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Gone for a Soldier
As many as one thousand women may have disguised themselves as men and fought on both sides of the American Civil War. Some fought for love, some for money and others out of patriotic fervor. Lucy Tessier just wants to escape the hangman's noose.
Alone in the world and brutalized by a neighbor, Lucy Tessier fights back. With a knife. A year has passed since the first woman in Minnesota was hanged for murder and Lucy has no plans of being the second. She cuts off her hair, dresses in her dead brother's clothing, and joins the First Minnesota regiment as Private Rob Edwards. Lucy's plan to immediately desert changes when she realizes how much she relishes the freedom and respect extended to her as a 'man' in a man's world.
Before long Lucy falls in love with a fellow soldier, but he likes another girl, and that girl is infatuated with Rob Edwards. Complicating things further, the doctor who saved the life of Lucy's attacker is the regiment's new surgeon. He's guessed Lucy's secret, but for reasons of his own is keeping the knowledge to himself. And as the regiment battles almost to the gates of Richmond, Lucy is tested physically and emotionally and learns that friendship, and love, are always worth the fight.
Historical fiction with a bit of romance--Gone for a Soldier is the story of a real Civil War regiment and a fictional girl.
Alone in the world and brutalized by a neighbor, Lucy Tessier fights back. With a knife. A year has passed since the first woman in Minnesota was hanged for murder and Lucy has no plans of being the second. She cuts off her hair, dresses in her dead brother's clothing, and joins the First Minnesota regiment as Private Rob Edwards. Lucy's plan to immediately desert changes when she realizes how much she relishes the freedom and respect extended to her as a 'man' in a man's world.
Before long Lucy falls in love with a fellow soldier, but he likes another girl, and that girl is infatuated with Rob Edwards. Complicating things further, the doctor who saved the life of Lucy's attacker is the regiment's new surgeon. He's guessed Lucy's secret, but for reasons of his own is keeping the knowledge to himself. And as the regiment battles almost to the gates of Richmond, Lucy is tested physically and emotionally and learns that friendship, and love, are always worth the fight.
Historical fiction with a bit of romance--Gone for a Soldier is the story of a real Civil War regiment and a fictional girl.
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 24, 12
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 2, 2015
The Extraordinary Lucy!
A superb historical novel which embodies the courageous spirit of fictional protagonist Lucy Tessier. Set in the first half of the American Civil War, the blurb tells us: "Gone for a Soldier is the story of a real Civil War regiment and a fictional girl." A fictional young woman who, I think, represents many real life sisters-in-arms.
Kathy Garlock has inextricably intertwined the factual historical details of the First Minnesota Regiment with a few fictional characters and events. She has thereby managed to bring history so to life that it practically jumps off the pages. Her research seems to me to have been thorough and accurate. Her characters are painfully real. The incidents which seemed to me most likely to have been fictional turn out to be real, while those I accepted as most unremarkable in the context are Garlock's invention!
Lucy Tessier is a magnificent character who made me want to weep, laugh, and dance for joy. The story opens with Lucy, left alone and unprotected in the world, being sexually assaulted. She fights back with a knife and wins. Lucy resolves to take responsibility for herself, and to become her own protector. Fearful that she will suffer the fate of Ann Bilansky (a real historical character) and be hanged for murder, she decides to hide in plain sight by disguising herself as a man and joining the army.
Lucy marches, works, fights and serves alongside the men of the First Minnesota Regiment, at Bull Run and elsewhere. Increasingly, she is called to assist with nursing the sick and the wounded.
Life in the Regiment is vividly experienced as it was at the time. The battle and action scenes are enthralling and convincing. The pace of the story is good throughout. Some modern readers might wish for a slightly faster pace in the first half of the story, but I felt that it was perfect for the literate historical novel it is.
Through her career as a soldier Lucy does find love, although the journey of her heart is as tangled as it is for most of us. Lucy's love story is a significant part of the book, but not to the extent of overpowering the historicity and the exceptional balance of the story. The romance is extremely well done, never sentimental but very moving all the same.
The writing is literate, easy to read and enjoy; in fact this is one of the very best-written books I have read in the last year. Editing and presentation is of the same professional standard as that of a commercial publisher.
The concluding material first gives closure to the story and then explains exactly what was historical and what was fiction, and crowns this outstanding work as a queen of historical novels.
I don't think I can recommend this highly enough, to anyone. It was absolutely wonderful!
A superb historical novel which embodies the courageous spirit of fictional protagonist Lucy Tessier. Set in the first half of the American Civil War, the blurb tells us: "Gone for a Soldier is the story of a real Civil War regiment and a fictional girl." A fictional young woman who, I think, represents many real life sisters-in-arms.
Kathy Garlock has inextricably intertwined the factual historical details of the First Minnesota Regiment with a few fictional characters and events. She has thereby managed to bring history so to life that it practically jumps off the pages. Her research seems to me to have been thorough and accurate. Her characters are painfully real. The incidents which seemed to me most likely to have been fictional turn out to be real, while those I accepted as most unremarkable in the context are Garlock's invention!
