Faith of Our Fathers: A House Divided

Faith of Our Fathers #1

by N.C. Allen, Nancy Campbell Allen

It is the eve of the Civil War, and the delicate fabric of a young nation threatens to tear apart as volatile issues divide its people. Brothers James and Jeffrey Birmingham now find themselves and their families on opposing sides of a great and terrible conflict. James is a wealthy Bostonian with a son who is a passionate and outspoken abolitionist, and a daughter who must hide her identity as the writer of controversial newspaper articles. Jeffry, who lives on a South Carolina plantation, has a son who joins the Mormon Church, then leaves home after a failed attempt to free his family's slaves. Jeffrey's cowardly younger son ruthlessly preys on the weak and his young daughter despises her family's beliefs, finding more kinship with the slaves thatn with her own flesh and blood. Caught in the middle are the slaves, who, along with immigrant families, are desperate to find their place in a country that is rapidly drawing its battle lines. From the bustling streets of Boston tot he lush plantation fields of the South, from the drudgery of camp life to the terrors of the battlefield, millions of lives are about to be irrevocably changed. A House Divided, Volume one of the epic series Faith of Our Fathers, is one the most ambitious novels in LDS publishing history. This remarkable book chronicles the lives of compelling characters in the midst of astounding events, set forth and guided by the merciful hand of our Heavenly Father.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Lds Fiction, Fiction, Lds, Historical, Religion, Christian Fiction

449 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Also published under the name Nancy Campbell Allen

Reviews

[Teryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book three stars because it held my interest and kept me entertained. I read the book while on vacation in Utah. It was interesting to me to discover that my experience this past year living in a confederate state has changed my perspective on the civil war. I in absolutely no way support the institution of slavery. But as I read this book, I was taken on a journey of self discovery. I grew up in an anti-slave state, and my perspective on the civil war was fairly well set in stone, until moving to the south. Now I have been introduced to the war through their eyes, and I have to say, that the North was just as guilty of crimes against humanity as was the South. Rather than go into a long winded explanation of own self discovery, I will just say that I could not give this book more than three stars because it is written from a very one sided perspective. This author clearly does not understand the Southern philosophy, and though she tries to write from both sides, she is merely describing the Southern Point of view through the eyes of a Northerner. Her Southern characters are not believable. The strong southern characters sympathize with the North, and all other southern characters are flaky, pompous and air headed. This book, though entertaining, does not accurately portray the Southern cause, or the character of the people who call that part of our nation home.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up and set it down numerous times until I hit the middle of the book, then I couldn’t put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the struggles each of them face at a time of uncertain civil war.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian historical fiction featuring two brothers raising their families during the civil war. One is in Boston, Massachusetts and the other is in Charleston, South Carolina. Things get really interesting when a couple of family members develop opposing views from the rest of their immediate family and begin actively serving the other side. I found it enlightening about the culture of both the north and south at that time.

[A. R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Civil War historical fiction, and I think I picked a good one as far as the factual basis goes. It's obvious that Allen did a lot of research into the era and did a good job at relaying the information.

She also did a good job drawing the reader into the story and making you care about the characters. The writing is solid, but not clever or original. There were a lot of cliche phrases, which with a little effort could have been changed and would have made the read livelier. But it wasn't bad - I didn't groan at anything. :)

I have two complaints with the story. First there are way too many characters and locations to keep track of right from the beginning. Perhaps Allen felt like she needed to cover all those areas in order to give the reader a good feel for the conflict of the country. But I was overwhelmed with jumping from Boston to Charleston, New York to New Orleans, Ohio to Utah and having so many characters to keep up with. Perhaps some of the characters could have been introduced later and certainly their life histories could have been divulged over a longer period of time rather than given almost simultaneously as the character was introduced.

Secondly, the story seems to lack drama. I don't know if that's because the author didn't want to draw attention to grizzly details, (which I appreciate) or if the writing is a little too text book. But I felt little emotion as I read. I liked the characters, but couldn't relate to their plight. The closest I got to emotional involvement was toward the end when one character is at his wits end and collapses in a fit of tears. But even then it was, Oh...that's too bad. Also there was some foreshadowing that seemed forced instead of part of the story.

I did like the story enough to immediately start the next volume. I am interested in the history and story line and want to keep going. I am a bit nervous about some predictability in the story and some developments that might be politically correct but not true to the time period. Hopefully I am wrong on that.

If you like Historical Fiction - squeaky clean HF, then this is a book for you.

