article because the writing lacked emotion. Another who did not rate the book told me she knew several pages into it, she just didn't have the desire to finish it.

Though the novel received only a 3.1, the group meeting and discussion merited a 5!

Savannah Comes Undone by Denise Hildreth

"I had expected Grant to marry me. I had expected to be a novelist. I had expected the circle of life to end up, well, in a circle. But somewhere Savannah's train had missed the junction, and I was heading into a land of uncharted territory and frightening change."
                    -Savannah's reflection, from the novel

A few years ago we had a trip planned to Savannah, GA. I always enjoy reading fiction about places we are about to visit. At that time I came across Savannah from Savannah by Denise Hildreth. I remember that it was a delightful read. Unfortunately I broke my leg a few weeks before the trip which forced us to cancel. The postponed trip to Savannah is coming soon, thank goodness! While looking for literature set in the area, I rediscovered this author and found 2 sequels. Savannah Comes Undone was the first and I liked it.

I have visited Savannah in the past so I recognized some characteristics mentioned in the novel, such as the squares, parks and statues. I remembered the Mercer House owned by Jim Williams, accused of murder in the blockbuster bestseller, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. We had actually eaten at Clary's. Ms. Hildreth mentions other landmarks and restaurants that I hope to visit when we are there next month.

This story has young newspaper columnist Savannah Phillips dealing with her socialite, activist mother in a position Savannah finds embarrassing. Mix in a wise and loveable street lady, a mischievous best friend, an ex-boyfriend who is engaged, a would-be boyfriend in pursuit and even a visit from the President and you have an enchanting plot. I certainly couldn't classify the book as fine literature but it is amusing. I will rate it a 3.5, since it served its purpose, whetting my appetite for the trip, and because I have become quite fond of Savannah from Savannah.

Charleston by John Jakes

"From valley green, mountain high,
Hear the soulful, joyful cry.
Meek and mighty, black and white,
Praise the coming of the light.
A better, brighter morning
Is the glory that I see.
Such a better, brighter morning
On the day---all---men---are
Free."
            -From "A Better, Brighter Morning" as sung by Alexandra Bell, in the novel

I believe I read this novel a number of years ago but a trip to Charleston next month inspired me to read it again. I have read quite a few of Jakes' historical fictions and enjoyed them all. This one I will rate a 5.

The novel begins with 3 family trees which are quite helpful to keep the many characters straight. The story progresses through 6 generations of the Bell family, starting toward the end of the American Revolution. Thomas Bell has two sons who split on the issue of American independence and never come together again. Edward Bell's side of the family provide the protagonists and brother Adrian's side, the ones I loved to hate! My favorite character was Alexandra Bell, an abolitionist and women's rights advocate ahead of her time. Such a brave and determined woman! She gets involved with the Grimke sisters, whom I learned a lot about in reading The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd.

The other antagonists are the Larks of Charleston with "Bloody Bill" Lark being the grandfather of Folsey Lark, an especially despicable character. As (bad) luck would have it, Folsey's sister, Snoo, marries into the "bad" side of the Bell family. The Poorly/Strong family starts out in slavery and they give the reader another group of characters with whom to empathize.

The plot evolves with a little bit of everything one would expect from a novel spanning over a century: battles like Seven Pines, other events like the coming of the first train, and famous people like Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox." Add in the family dynamics of jealousy, skeletons in the closet, murders and revenge and you have an intriguing story. My favorite way to try to understand history!

[I would love to read your comments!]