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Bells of Freedom
That the British had occupied Boston and closed her harbor meant little to Jed Crane, an English boy sold to a cruel Boston smithy. Jed was just happy that his mean taskmaster had been persuaded to sell him to the amiable printer Mr. Box.
Now Jed would get a chance to learn to read and explore the bustling, restless city. But when his new master's mysterious dealings forced Jed to slip through the British lines, the indentured servant was captured by the rebels and brought face-to-face with American patriots engaged in a life-or-death struggle.
Suddenly freedom was no longer a faraway issue. The meeting with the red-haired firebrand of a major would change Jed's life forever. From the first brave shot at Lexington to the fierce battles of Dorchester Heights and Breed's Hill, Jed fought for some hard answers in his own war between liberty and loyalty. What he found in the glorious spirit of the times was courage.
Now Jed would get a chance to learn to read and explore the bustling, restless city. But when his new master's mysterious dealings forced Jed to slip through the British lines, the indentured servant was captured by the rebels and brought face-to-face with American patriots engaged in a life-or-death struggle.
Suddenly freedom was no longer a faraway issue. The meeting with the red-haired firebrand of a major would change Jed's life forever. From the first brave shot at Lexington to the fierce battles of Dorchester Heights and Breed's Hill, Jed fought for some hard answers in his own war between liberty and loyalty. What he found in the glorious spirit of the times was courage.
164 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
About the author
Dorothy Gilman Butters
20 books23 followersAuthor Dorothy Gilman Butters wrote children's stories for more than ten years, before she switched to writing adult novels under the name
Dorothy Gilman
. She is most well-known for the Mrs. Pollifax series about a woman in her 60s who chooses to become a spy.
Gilman attended Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1940–1945 and the University of Pennsylvania 1963–1964.
Gilman was a Unitarian Universalist.
Gilman attended Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1940–1945 and the University of Pennsylvania 1963–1964.
Gilman was a Unitarian Universalist.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 3, 2018
Only a couple of years ago, I discovered a word that describes me perfectly: I am a completionist! I collect everything an author made. I love Dorothy Gilman's single oeuvres, followed by her series; opposite to most. Spying this children's adventure in mint condition was a coup. “Bells Of Freedom” was published in 1963. It is funny to be surprised by how much I liked it! It is true that this advances my checklist despite not being a mystery. However, as with “Step To The Music” by Phyllis A. Whitney; I should stop gawking about these old hands knowing how to enthral readers, in any subject. I have nothing to do with American history but became invested.
Before there was sponsorship, those without money emigrate via indentured servitude. Jed Crane was kidnapped; owned by a mean blacksmith after he docked. A printer observes Jed's intelligence and takes over his contract. Mr. Box is a hundredfold more humane and trains him. With light duties, Jed has leisure to acquaint Boston. Later, success with deliveries during British-ruled curfew hours, introduces him to patriot rebels that challenge his ideals. I want to express how enthralling it is, to see Jed find security, while risking thrilling escapades.
Dorothy achieved empathetic insight for those of us who don't know war, through this 12 year-old English immigrant. He is gratefully loyal to Mr. Box but learns that money is his priority. He would work for any side and his business is illegal. Readers see how it was: obeying the British is easier on the surface and rebelling would be risky. The king, far away, cut food supplies to discourage revolts but took it so far, that Bostonians might as well fight. Should Jed side with his nicest master, or does freeing his new country feel right?
Before there was sponsorship, those without money emigrate via indentured servitude. Jed Crane was kidnapped; owned by a mean blacksmith after he docked. A printer observes Jed's intelligence and takes over his contract. Mr. Box is a hundredfold more humane and trains him. With light duties, Jed has leisure to acquaint Boston. Later, success with deliveries during British-ruled curfew hours, introduces him to patriot rebels that challenge his ideals. I want to express how enthralling it is, to see Jed find security, while risking thrilling escapades.
Dorothy achieved empathetic insight for those of us who don't know war, through this 12 year-old English immigrant. He is gratefully loyal to Mr. Box but learns that money is his priority. He would work for any side and his business is illegal. Readers see how it was: obeying the British is easier on the surface and rebelling would be risky. The king, far away, cut food supplies to discourage revolts but took it so far, that Bostonians might as well fight. Should Jed side with his nicest master, or does freeing his new country feel right?