[AriannaParker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely amazing. A House Divided is historical fiction about the Birmingham family during the course of the American Civil War. There are two Birmingham families, one in Boston, Massachusetts, and the other in Charleston, South Carolina. Because the family is spread across the United States, you get to hear about the Civil War from both Northern and Southern perspectives. The story is told through plantation owners, an abolitionist family, Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, and even slaves. The different perspectives that the story is told through allow the reader to become familiar with what the Civil War was like on the battlefield, at home in the northern states, at home in the southern states, and from the perspective of slaves. This book does a really great job in illustrating the fact that the American Civil War was literally brother against brother. I would definitely recommend this book to readers who are interested in different first person perspectives of the Civil War. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

Update November 2020:
I normally don't reread books because I often remember the details in them for a long time, but this book was a great reread. One of the things that I really noticed this time while reading it was the political tension that was present everywhere. Because this book has characters all over the United States (and Confederate States), you can really get a sense of the heated political environment surrounding the war, both before it broke out and during the early stages of it. I love the strong personalities of the characters, and the way they try to solve their problems. I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the Civil War itself, and its effects on everyday people all over the country. I still rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

[Mary L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up as a used book because I enjoy historical fiction. The minute I finished reading it (about 3 minutes ago) I got on the computer to see if the sequel had been published. Three of them have. I am ordering Volume Two as soon as I leave this site. I was drawn into the Birmingham Family and its many branches immediately. The characters are very real to life and Mrs. Allen tells us where she deviates from actual history to make the story fit. I can hardly wait for the next book to get here.

[Melanni Chunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed all four books in this series, in fact I enjoy them so much that I own them and have read the entire series at least three times. This is a historical fiction series that takes place during the civil war and it follows the lives of two families that are related; one family lives in the South and one famiy lives in the North. There is also an LDS twist to this series which made it even more enjoyable for me(0:

[Kedra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chad and I actually listened to this book in the car on our way to cali this summer. We both thought that it was a very slow start but by the end of the book they leave you hanging big time. Its a good book and i'm curious to read the next.

[Teanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! I have read it over and over again and never tire of the story line or characters! It's great. One of my favorite books.

[Kenner C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith of Our Fathers by N.C. Allen is a historical fiction book about the Civil War. The book talks about five different families and the different things that they are going through. A House Divided is the first of book in the series of the Faith of Our Fathers. Due to it being the fist book in the series when it ends it ends on a massive cliff hanger that leads into book two. It initially starts of really slow as all books in the first of a series do, but near the middle of the book is when it starts to pick up and makes it a very enjoyable book. The hard thing to follow with the book is when it switches to a different family and location. Keeping all of the people in each family straight can be difficult. The nice thing is that in the front of the book it has a list of all of the families and all of the people withing those families. Other than getting the occasional person mixed up it is a really fun book to read, and to learn a little bit of history while enjoying a book.

[Charity Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally read this book 21 years after it was published. I had to wait until I was able to get my hands on all 4 books in the series before I started. I found that this book started out slow. If so many different characters to follow it took a while to get them introduced and for them to start crossing paths with the other characters. But now that I have finished this first volume I am at the point that I must read the other volumes. I’m not that informed about the civil war, so many aspects of this book as been enlightening to me, though many aspects of this war is depressing. I will have to wait and see when I finish the other volumes if this series is worth rereading, but it is starting to promise that it will be informative.

[Kaden Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would say this book deserves four stars. The amount of research and knowledge that N.C. Allen had on the subject is certainly notable. Allen included some things going on in the time and the war that you don't hear about, making it that much more interesting. The book could've been better written in my opinion though. The beginning was a little slow, it probably made the rest of the book better but slow none the less. The ending left me wondering, and if its purpose was to get you to want to read the next book, well done. If you are into civil war era this book is certainly worth looking into.

[Christie Bane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This set out to be an epic novel that shows the Civil War through the eyes of many different families: slaveholders in the South, abolitionists in the North, slaves, immigrants, and other “regular” people. The writing is not bad, but it lacks the spark that would keep me reading the rest of the books in the series. To me, the characters always speak and react the way they should, as opposed to being the complex, changeable, and difficult individuals that real people are. It’s not bad; there are just too many great books in the world to spend time on anything that’s just okay.

[Rex Cluff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very entertaining read concerning one family in particular which finds itself divided by the conflict; half being union and half confederate. The author, the tone of the story, is decidedly union, anti-slavery, but the human element is tangible enough to make the reader sympathize with the southern families as well as the northern families, both being tragically impacted by the war. It is a fast read and certainly invites you to continue the saga into the following volumes.