Lucy Tessier is a magnificent character who made me want to weep, laugh, and dance for joy. The story opens with Lucy, left alone and unprotected in the world, being sexually assaulted. She fights back with a knife and wins. Lucy resolves to take responsibility for herself, and to become her own protector. Fearful that she will suffer the fate of Ann Bilansky (a real historical character) and be hanged for murder, she decides to hide in plain sight by disguising herself as a man and joining the army.
Lucy marches, works, fights and serves alongside the men of the First Minnesota Regiment, at Bull Run and elsewhere. Increasingly, she is called to assist with nursing the sick and the wounded.
Life in the Regiment is vividly experienced as it was at the time. The battle and action scenes are enthralling and convincing. The pace of the story is good throughout. Some modern readers might wish for a slightly faster pace in the first half of the story, but I felt that it was perfect for the literate historical novel it is.
Through her career as a soldier Lucy does find love, although the journey of her heart is as tangled as it is for most of us. Lucy's love story is a significant part of the book, but not to the extent of overpowering the historicity and the exceptional balance of the story. The romance is extremely well done, never sentimental but very moving all the same.
The writing is literate, easy to read and enjoy; in fact this is one of the very best-written books I have read in the last year. Editing and presentation is of the same professional standard as that of a commercial publisher.
The concluding material first gives closure to the story and then explains exactly what was historical and what was fiction, and crowns this outstanding work as a queen of historical novels.
I don't think I can recommend this highly enough, to anyone. It was absolutely wonderful!
March 22, 2013
Gone For A Soldier is a historical novel about the struggles of women during the American Civil War. The main fictional character is strong Lucy Tessier, who as literary representation of the many women from the times described in the novel, suffers a great deal of hardship, thanks to her circumstances, gender and her own choices. In short and without spoiler, destiny forces her to disguise as a man and fight in the Civil War. But of course, there is much more to this good novel…
It is not often that we encounter war stories casting strong female characters. When this is the case, I certainly see a great opportunity for depth and originality. When well done, the characters stay in our memories, sometimes as heroines, other as martyrs, victims or simply as the indispensable bastion for the male hero.
Her character offers some of such dramatic elements: she is a martyr, a victim, a hero, and over all, she is a survivor. “Tears were for the weak. For women”, thinks Lucy at the beginning of the novel.
The quality of her literary development is the concise amalgamation of the “resilient hero” with the feminine human condition. This is well represented in her falling in love, her many fears and her contradictions. Such contradictions by the way, I found to be logical, as there must be a struggle between the portrait of the man she is forced to play and her own convictions.
The narrative of the novel is very well researched and as a whole engaging. It is an epic story with many characters and different tones that come and go in a well-orchestrated sequence: there is drama, politics, action, love and intrigue. However, at times the prose lacks essential rhythm and the story itself disconnects. Given the author published a second novel only a month after Gone For A Soldier’s publication, one may ask if such an overwhelming task affected the final touches of this novel. This negative quality is by no means the rule, and should not discourage a potential reader to open the pages of this very informative and dramatic novel.
Mrs. Garlock knows the history well, no doubt. More importantly, she was able to imprint human condition and emotion to the historical fact without allowing herself and her own opinions to interfere. Nice job.
Alberto Ambard
It is not often that we encounter war stories casting strong female characters. When this is the case, I certainly see a great opportunity for depth and originality. When well done, the characters stay in our memories, sometimes as heroines, other as martyrs, victims or simply as the indispensable bastion for the male hero.
Her character offers some of such dramatic elements: she is a martyr, a victim, a hero, and over all, she is a survivor. “Tears were for the weak. For women”, thinks Lucy at the beginning of the novel.
The quality of her literary development is the concise amalgamation of the “resilient hero” with the feminine human condition. This is well represented in her falling in love, her many fears and her contradictions. Such contradictions by the way, I found to be logical, as there must be a struggle between the portrait of the man she is forced to play and her own convictions.
The narrative of the novel is very well researched and as a whole engaging. It is an epic story with many characters and different tones that come and go in a well-orchestrated sequence: there is drama, politics, action, love and intrigue. However, at times the prose lacks essential rhythm and the story itself disconnects. Given the author published a second novel only a month after Gone For A Soldier’s publication, one may ask if such an overwhelming task affected the final touches of this novel. This negative quality is by no means the rule, and should not discourage a potential reader to open the pages of this very informative and dramatic novel.
Mrs. Garlock knows the history well, no doubt. More importantly, she was able to imprint human condition and emotion to the historical fact without allowing herself and her own opinions to interfere. Nice job.
Alberto Ambard
March 8, 2013
This is an epic tale from the Civil War, where unlikely characters meet, become friends, and struggle with staying alive. They are actual stories from historical journals that the author painstakingly reviewed and studied. It is always interesting to get a real feel for the daily struggles of soldiers in war times. The main characters that are fictional in this account are compelling and you can't help but develop concern and admiration for them and the suffering they endure. My overall rating for this book is 3.5 stars.
I love reading historical fiction, if it involves a war and even a hinted romance element, I am all in. I was excited about reviewing this book, for which the author provided a free copy.
The story while worth telling, lagged at many points and could have been tightened up. There were parts of the story that could have been deleted altogether without compromising the book and the story line, thus making it a more compelling read. Whenever you have a vast cast of characters as this book does, it is essential to make sure all the relationship between parties are clearly defined and easy to follow. I found that I was struggling with this until about half way through the novel. I couldn't develop attachments with many of the characters until this point, and found many of the scenes confusing to read at points throughout the book. However, the last 25% of the book make up for the beginning and you really do want to find out what is going to happen to the characters in the end.