June 25, 2015
As the description above is actually quite an excellent summary of the book(without giving much away), I shall skip to my personal reflections.
First, let me say that Dorothy Gilman Butters is better known for her adult novels, particularly the The Unexpected Mrs. Polifax series, which she penned under the name Dorothy Gilman. In her earlier years, she wrote novels for children and young adults under her married name. (I am especially fond of The Calico Year.) In The Bells of Freedom some of her later prowess with action and adventure, and creating a strong sense of place, is at play as is her ability to weave thought-provoking subject matter without becoming heavy-handed. I would place this book in the middle grade realm; protagonist Jed is twelve years old and the book is fast-paced and engaging. While some of the heavier topics of the British occupation of Boston (battles, famine, disease) is touched upon, and done so with due gravity and respect, it is not a dark book and the focus is more on Jed's own personal battle in choosing where to place his loyalties.
*minor spoilers to follow*
For Jed, kidnapped into indentured servitude to a cruel master, then sold to the kindly printer Mr. Box, his own greater "liberty" (such as being allowed to walk freely outside, to eat fulfilling meals, to learn to read and write) seems more than enough and he is initally unconcerned about the revolution brewing around him. Mr. Titherming Box himself is a bit of an opportunist, concerning himself neither with loyalty to the King nor sympathy with the Americans, but with his own preservation and happiness. When Jed's own conscience and sense of a greater good begins to waken he wonders that his master could be so disinterested. Jed knows what it is to have his freedom taken from him, and once he sees the Americans as the "indentured servants" of an unkindly King, he begins to understand their motivations more fully. Yet Mr. Box is not an unsympathetic character; he is very kind to Jed and when Jed questions his selfish ways he tells Jed that he has been through more than Jed knows, and that along the way he learned to be a cat, always landing on his feet. I love these "children's books" that don't shy away from presenting complex moral issues, and characters that have both admirable and unattractive qualities. Though the story clearly favors the American side in the brewing war, the British soldiers are not demonized and one even shows Jed a kindness.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and it made a great read for 4th of July weekend. Though I knew the people of Boston were greatly oppressed by the Crown, and that this played a large role in kindling the American Revolution, I didn't realize the extent of their difficulties until I read this book. I place it under "historical fiction" loosely because, while the overarching setting and events (such as the battles of Lexington and Concord) are true, there is no Author's Note to provide more context and I believe all the main characters are fiction. Still, I recommend it heartily to anyone interested in the subject matter, especially since, though out of print, this is the only Butters' novel that is easily and inexpensively obtained used via online booksellers. She is an author that deserves to be better known for her earlier work.
First, let me say that Dorothy Gilman Butters is better known for her adult novels, particularly the The Unexpected Mrs. Polifax series, which she penned under the name Dorothy Gilman. In her earlier years, she wrote novels for children and young adults under her married name. (I am especially fond of The Calico Year.) In The Bells of Freedom some of her later prowess with action and adventure, and creating a strong sense of place, is at play as is her ability to weave thought-provoking subject matter without becoming heavy-handed. I would place this book in the middle grade realm; protagonist Jed is twelve years old and the book is fast-paced and engaging. While some of the heavier topics of the British occupation of Boston (battles, famine, disease) is touched upon, and done so with due gravity and respect, it is not a dark book and the focus is more on Jed's own personal battle in choosing where to place his loyalties.
*minor spoilers to follow*
For Jed, kidnapped into indentured servitude to a cruel master, then sold to the kindly printer Mr. Box, his own greater "liberty" (such as being allowed to walk freely outside, to eat fulfilling meals, to learn to read and write) seems more than enough and he is initally unconcerned about the revolution brewing around him. Mr. Titherming Box himself is a bit of an opportunist, concerning himself neither with loyalty to the King nor sympathy with the Americans, but with his own preservation and happiness. When Jed's own conscience and sense of a greater good begins to waken he wonders that his master could be so disinterested. Jed knows what it is to have his freedom taken from him, and once he sees the Americans as the "indentured servants" of an unkindly King, he begins to understand their motivations more fully. Yet Mr. Box is not an unsympathetic character; he is very kind to Jed and when Jed questions his selfish ways he tells Jed that he has been through more than Jed knows, and that along the way he learned to be a cat, always landing on his feet. I love these "children's books" that don't shy away from presenting complex moral issues, and characters that have both admirable and unattractive qualities. Though the story clearly favors the American side in the brewing war, the British soldiers are not demonized and one even shows Jed a kindness.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and it made a great read for 4th of July weekend. Though I knew the people of Boston were greatly oppressed by the Crown, and that this played a large role in kindling the American Revolution, I didn't realize the extent of their difficulties until I read this book. I place it under "historical fiction" loosely because, while the overarching setting and events (such as the battles of Lexington and Concord) are true, there is no Author's Note to provide more context and I believe all the main characters are fiction. Still, I recommend it heartily to anyone interested in the subject matter, especially since, though out of print, this is the only Butters' novel that is easily and inexpensively obtained used via online booksellers. She is an author that deserves to be better known for her earlier work.
