Against his family's wishes, a fifteen year old joins the Confederate Navy and learns that honor can be a smokescreen for arrogance and pride. It is early summer in 1862 and the Civil War is raging.... This description may be from another edition of this product.
Once again, those books that are marketed to young adults are frequently excellent reads for older adults as well. This is a beautifully told story that should resonate with anyone who wants to learn about a Civil War battle, wants to think about why a young person would choose to go to serve in wartime, and wants to read a story that is very difficult to put down. I particularly wanted to recommend it, given the negative review posted in "Editorial Reviews". I think there is much to discuss about issues raised in this book with young adults (as well as older adults). And since the story is so compelling as a read, I think that getting people to read and enjoy this book should be easy. Thanks to Mr. Killgore, who was born in the South and now lives in Scotland--he brings both sensibilities to this wonderful story.
An informative page-turner
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Though it's marketed for teens, older readers will also be gripped by James Killgore's well-spun tale of a Mississippi teen's experiences as a crew member on a Confederate iron-clad riverboat. The plot is fast-paced and well-developed, the characters are finely drawn and believable. Killgore obviously has done his research, as a postscript elaborates, but he doesn't bang you over the head with historic details. I picked the book up and began to idly turn some pages, and several hours later I finished it--wasn't able to put it down. I was entertained AND learned a lot about the naval war on the Mississippi and its tributaries. I highly recommend.
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