I expect to find proofreading errors whenever I read a novel, even from the large publishing houses, so this in and of itself isn't a surprise. However, this novel had errors in almost every chapter. At first it was easy to overlook it, but as it became a constant theme throughout the book, it became somewhat distracting. I understand what editing costs for an author, and it can mean the difference between being able to publish and not publish, I just wish another round of proofreading would have been done prior to publishing.
For anyone that loves historical war time fiction, I think this book is definitely worth a read. Thank you Ms. Garlock for taking the time to make these stories come to life, for an all but forgotten, and little know company of the 1st Minnesota Regiment.
I love reading historical fiction, if it involves a war and even a hinted romance element, I am all in. I was excited about reviewing this book, for which the author provided a free copy.
The story while worth telling, lagged at many points and could have been tightened up. There were parts of the story that could have been deleted altogether without compromising the book and the story line, thus making it a more compelling read. Whenever you have a vast cast of characters as this book does, it is essential to make sure all the relationship between parties are clearly defined and easy to follow. I found that I was struggling with this until about half way through the novel. I couldn't develop attachments with many of the characters until this point, and found many of the scenes confusing to read at points throughout the book. However, the last 25% of the book make up for the beginning and you really do want to find out what is going to happen to the characters in the end.
I expect to find proofreading errors whenever I read a novel, even from the large publishing houses, so this in and of itself isn't a surprise. However, this novel had errors in almost every chapter. At first it was easy to overlook it, but as it became a constant theme throughout the book, it became somewhat distracting. I understand what editing costs for an author, and it can mean the difference between being able to publish and not publish, I just wish another round of proofreading would have been done prior to publishing.
For anyone that loves historical war time fiction, I think this book is definitely worth a read. Thank you Ms. Garlock for taking the time to make these stories come to life, for an all but forgotten, and little know company of the 1st Minnesota Regiment.
February 14, 2013
This romantic historical fiction book about the Civil War is fascinating after the first couple of chapters, which are a bit confusing. But if the reader persists, if will pay off! This book brings to life so many interesting facts that I never stopped to think I was being informed about true history. This author researched battles, living and hospital conditions on the battlefronts, women's participation in them, weapons used, diseases and injuries suffered, etc. She studied actual letters, newspaper articles, diaries, biographies, memoirs, and even pictures. Everything is written in such incredibly interesting detail and yet the reader never feels bogged down by history. Instead, it flows like a work a fiction should. Kathleen is a truly gifted author whose character and plot development works to create a really delightful book. I don't hesitate in giving her book 5 stars. She deserves it and more!
February 18, 2013
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I love men in military uniforms. This book is filled with them, so it had all the makings of a book I would enjoy.
Starting off I think the thing that made it the hardest for me to get into was how many people there were. In the first chapters new characters were constantly popping up and it was hard to keep track of them all.
I liked Johanna and Lucy. The way Johanna was sneaky about playing an active role instead of a passive role was refreshing. I enjoyed Rose, as well, but she unfortunately didn't get much of a role in the latter half of the book (understandably so since she wouldn't have a place near a battlefield). I also liked Captain Colvill. I don't know why, I just did.
The story was pretty good. I did enjoy the main character, and I found Johanna refreshing at times.
In the beginning I think some parts were too heavy-handed. It seemed like things that happened to pertain to Lucy's predicament came up too often, even from people who had no idea who she was. I would have liked more subtle things, such as when one of the underage soldiers was called out and Lucy had been afraid it was her they were coming for.
I liked that characters that Lucy and the others weren't fond of weren't always portrayed in a negative light. Other times I thought the main characters had a slightly too modern mindset. In one particular scene they were seeing a play. The main character and the people with her felt offended by the play's contents while everyone else in the theater was amused. It took me out of the scene to have a few characters that the story happened to be about and make them stick out so much. It's not that I feel they shouldn't be offended; it was more, "In the entire place why are they the only enlightened ones?" It would have felt less awkward to me if when Lucy looked around she had perhaps spotted a few other people who weren't fond of the performance, either, even just one or two in the crowd.
As a main character I didn't mind following Lucy and I appreciated that I couldn't predict right away who her love interest would be. The majority of the time I had no problem with her, but every once in awhile she did something that irritated me. For example, towards the end they had no way to bring in more food, so they killed two of the horses for food. Lucy wouldn't eat it knowing where it came from. When you have hundreds of people who are starving and constantly being shot and killed, I thought eating horse meat was an odd thing to get worked up over. It would be better to me if she thought of Soldier, which would give her a more personal reason to not eat it.
It was also at the end that her romance with Dr. Walsh bothered me the most. Sometimes it was perfectly fine and understandable - of course she would want to know if he was alive or not, and she'd be worried if she didn't see him.
But there were other moments when she was bothered because she couldn't be alone with him. My only thoughts were, "You're being shot at. There's dismembered limbs everywhere and dying men lying all over the place. You can hang out with him later. More pressing things should be on your mind."