March 30, 2019
I went into this one semi-reluctantly because it seemed likely to be a thinly disguised lesson in history and patriotism, but at $1, the price was right, and I gave it a chance because I know Dorothy Gilman is capable of telling a cracking good story. I wasn't disappointed. I do think it could have been more fleshed out, but it was an agreeable way of spending an engrossed hour or so -- it's a very quick read, which is something that's refreshing in itself. And unexpectedly enough, I did in fact learn something, which was how radically the geography of Boston has been altered since revolutionary times. I had no idea. It's easier to understand why a neighborhood is called Back Bay, when you learn that originally, it was in fact a bay...
December 12, 2014
I have always liked books about history and especially Colonial America. I will be waiting for the time when my boys are old enough that I can read this to them. Jed's honesty is something to be admired.
June 27, 2026
The Bells of Freedom
With the 250th anniversary of our country's independence right around the corner, I thought I would read something pertaining to that historical occasion. The Bells Of Freedom is part of my e-library, so it is a logical choice. I have previously read this book as it was part of a collection that I owned back in 1963 when I was in the third grade. This book, and the other thirteen were part of a collection for young readers that were sponsored by the Young America Book Club. I lost my books a few years after I acquired them, but with the advent of the internet, I was able to download my long lost collection a few months ago; it's not the original hard cover collection, but nevertheless, acquiring these digitized versions thrilled me to no end. They now have an honored place in my e-library as their original versions were the first books I owned.
I haven't read this book in 63 years, so of course, I don't remember much about it. As I read my favorite selection, The Legend of Billy Bluesage, that story miraculously came back to me as I continued reading; I've read a few books during those 63 years, so I am amazed that I remember a few details of the first "novel" that I read many years ago. Perhaps Ms. Butters' The Bells Of Freedom will be no exception.
Ms. Butters' story opens in Boston in November of 1774; a quick Google search or a brief question to AI will reveal that the British Army was engaged in the occupation of Massachusetts' iconic port city, beginning in May of 1774 as a result of the famous Boston Tea Party of December, 1773. The first shots of what became the Revolutionary War occurred on April 19, 1775 in Lexington, a distance of about 11 miles from Boston. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 so, the war had been actively fought for more than a year before the conflict became official and the thirteen British colonies declared their independence. Of course, King George III was determined to regain control of his renegade colonial subjects, which explains the presence of the British military in Boston. The Revolutionary War lasted 8 years and 4 months, with the major battles occurring from The Battles of Lexington and Concord until October 19, 1781 with The Battle of Yorktown. The war officially ended with The Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783, and the United States of America was formality recognized as a free and sovereign nation.
The story's initial scene takes place in Silas Clark's blacksmith shop where we are introduced to the two main characters, Jed Crane, an orphaned twelve-year-old boy who is an apprentice blacksmith working for Clark, and Mr. Titherming Box, an engraver and printer who is interested in buying the young boy's contract. Clark drives a hard bargain, but "sells" Jed's contract to Box. Jed is happy to go with Mr. Box as Clark mistreated him. Mr. Box is the complete opposite of Clark since he is kind and immediately takes a liking to Jed because he recognizes his degree of intelligence; he eventually wants him to follow in his line of work. Mr. Box, although kind-hearted and something of an intellectual, (he teaches Jed to read) he possesses a highly skilled talent, and we soon learn he is engaged in a profitable criminal enterprise.