[Charly Troff (JustaReadingMama) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book slowly but very much enjoyed it. I loved the characters and learned a lot. The hardest part for me was keeping track of all the characters. Part of this could have been the speed at which I was reading, but I was reading everyday without big breaks and there were just so many characters that I often found myself trying to remember who they were when we got to their section again.

[Lynnette Stead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this book. The beginning was slow and I had a hard time keeping track of the characters but the last half was definitely better, maybe because I had more time to focus on the book and less distractions. I did enjoy the book and will read the second

[Marguerite MacLean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good overview. I would have liked a lot more detail. But if you are looking for something that brushes the topic of religion and adds some historical information this is an ok book to read.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The different viewpoints are amazing, and I like the extensive information and background to the war, but the 6 different families are hard to keep track of, 4 would have been enough, or more reminders throughout the book would have been helpful.

[Rorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fascinating read. The Civil War was such a heartbreaking time for our nation. War is in general, but when it's families fighting against families, that makes it even worse. I love how this author brings historical events to life.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book for the second time. I get caught up in the story, I find myself thinking that they are real. N. C. Allen is a great writer and I can't wait to read the second book. Anyone would enjoy reading this book.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, believable historical fiction in many different aspects and places in the US leading up to and during the civil war. It is an in-depth look at family relationships, cultures and experiences at the time in the US.

[James Christensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit slow.

[Jennifer Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great family saga set during the American Civil War.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this when I read it years ago! Wonderful Civil War novel.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good. I liked the history with the fictional characters.

[Chappyfamily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite, learned a lot about the civil war.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the flow of the story and the characters. It made the war and historical aspects come alive.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Following everyone's storyline is a trick!! Can't wait to read the 'rest of the story'!

[Sabra Ann Rasmussen · Rating 4 out of 5]

i'm enjoying it so far and the first book leaves you want more.

[Darla · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Genre:Historical fiction/LDS fiction) Book #1. 3 stars. I listened to this book on CD and enjoyed it for the most part. Since this is the first book in a sweeping civil war series, the author jumped around a lot to the different individuals and families, which I think was necessary, but it slowed my growing attachment to them. The author's tendency to "tell me" rather than "show me" also contributed to that feeling of slower attachment or involvement as well. But the time period and war history was well done and very interesting and by the end of the book, I was hooked. I will listen to or read the rest of the series.
The stories mostly center on the lives of 2 families--the Birminghams of Boston and the Birminghams of South Carolina. The fathers of these families are twin brothers that were raised in the Northern States, in poverty, but have both risen to great wealth. James Birmingham made his wealth in steel, while Jeffrey Birmingham married the only daughter of a wealthy plantation owner. James and his family are supporters of the abolitionist movement, which of course is very ironic since their brother/uncle is a slave owner. The families, though living apart, did grow up close, though, which heavily influenced Jeffrey's oldest son Ben to attempt a daring slave escape with some of his parent's slaves. They were caught and Ben was essentially thrown out of their home. He joined the Mormons and moved out West to Utah. Ben's younger sister Emily is also a Southern abolitionist, but as of yet hasn't tried to free anyone. Since their immediate family is distant and not very loving, Emily (like Ben) has grown very close to a few of their family's slaves and would love to see them free. They have a married sister, Charlotte, who is unhappy and caustic, as well as another brother, Richard--the supposed heir to the plantation after Ben's disgrace. Richard is a mean, manipulative, and unprincipled man who none of the family can stand.
The Boston Birmingham family is much closer and loving. The oldest son Luke is a banker, and an upstanding citizen. His adult sister Anne is an educated and forward thinking young lady, who is also a newspaper reporter (unbeknownst to her family) and she frequently dresses as a man to more easily gather information for her articles (which I always have trouble believing, especially when it is a supposedly beautiful young lady masquerading as a man). Their younger sister Camille is self-centered and selfish, very much into social standing and positioning. She could be as intelligent as her sister, but she is more focused on fitting in with the right people. Their younger brother, Robert, is in school and is a gifted student of the history of warfare and military strategy. Robert loves all things related to the military. Their youngest brother, John, is quiet and frequently ill.
Both of these families are followed in various plot lines during the beginnings of the civil war. Most of the Bostonian family pushing for the end of slavery, while the Southern Birminghams fight to keep their way of life intact (except for Ben and Emily, of course). Other characters are also introduced who will cross paths with the various Birminghams and so we get a glimpse of civil war New Orleans with some French influence, New York with some Irish-American flavor, as well as a Norwegian farming community in Ohio. All of the various cultures and immigrant stories/history lend flavor to the early American experience that is woven throughout the novel.