I'd have understood it better if she wanted to be with him for reasons other than romance. Like, if she was having trouble dealing with the mental strain and just wanted a moment to have some extra support.
To be perfectly honest, I rooted more for Johanna and Lucy to get together than Lucy and Jack. No matter how much the book insisted I just didn't see the sparks between her and Jack. I think the insistence that they were so in love actually worked against convincing me. I'd have preferred it to be more subdued, or even changed a bit. Instead of wanting so badly to simply hold him, it could have been more relevant to her situation. She could have wanted to be with him somewhere safe and warm with an actual bed, rather than out in the cold, sleeping on the ground with gunfire all around.
As a whole the story was quite good. Characters were likeable. I enjoyed O'Meara's introduction, drunkenly taunting the enemy, as well as some of the stories that went with O'Meara, even though he was more of a background character. As I mentioned before, I liked Johanna. She was stubborn and had a lot of ambition, and at the same time was trapped in a time where she was only allowed to do so much. Her eventual love interest played over fine with me.
I think this book could use an editor. I don't say that because it's a bad book; I actually say that because I think it's a good book, and I think it could be a great book with some editing. It's a very long book and I think a lot of it could be trimmed down or reworded to have a greater impact. There were also some grammar problems - most of which weren't frequent enough to be distracting - as well as times that things got confusing.
One example I could think of was this:
"...it didn't take long for the two young Minnesota soldiers to wind up in jail."
My first thought was, "Wait, how did they go from wandering around town to being arrested?" It turned out, however, that they'd gone to visit their friend in jail.
Another time I can think of was when two paragraphs in a row that ended with "Especially saloons."
An experienced editor could easily fix things like this, as well trim down some of the verbose parts, or root out bits of information that might not have been needed for the story. There were several times where it seemed the story announced someone was sick just to declare a few paragraphs later they were over their sickness now, and the illness didn't change anything in the story. It could be that the author was going through factual information and put it in, but I don't think every mention was necessary.
However, like I mentioned above, I do think this is a good story that has the makings of a great story. I'd love to see an editor get their hands on it.
I love men in military uniforms. This book is filled with them, so it had all the makings of a book I would enjoy.
Starting off I think the thing that made it the hardest for me to get into was how many people there were. In the first chapters new characters were constantly popping up and it was hard to keep track of them all.
I liked Johanna and Lucy. The way Johanna was sneaky about playing an active role instead of a passive role was refreshing. I enjoyed Rose, as well, but she unfortunately didn't get much of a role in the latter half of the book (understandably so since she wouldn't have a place near a battlefield). I also liked Captain Colvill. I don't know why, I just did.
The story was pretty good. I did enjoy the main character, and I found Johanna refreshing at times.
In the beginning I think some parts were too heavy-handed. It seemed like things that happened to pertain to Lucy's predicament came up too often, even from people who had no idea who she was. I would have liked more subtle things, such as when one of the underage soldiers was called out and Lucy had been afraid it was her they were coming for.
I liked that characters that Lucy and the others weren't fond of weren't always portrayed in a negative light. Other times I thought the main characters had a slightly too modern mindset. In one particular scene they were seeing a play. The main character and the people with her felt offended by the play's contents while everyone else in the theater was amused. It took me out of the scene to have a few characters that the story happened to be about and make them stick out so much. It's not that I feel they shouldn't be offended; it was more, "In the entire place why are they the only enlightened ones?" It would have felt less awkward to me if when Lucy looked around she had perhaps spotted a few other people who weren't fond of the performance, either, even just one or two in the crowd.
As a main character I didn't mind following Lucy and I appreciated that I couldn't predict right away who her love interest would be. The majority of the time I had no problem with her, but every once in awhile she did something that irritated me. For example, towards the end they had no way to bring in more food, so they killed two of the horses for food. Lucy wouldn't eat it knowing where it came from. When you have hundreds of people who are starving and constantly being shot and killed, I thought eating horse meat was an odd thing to get worked up over. It would be better to me if she thought of Soldier, which would give her a more personal reason to not eat it.
It was also at the end that her romance with Dr. Walsh bothered me the most. Sometimes it was perfectly fine and understandable - of course she would want to know if he was alive or not, and she'd be worried if she didn't see him.
But there were other moments when she was bothered because she couldn't be alone with him. My only thoughts were, "You're being shot at. There's dismembered limbs everywhere and dying men lying all over the place. You can hang out with him later. More pressing things should be on your mind."
I'd have understood it better if she wanted to be with him for reasons other than romance. Like, if she was having trouble dealing with the mental strain and just wanted a moment to have some extra support.
To be perfectly honest, I rooted more for Johanna and Lucy to get together than Lucy and Jack. No matter how much the book insisted I just didn't see the sparks between her and Jack. I think the insistence that they were so in love actually worked against convincing me. I'd have preferred it to be more subdued, or even changed a bit. Instead of wanting so badly to simply hold him, it could have been more relevant to her situation. She could have wanted to be with him somewhere safe and warm with an actual bed, rather than out in the cold, sleeping on the ground with gunfire all around.
As a whole the story was quite good. Characters were likeable. I enjoyed O'Meara's introduction, drunkenly taunting the enemy, as well as some of the stories that went with O'Meara, even though he was more of a background character. As I mentioned before, I liked Johanna. She was stubborn and had a lot of ambition, and at the same time was trapped in a time where she was only allowed to do so much. Her eventual love interest played over fine with me.