Ms. Butters ties the events of the day into her story and naturally, these events are the Revolutionary War, and the occupation of Boston that immediately precede it. Jed meets a young teenage boy named Ben Wheeler who is involved with the secret aspects of the underground rebel movement; Ben asks Jed to assist him and he soon becomes an official participant. He also continues his employment with Mr. Box, who is deeply involved with the "Torries," the local opposition to this secretive underground movement. Jed continues his employment with Mr. Box as his contract remains in effect, but he also interacts with one of the historical participants of the day, namely Paul Revere. The author also incorporates the historical event of General Washington ordering the captured cannons from Fort Ticonderoga in the colony of New York to be moved to a line of hills known as Dorchester Heights, a distance of 300 miles, which eventually "persuades" the British to abandon the siege of Boston; the story reaches its climax when the British withdraw from Boston on March 17, 1776.
Jed had failed to understand how his kindly employer, who treated him with dignity and compassion, concocted an ulterior motive to acquire his guardianship; Jed was living an adventure, but as Mr. Box's apprentice, he played a crucial role in his his boss' plan. Mr. Box used his young apprentice, always placing him in great danger so he could conduct his criminal enterprise. Titherming Box's criminal activity seriously undermined the actions of the rebel forces who were fighting against the British oppression that was levied against the citizens of Boston and eventually the future nation as an aggressive military force. Jed finally understood that evil behavior is not always black and white ... shades of gray exist in such behavior as a person could exhibit kindness and compassion toward orphaned teenage boys but could also be what is known as an "opportunist." He knew Mr. Box treated him kindly, but he learned his guardian and employer was actually looking out for "number one."
So, The Bells of Freedom is an excellent historical fiction story; not only is it historically correct, it illustrates the complexity of human nature. Although offered to an age group that is somewhat impressionable, the adult segment of our society could benefit from The Bells of Freedom's storyline just as the younger generation most certainly did. As I got into the story, I remembered the "criminal enterprise" of which Mr. Titherming Box was engaged. The details of a good story, even one that hasn't been read by someone, in my case for more than 60 years, have not gone away; as you read the story, they are somehow resurrected.
Jed, a young English boy, when asked by the captain of the local militia what side he was on, mentioned he didn't like being "pushed around," so, he leaned toward the "rebel side."1 When he heard the bells of freedom ringing throughout the countryside, signaling the initial battle in Lexington against the oppressive behavior imposed by the redcoats had begun, Jed was proud of the shopkeepers, farmers, and tradespeople who compiled the militia and decided that freedom was definitely worth fighting for. It is worth noting that Dorothy Gilman Butters published The Bells of Freedom in 1963, the same year as Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his, "I Have A Dream Speech" at the Lincoln Memorial.
The Bells of Freedom is the story of the attitudes and beliefs of what make up the United States of America ... an experiment in government that had never been tried before. And, our nobel experiment has endured for 250 years. I don't think the current majority of Americans, both native born and naturalized, will allow this experiment to fail. We as a nation have hit a bump in the road by allowing a wannabe despot to practice his pretentiously grandiose and illusional behavior, so, on this 250th Anniversary of our country's independence, it is time to take a second look at what our country means to us as Americans.
A reading of a simple story such as Dorothy Gilman Butters', The Bells of Freedom, fully explains the concept of freedom which everyone can understand. Freedom, simply stated, is not being "pushed around" by a king ... or a president who thinks he's a king. As Jed Crane stated to his employer, Titherming Box ..."it's one country without a king, where people decide on the laws and have some rights." 2 Dorothy Gilman Butters, used a teenage boy to explain the very concept that is the cornerstone of our country's foundational belief ... freedom is worth fighting for, and is worth preserving. *****
1. The Bells of Freedom, Chapter 6, p.53.
2. Ibid, Chapter 16, pg.150.
With the 250th anniversary of our country's independence right around the corner, I thought I would read something pertaining to that historical occasion. The Bells Of Freedom is part of my e-library, so it is a logical choice. I have previously read this book as it was part of a collection that I owned back in 1963 when I was in the third grade. This book, and the other thirteen were part of a collection for young readers that were sponsored by the Young America Book Club. I lost my books a few years after I acquired them, but with the advent of the internet, I was able to download my long lost collection a few months ago; it's not the original hard cover collection, but nevertheless, acquiring these digitized versions thrilled me to no end. They now have an honored place in my e-library as their original versions were the first books I owned.