I think this book could use an editor. I don't say that because it's a bad book; I actually say that because I think it's a good book, and I think it could be a great book with some editing. It's a very long book and I think a lot of it could be trimmed down or reworded to have a greater impact. There were also some grammar problems - most of which weren't frequent enough to be distracting - as well as times that things got confusing.
One example I could think of was this:
"...it didn't take long for the two young Minnesota soldiers to wind up in jail."
My first thought was, "Wait, how did they go from wandering around town to being arrested?" It turned out, however, that they'd gone to visit their friend in jail.
Another time I can think of was when two paragraphs in a row that ended with "Especially saloons."
An experienced editor could easily fix things like this, as well trim down some of the verbose parts, or root out bits of information that might not have been needed for the story. There were several times where it seemed the story announced someone was sick just to declare a few paragraphs later they were over their sickness now, and the illness didn't change anything in the story. It could be that the author was going through factual information and put it in, but I don't think every mention was necessary.
However, like I mentioned above, I do think this is a good story that has the makings of a great story. I'd love to see an editor get their hands on it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2013
I was skeptical when I first saw it was historical fiction, but then I decided to take a quick look at the first pages... and I couldn't put it down.
I spent a couple of sleepless nights alongside the First Minnesota just because I could not stop reading until the sun came up and it was time to start the day anew. That's how much the characters and the story captured my attention.
My geographical uselessness aside, as a foreigner who did not study US history or geography past the mandatory couple of chapters in school, I have to say I was a little confused sometimes about the details of the American civil war. The boundaries between states weren't readily clear in my mind, nor which states would have been fighting for which side or would be more in favor of which side... as well as the confusion with the color of the jackets. I have a recollection of the jacket colors from the independence and that's about it, so there were a few historical details which escaped me and confused me, but never was it anything that took me away from enjoying the story.
Gone for a Soldier is a wonderful story and has a fantastic setting in the middle of a war. And though the details of the war itself sometimes escaped me, I could imagine it all and it felt very real.
Sometimes I wished the story would move a little faster, which just reflects how anxious I was for the next part of the adventure... And then the next moment I was enjoying Lucy's company so much I was dreading the time when it would end.
There were a few typos and missing words, but nothing that greatly interfered with reading the story.
*** Minor Spoilers ahead ***
I adored Lucy and Johanna and the friendship they developed... Johanna was also a very special character. The Walsh family was a beautiful ensemble. And all the other characters seemed to have a life of their own. I was glad the people I was rooting for made it, and I confess a couple of surprises along the way. I found the little things woven into the story to make Lucy all the more endearing, and her transformation from girl to soldier was a very believable one to me.
I also loved Rose Elizabeth, and her letters were a brief but excellent delight to have amidst everything else.
In the end, what gripped me was the story itself, and the war was just the backdrop - a wonderfully constructed one, but a backdrop nonetheless - to a wonderful character struggle.
I was glad the tin soldier was able to be turned back into a girl and that I was able to come away from the story without having my heart completely shattered.
I spent a couple of sleepless nights alongside the First Minnesota just because I could not stop reading until the sun came up and it was time to start the day anew. That's how much the characters and the story captured my attention.
My geographical uselessness aside, as a foreigner who did not study US history or geography past the mandatory couple of chapters in school, I have to say I was a little confused sometimes about the details of the American civil war. The boundaries between states weren't readily clear in my mind, nor which states would have been fighting for which side or would be more in favor of which side... as well as the confusion with the color of the jackets. I have a recollection of the jacket colors from the independence and that's about it, so there were a few historical details which escaped me and confused me, but never was it anything that took me away from enjoying the story.
Gone for a Soldier is a wonderful story and has a fantastic setting in the middle of a war. And though the details of the war itself sometimes escaped me, I could imagine it all and it felt very real.
Sometimes I wished the story would move a little faster, which just reflects how anxious I was for the next part of the adventure... And then the next moment I was enjoying Lucy's company so much I was dreading the time when it would end.
There were a few typos and missing words, but nothing that greatly interfered with reading the story.
*** Minor Spoilers ahead ***
I adored Lucy and Johanna and the friendship they developed... Johanna was also a very special character. The Walsh family was a beautiful ensemble. And all the other characters seemed to have a life of their own. I was glad the people I was rooting for made it, and I confess a couple of surprises along the way. I found the little things woven into the story to make Lucy all the more endearing, and her transformation from girl to soldier was a very believable one to me.
I also loved Rose Elizabeth, and her letters were a brief but excellent delight to have amidst everything else.
In the end, what gripped me was the story itself, and the war was just the backdrop - a wonderfully constructed one, but a backdrop nonetheless - to a wonderful character struggle.
I was glad the tin soldier was able to be turned back into a girl and that I was able to come away from the story without having my heart completely shattered.
March 11, 2013
Lucy Tessier has a problem – a problem that can only be solved with a knife – then she really has a problem.
Dressed in her brother's clothes, she enlists in the army as Rob Edwards in a desperate attempt to hide. At first she is suspected of being abducted, but knows that is only a matter of time before the real story comes out, that she stabbed her guardian when he raped her.
Terrified of discovery, Lucy throws herself into army life. Drills, guard duty and hospital duties fill her days while she waits for an opportunity to desert and escape before her secret is discovered.
Expecting to be sent west to guard the frontier, she is shocked when her regiment of volunteers is sent south to Washington to fight the Confederate Army. Now there is nowhere to hide.
On the march south, Lucy makes the acquaintance of the Walsh family. Young Rose, her aunt Johanna and father Dr Jack. She makes quite an impression on the family – as do they on her – and they begin corresponding. It is clear from the first letters that Dr Walsh has worked out who she is. He offers her help and support, and does not blow her cover, but Lucy is distraught that someone – a relative stranger – has guessed her secret. Her life gets even more complicated when she falls in love.
'Gone for a Soldier' is well written historical fiction, which has been thoroughly researched and includes some great detail to successfully bring the Union Army to life. Kathleen Kelly Garlock paints a stark and honest picture of army life in the early 1800's. "Colonel Gorman was having a hard time convincing his army of frontier volunteers that they'd given up the freedom they thought they were fighting for." is a particularly poignant line.
The descriptive passages are vivid – I could almost see Washington with the unfinished dome of the Capitol (not bad for someone who has not yet visited the US), the language used is believable and evocative of the time and place, and the dialogue is authentic and natural.
This is not only a good read, it is an interesting and vivid portrait of life in nineteenth century America, written in a gentle style that somehow underlines the more chilling aspects of the story with moments of humour, poignancy and tenderness.
Kathleen Kelly Garlock successfully evokes the camaraderie of the life of a regiment in camp, the deprivations of the march and the horrors of war, and I urge any fan of historical fiction to read this book.
Dressed in her brother's clothes, she enlists in the army as Rob Edwards in a desperate attempt to hide. At first she is suspected of being abducted, but knows that is only a matter of time before the real story comes out, that she stabbed her guardian when he raped her.
Terrified of discovery, Lucy throws herself into army life. Drills, guard duty and hospital duties fill her days while she waits for an opportunity to desert and escape before her secret is discovered.
Expecting to be sent west to guard the frontier, she is shocked when her regiment of volunteers is sent south to Washington to fight the Confederate Army. Now there is nowhere to hide.
On the march south, Lucy makes the acquaintance of the Walsh family. Young Rose, her aunt Johanna and father Dr Jack. She makes quite an impression on the family – as do they on her – and they begin corresponding. It is clear from the first letters that Dr Walsh has worked out who she is. He offers her help and support, and does not blow her cover, but Lucy is distraught that someone – a relative stranger – has guessed her secret. Her life gets even more complicated when she falls in love.
'Gone for a Soldier' is well written historical fiction, which has been thoroughly researched and includes some great detail to successfully bring the Union Army to life. Kathleen Kelly Garlock paints a stark and honest picture of army life in the early 1800's. "Colonel Gorman was having a hard time convincing his army of frontier volunteers that they'd given up the freedom they thought they were fighting for." is a particularly poignant line.
The descriptive passages are vivid – I could almost see Washington with the unfinished dome of the Capitol (not bad for someone who has not yet visited the US), the language used is believable and evocative of the time and place, and the dialogue is authentic and natural.
This is not only a good read, it is an interesting and vivid portrait of life in nineteenth century America, written in a gentle style that somehow underlines the more chilling aspects of the story with moments of humour, poignancy and tenderness.
Kathleen Kelly Garlock successfully evokes the camaraderie of the life of a regiment in camp, the deprivations of the march and the horrors of war, and I urge any fan of historical fiction to read this book.
June 17, 2013
When I first started to read this book I thought, "Oh great, 308 pages!" But as I started to read, I became infatuated with the characters, plot, and the history of the Civil War and couldn't get enough. This is quite the epic story where tragic events lead to one woman's brutal experiences and the harsh realizations of the Civil War.
Lucy, the main character, is on the run from her horrid past and finalizes that dressing like a man and joining the Union army is her best option to disappear. While this seems like a preposterous idea, I believe it is actually a good one, if she deserted shortly after enlisting and ran away to start over. However, as she tries to accomplish this feat, she is delayed on several occasions by the guards and daily duties of a Union soldier. Unable to escape Lucy fully becomes the character she created, Rob Edwards. He faces many difficult challenges hiding his identity from being teased by other soldiers about his appearance, to having to work harder than other soldiers so they don't suspect him of being a woman. As the story progresses, it becomes more and more difficult to go 'A-Wall' because of the comradery, loyalty, and friendships he makes. Also, Lucy falls in love.
The author is a great storyteller and does an incredible job vividly describing the setting of each and every scene. Also, she did such a great job describing and personalizing the characters, I felt like they were friends of mine towards the end. I believe a good book is one that you can play like a movie in your head. The author definitely makes this possible. I also would like to commend the author on her research! She retrieved old letters, newspapers, and hit the archives to insert real characters into her fictional story. I believe she did a great job portraying the real characters and events of the Civil War.
I had trouble giving this book a 5 out of 5 because there were several grammatical errors. At times I felt like I was proofreading instead of enjoying the story but like I said before, the author is a great storyteller, so I was refocused in no time.
I really enjoy reading war stories and this one was great! I recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a story around the Civil War period and everyone who just wants to be entertained.
I was given this ebook for free for an honest review and I give it a 4.5 out of 5!
Lucy, the main character, is on the run from her horrid past and finalizes that dressing like a man and joining the Union army is her best option to disappear. While this seems like a preposterous idea, I believe it is actually a good one, if she deserted shortly after enlisting and ran away to start over. However, as she tries to accomplish this feat, she is delayed on several occasions by the guards and daily duties of a Union soldier. Unable to escape Lucy fully becomes the character she created, Rob Edwards. He faces many difficult challenges hiding his identity from being teased by other soldiers about his appearance, to having to work harder than other soldiers so they don't suspect him of being a woman. As the story progresses, it becomes more and more difficult to go 'A-Wall' because of the comradery, loyalty, and friendships he makes. Also, Lucy falls in love.
The author is a great storyteller and does an incredible job vividly describing the setting of each and every scene. Also, she did such a great job describing and personalizing the characters, I felt like they were friends of mine towards the end. I believe a good book is one that you can play like a movie in your head. The author definitely makes this possible. I also would like to commend the author on her research! She retrieved old letters, newspapers, and hit the archives to insert real characters into her fictional story. I believe she did a great job portraying the real characters and events of the Civil War.
I had trouble giving this book a 5 out of 5 because there were several grammatical errors. At times I felt like I was proofreading instead of enjoying the story but like I said before, the author is a great storyteller, so I was refocused in no time.
I really enjoy reading war stories and this one was great! I recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a story around the Civil War period and everyone who just wants to be entertained.
I was given this ebook for free for an honest review and I give it a 4.5 out of 5!
June 1, 2013
Gone for a soldier is a book for those readers who can step beyond light reading and devote themselves to a meticulous and imaginative reconstruction of America shattered by the Civil War.
The book's pace and attention to the details reminded me of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, and I was curious to see how the author would cope with such a mammoth task of representing things of bygone days, which was done beautifully and credibly. The author isn't afraid to expose realism of soldiers' life, making the story believable even in the smallest things.
I was able to feel the unforgettable atmosphere of the backgroud countryside as if I were there myself. The wind was ruffling my hair and the rain was soaking me right to the bones. You shouldn't rush this story; feel it, let it engulf you and find its way to your heart.
The people inhabiting the pages read as real - I felt their pain, joined them in their joy and pranks, experienced their victories and defeats, but my heart squeezed for poor Lucy, the main heroine. We met her in the worst circumstances for any girl: being raped and damaged for good, as she herself was made to believe by her rapist and the prejudices of the epoch. The fear to be hanged for wounding the villain and complete dispair at impossibility to have traditional future happiness with a loving man led her to take an unusual decision to join the army disguised as a man.
Was she able to overcome her own biases and get out of the ordeals the destiny held for her? You will know when you engage in this memorable novel.
The book's pace and attention to the details reminded me of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, and I was curious to see how the author would cope with such a mammoth task of representing things of bygone days, which was done beautifully and credibly. The author isn't afraid to expose realism of soldiers' life, making the story believable even in the smallest things.
I was able to feel the unforgettable atmosphere of the backgroud countryside as if I were there myself. The wind was ruffling my hair and the rain was soaking me right to the bones. You shouldn't rush this story; feel it, let it engulf you and find its way to your heart.
The people inhabiting the pages read as real - I felt their pain, joined them in their joy and pranks, experienced their victories and defeats, but my heart squeezed for poor Lucy, the main heroine. We met her in the worst circumstances for any girl: being raped and damaged for good, as she herself was made to believe by her rapist and the prejudices of the epoch. The fear to be hanged for wounding the villain and complete dispair at impossibility to have traditional future happiness with a loving man led her to take an unusual decision to join the army disguised as a man.
Was she able to overcome her own biases and get out of the ordeals the destiny held for her? You will know when you engage in this memorable novel.
June 17, 2013
This was really well done. The period details weren't overwhelming, but there was a lot of grit to the descriptions of battle, illness, etc. that gave them more impact when they were present. The characters were very well written, and aside from one or two spots where the plotting seemed slightly off, there was a strong build to the story. The banter and rapport of the soldiers was humorous and believable, and helped maintain a sense of continuity and genuine affection, even though the main character, Lucy, spent large amounts of time away from groups of characters. I noticed a typo or two, but it was for the most part very cleanly edited, and a solid, crisp read.
There were only two spots that felt rough to me. #1. Lucy abandoning her original intention to desert. There were a few sections between when she was looking for opportunities to desert, and had decided not to desert, where it felt like the focus was on her activities, and her intentions were forgotten. My assumption would be that soldierly life was hectic enough that she was too exhausted to reflect on her situation, or seek an opportunity to leave. If that's the case, it could have been woven into the narrative a bit more. #2. The epilogue.At risk of giving anything away, it felt a little too focused on providing closure to the main character's story, rather than having the same honesty to the dialogue that had characterized those veteran's participation in the story.
There were only two spots that felt rough to me. #1. Lucy abandoning her original intention to desert. There were a few sections between when she was looking for opportunities to desert, and had decided not to desert, where it felt like the focus was on her activities, and her intentions were forgotten. My assumption would be that soldierly life was hectic enough that she was too exhausted to reflect on her situation, or seek an opportunity to leave. If that's the case, it could have been woven into the narrative a bit more. #2. The epilogue.At risk of giving anything away, it felt a little too focused on providing closure to the main character's story, rather than having the same honesty to the dialogue that had characterized those veteran's participation in the story.
June 13, 2013
I admired Lucy throughout this entire book. The author developed this character so well, I felt an attachment to her and kept reading to find out what happened to her. Having a woman pretend to be and live among men would be tricky, As I was reading , I found myself saying thinks like "How did Lucy deal with___?" and the author would come through with an explanation at some point.
My husband enjoyed the fact that I was clueless about the Civil War and had to ask him to explain some things. Even though I don't know much about the setting, I still enjoyed the book immensely. Although the war plays a very important part of the story, it's the characters that stand out more. So many wonderful people come into her life (a few figure out her true identity, but most don't know, they assume she is just young or a rather feminine man). They support her and protect her, just like a friend should. That's not to say it was all roses, it was during a war after all. There is fighting, disease, and death. Ohhh, and love...
Overall, it was a great read that I would recommend to anyone.
My husband enjoyed the fact that I was clueless about the Civil War and had to ask him to explain some things. Even though I don't know much about the setting, I still enjoyed the book immensely. Although the war plays a very important part of the story, it's the characters that stand out more. So many wonderful people come into her life (a few figure out her true identity, but most don't know, they assume she is just young or a rather feminine man). They support her and protect her, just like a friend should. That's not to say it was all roses, it was during a war after all. There is fighting, disease, and death. Ohhh, and love...
Overall, it was a great read that I would recommend to anyone.
July 23, 2013
A lot of research must have gone into this intriguing story. The melding of fictional characters into historical fact takes some doing, and Kathleen did this very well. I was impressed by her retelling of the grit and determination of the soldiers, but also with her portrayal of their sense of humour. The blood-curdling scenes of battle were enough to make the reader cringe, but not enough to become gratuitous violence.
I liked some of the chapter-end hooks, too.
I have to say, I read this is small chunks, and it was probably because of this that I sometimes became confused with the characters. But it not always wise to have characters with such similar names - Delia, Delilah, Cordelia, for example. There were a number of typos,too, but nowhere near as many as I found in a paperback by a famous author that I've just read.
Overall, Kathleen, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Gone for a Soldier' right to the very end. Thank you, and well done.
I liked some of the chapter-end hooks, too.
I have to say, I read this is small chunks, and it was probably because of this that I sometimes became confused with the characters. But it not always wise to have characters with such similar names - Delia, Delilah, Cordelia, for example. There were a number of typos,too, but nowhere near as many as I found in a paperback by a famous author that I've just read.
Overall, Kathleen, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Gone for a Soldier' right to the very end. Thank you, and well done.
February 1, 2013
I have just finished reading a wonderful book from a fantastic author. Gone for a Soldier by Kathy Garlock is a must read. Usually, this type of story doesn't pique my interest as much as others, but I can honestly say I've enjoyed this story from beginning to end. One of the best things about her book is this: It keeps building and building and unlike other stories, the plot isn't predictable. To rate her story, I have to give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I would give it a full 5, but it takes a moment to really get into it from the beginning. But just after, it begins to build and I couldn't put it down. All in all, an amazing book. Thank you Kathy for the opportunity to read your wonderful work. Keep it up!
November 10, 2013
I enjoyed reading the story about Lucy, disguised as a man in the civil war. Although Lucy is a fictional character, many of the characters existed and their stories are interweaved into Lucy's story.
Sometimes I felt that Lucy was not a participant in the story; an incident would be described and all the actions of everyone would be told except for Lucy's.
I got this book free when the author posted in the Historical Fictionistas group that her book was free on Amazon.com. I'm glad I saw her post and read the book.
Sometimes I felt that Lucy was not a participant in the story; an incident would be described and all the actions of everyone would be told except for Lucy's.
I got this book free when the author posted in the Historical Fictionistas group that her book was free on Amazon.com. I'm glad I saw her post and read the book.
January 16, 2015
I have to say that this is not the sort of book I usually read. The Civil War, however, is a passion of mine and so I thought I'd give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. I had a little trouble getting through the first chapter, not that it's not well written; it is. I just had a bit of a problem with the whole woman dressed as a man thing. That being said, I enjoyed the story. The characters are well drawn and story rolls along nicely. The plot is also well drawn and the battle scenes are totally believable. Kathy, you have quite an imagination. Well done.
December 28, 2014
This is book is a historical fiction book with a bit of romance about a girl who disguises herself as a soldier. I enjoyed it thoroughly!
As a Brit reading it there were a lot of details to understand, especially concerning geography and points of U.S. history, but having said that the details we quite well strung together as a coherent story.
A pet quibble of mine is characters that are "perfect". I found Johanna's character too perfect which detracted from the overall story a little.
As a Brit reading it there were a lot of details to understand, especially concerning geography and points of U.S. history, but having said that the details we quite well strung together as a coherent story.
A pet quibble of mine is characters that are "perfect". I found Johanna's character too perfect which detracted from the overall story a little.
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