I haven't read this book in 63 years, so of course, I don't remember much about it. As I read my favorite selection, The Legend of Billy Bluesage, that story miraculously came back to me as I continued reading; I've read a few books during those 63 years, so I am amazed that I remember a few details of the first "novel" that I read many years ago. Perhaps Ms. Butters' The Bells Of Freedom will be no exception.
Ms. Butters' story opens in Boston in November of 1774; a quick Google search or a brief question to AI will reveal that the British Army was engaged in the occupation of Massachusetts' iconic port city, beginning in May of 1774 as a result of the famous Boston Tea Party of December, 1773. The first shots of what became the Revolutionary War occurred on April 19, 1775 in Lexington, a distance of about 11 miles from Boston. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 so, the war had been actively fought for more than a year before the conflict became official and the thirteen British colonies declared their independence. Of course, King George III was determined to regain control of his renegade colonial subjects, which explains the presence of the British military in Boston. The Revolutionary War lasted 8 years and 4 months, with the major battles occurring from The Battles of Lexington and Concord until October 19, 1781 with The Battle of Yorktown. The war officially ended with The Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783, and the United States of America was formality recognized as a free and sovereign nation.
The story's initial scene takes place in Silas Clark's blacksmith shop where we are introduced to the two main characters, Jed Crane, an orphaned twelve-year-old boy who is an apprentice blacksmith working for Clark, and Mr. Titherming Box, an engraver and printer who is interested in buying the young boy's contract. Clark drives a hard bargain, but "sells" Jed's contract to Box. Jed is happy to go with Mr. Box as Clark mistreated him. Mr. Box is the complete opposite of Clark since he is kind and immediately takes a liking to Jed because he recognizes his degree of intelligence; he eventually wants him to follow in his line of work. Mr. Box, although kind-hearted and something of an intellectual, (he teaches Jed to read) he possesses a highly skilled talent, and we soon learn he is engaged in a profitable criminal enterprise.
Ms. Butters ties the events of the day into her story and naturally, these events are the Revolutionary War, and the occupation of Boston that immediately precede it. Jed meets a young teenage boy named Ben Wheeler who is involved with the secret aspects of the underground rebel movement; Ben asks Jed to assist him and he soon becomes an official participant. He also continues his employment with Mr. Box, who is deeply involved with the "Torries," the local opposition to this secretive underground movement. Jed continues his employment with Mr. Box as his contract remains in effect, but he also interacts with one of the historical participants of the day, namely Paul Revere. The author also incorporates the historical event of General Washington ordering the captured cannons from Fort Ticonderoga in the colony of New York to be moved to a line of hills known as Dorchester Heights, a distance of 300 miles, which eventually "persuades" the British to abandon the siege of Boston; the story reaches its climax when the British withdraw from Boston on March 17, 1776.
Jed had failed to understand how his kindly employer, who treated him with dignity and compassion, concocted an ulterior motive to acquire his guardianship; Jed was living an adventure, but as Mr. Box's apprentice, he played a crucial role in his his boss' plan. Mr. Box used his young apprentice, always placing him in great danger so he could conduct his criminal enterprise. Titherming Box's criminal activity seriously undermined the actions of the rebel forces who were fighting against the British oppression that was levied against the citizens of Boston and eventually the future nation as an aggressive military force. Jed finally understood that evil behavior is not always black and white ... shades of gray exist in such behavior as a person could exhibit kindness and compassion toward orphaned teenage boys but could also be what is known as an "opportunist." He knew Mr. Box treated him kindly, but he learned his guardian and employer was actually looking out for "number one."
So, The Bells of Freedom is an excellent historical fiction story; not only is it historically correct, it illustrates the complexity of human nature. Although offered to an age group that is somewhat impressionable, the adult segment of our society could benefit from The Bells of Freedom's storyline just as the younger generation most certainly did. As I got into the story, I remembered the "criminal enterprise" of which Mr. Titherming Box was engaged. The details of a good story, even one that hasn't been read by someone, in my case for more than 60 years, have not gone away; as you read the story, they are somehow resurrected.
Jed, a young English boy, when asked by the captain of the local militia what side he was on, mentioned he didn't like being "pushed around," so, he leaned toward the "rebel side."1 When he heard the bells of freedom ringing throughout the countryside, signaling the initial battle in Lexington against the oppressive behavior imposed by the redcoats had begun, Jed was proud of the shopkeepers, farmers, and tradespeople who compiled the militia and decided that freedom was definitely worth fighting for. It is worth noting that Dorothy Gilman Butters published The Bells of Freedom in 1963, the same year as Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his, "I Have A Dream Speech" at the Lincoln Memorial.
The Bells of Freedom is the story of the attitudes and beliefs of what make up the United States of America ... an experiment in government that had never been tried before. And, our nobel experiment has endured for 250 years. I don't think the current majority of Americans, both native born and naturalized, will allow this experiment to fail. We as a nation have hit a bump in the road by allowing a wannabe despot to practice his pretentiously grandiose and illusional behavior, so, on this 250th Anniversary of our country's independence, it is time to take a second look at what our country means to us as Americans.
A reading of a simple story such as Dorothy Gilman Butters', The Bells of Freedom, fully explains the concept of freedom which everyone can understand. Freedom, simply stated, is not being "pushed around" by a king ... or a president who thinks he's a king. As Jed Crane stated to his employer, Titherming Box ..."it's one country without a king, where people decide on the laws and have some rights." 2 Dorothy Gilman Butters, used a teenage boy to explain the very concept that is the cornerstone of our country's foundational belief ... freedom is worth fighting for, and is worth preserving. *****
1. The Bells of Freedom, Chapter 6, p.53.
2. Ibid, Chapter 16, pg.150.
April 22, 2013
This was a book that I got through the children's Book of the Month Club (thank you Mom!) when I was about 9 or 10. I loved it and read it many times. I had a real interest in the American Revolution then, still do. Anyway, my copy disappeared long ago, but several years ago, it occurred to me to try and get a used copy. I was delighted to find a copy, and this weekend, I finally got around to visiting my old friend. I had no idea that this author wrote the Mrs. Pollifex books, so how about that! She died in 2012, at the age of 88, of Alzheimer's.
March 3, 2017
I don't usually read American historical fiction, but was attracted to this by the author who has written several good adult mysteries. Once into the story, I enjoyed the well-drawn characters and interesting setting.
May 10, 2018
Excellent and inspiring. Lessons in courage, loyalty, and friendship. Those facing harsh odds “wanted freedom badly enough they made up their own ways of doing things . . . did the impossible”
This book needs to come back in print.
This book needs to come back in print.
March 26, 2023
2.5 stars
April 10, 2021
3.5 stars(at least for now)
I only picked up The Bells of Freedom because it's by Dorothy Gilman, so I didn't know what to expect from it. It's not at all a traditional Revolutionary War story like I had assumed, but I actually like it better for this. Jed isn't thrust headlong into battle; he does help the colonist rebels but the focus of the story isn't so much the war itself as how it affects Jed's daily life and how it divides his loyalties and forces him to decide what is most important to him. I like that Gilman didn't lean heavily on famous names to carry the plot. Paul Revere has one short scene and afterwards is only mentioned a couple of times. I don't know if Major Duncan was a real person, but he was the only military figure who was significantly featured. Most of the time it's just Jed and Mr. Box, but that works just fine. Mr. Box is by far the most interesting character, and the driving force of the whole plot. If you like morally ambiguous/neutral characters, you just might enjoy this book.
I only picked up The Bells of Freedom because it's by Dorothy Gilman, so I didn't know what to expect from it. It's not at all a traditional Revolutionary War story like I had assumed, but I actually like it better for this. Jed isn't thrust headlong into battle; he does help the colonist rebels but the focus of the story isn't so much the war itself as how it affects Jed's daily life and how it divides his loyalties and forces him to decide what is most important to him. I like that Gilman didn't lean heavily on famous names to carry the plot. Paul Revere has one short scene and afterwards is only mentioned a couple of times. I don't know if Major Duncan was a real person, but he was the only military figure who was significantly featured. Most of the time it's just Jed and Mr. Box, but that works just fine. Mr. Box is by far the most interesting character, and the driving force of the whole plot. If you like morally ambiguous/neutral characters, you just might enjoy this book.
August 10, 2011
Very entertaining.... if that is a good thing would very between people... I would recommend it as a good book for young readers.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews