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Like a River: A Civil War Novel
Leander and Polly are two teenage Union soldiers who carry deep, dangerous secrets. Leander is underage when he enlists and Polly follows her father into war disguised as his son. The war proves life changing for both as they survive
incredible odds. Leander struggles to be accepted as a man and loses his arm as a consequence. Polly mourns the death of her father, endures Andersonville Prison, and narrowly escapes the Sultana steamboat disaster. As the lives of these young, brave soldiers intersect, each finds a wealth of courage and learns about the importance of loyalty, family, and love. Like a River is a lyrical atmospheric first novel told in two voices. Readers will be transported to the homes,
waterways, camps, hospitals, and prisons of the Civil–War era. They will also see themselves in the universal themes of dealing with parents, friendships, bullying, failure, and young love.
incredible odds. Leander struggles to be accepted as a man and loses his arm as a consequence. Polly mourns the death of her father, endures Andersonville Prison, and narrowly escapes the Sultana steamboat disaster. As the lives of these young, brave soldiers intersect, each finds a wealth of courage and learns about the importance of loyalty, family, and love. Like a River is a lyrical atmospheric first novel told in two voices. Readers will be transported to the homes,
waterways, camps, hospitals, and prisons of the Civil–War era. They will also see themselves in the universal themes of dealing with parents, friendships, bullying, failure, and young love.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
June 8, 2015
The author has done her homework in preparing to write this book, something that is evident through many of the details about the Civil War and Andersonville that she has included as well as much of the dialogue. After his older brother Nate is injured before he can enlist and do his part in the war, fifteen-year-old Leander Jordan decides to take his brother's place and show his family and Lila, the girl next door, just how much of a man he is. But war is nothing like what he expected, and he endures taunting from his fellow Union soldiers because of his size. To his credit, Nate's best friend, Given McGlade, defends the youngster, even when his mistake causes an injury. The two are separated when Nate ends up in a field hospital where he meets Paul Settles, another youngster who is helping out while nursing his father. As it turns out, Paul is actually Polly, and she heads back to the war before saying goodbye to Leander. By a strange twist of fate, she is captured by the Confederates and meets up with Given in Andersonville, the overcrowded Confederate prisoner of war camp. Readers will be riveted by the description of the harsh conditions the prisoners endure as well as the lack of food or potable water. How anyone managed to survive is beyond me! But Polly does, keeping her identity as a female a secret from everyone except Given. Because the first part of the book focuses on Leander and the second part on Polly, readers are left waiting in suspense to find out whether he actually made it home safely or not. The writing is simply elegant, moving, and filled with an awareness of how those soldiers who became prisoners kept waiting to be exchanged or treated more humanely, all the time missing their families and questioning why this was happening. When I first saw that name--the Sultana--for the steamboat on which the former prisoners were placed in order to be returned home, I almost gasped aloud since I knew a little about that tragedy. The only thing that bothered me about this engaging piece of historical fiction is the fact that Polly seems to have experienced just about everything it's possible for a war veteran to have experienced, and having her also aboard the Sultana just seemed a bit too much. As I closed the book, I wondered what her life will be like after the war. The inclusion of information about the important historical events described in the book as well as photographs adds to reader's enjoyment. When I finished the book, I was emotionally drained, but I also wanted to start on this journey with these two characters once again. There is so much truth behind the reasons both Nate and Leander wanted to get involved in the war, but also as Leander comes to realize, going to war doesn't necessarily make someone a man.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2015
When 15 year old Leander's older brother suffers a debilitating accident days before he joins the Union forces fighting the Civil War, Leander, tired of never being good enough in his parents' eyes, joins up instead. When he pays the price, he ends up in a makeshift hospital where he meets Paul--whom he discovers is really Polly. The rest of the story is hers, as she goes off to war and ends up in Andersonville, with all its attendant horrors.
If you're suffering an excess of cheer, reading this will cure that right away. Bad things happen from the start and continue through nearly to the end. I don't debate that this is a realistic depiction of Civil War hospitals and Andersonville, though I did think at times the writing felt too dispassionate and too much telling-not-showing (especially in Leander's part). But I think only Civil War buffs will want to read this grim account. And the book structure doesn't work. Leander's story is dispensable--there's no need for it, as he could tell his story to "Paul" in the hospital and be done with it. It's clear the author really wanted to write Polly's story, and gave it much more attention and time, so I don't know why Leander has his own part at all except maybe to get the book to appeal to boys? Didn't work for me--just a depressing story, and there are many others out there about girls disguised as soldiers that are less grim.
And I wouldn't give this to kids younger than 12, due to some mildly mature topics.
If you're suffering an excess of cheer, reading this will cure that right away. Bad things happen from the start and continue through nearly to the end. I don't debate that this is a realistic depiction of Civil War hospitals and Andersonville, though I did think at times the writing felt too dispassionate and too much telling-not-showing (especially in Leander's part). But I think only Civil War buffs will want to read this grim account. And the book structure doesn't work. Leander's story is dispensable--there's no need for it, as he could tell his story to "Paul" in the hospital and be done with it. It's clear the author really wanted to write Polly's story, and gave it much more attention and time, so I don't know why Leander has his own part at all except maybe to get the book to appeal to boys? Didn't work for me--just a depressing story, and there are many others out there about girls disguised as soldiers that are less grim.
And I wouldn't give this to kids younger than 12, due to some mildly mature topics.
March 13, 2016
A well-crafted story following the journey of two fictional Union soldiers during the last two years of the American Civil War. Overall, the historical details in this book are spot-on and woven nicely into the story. I liked the characters and definitely had sympathy for their struggles and challenges.
The narrative flows well and the transition between main characters is superb. I love how each character has a different way of looking at the world and a different set of desires/fears while the unifying themes keep the story together. The chapters are enticingly short and with the tension of the story it was hard to lay the book down.
There is some colorful name calling a couple of times, a hint of romance / flirting, and mentioning of some of the specific challenges for female soldiers. I found the approach to these subjects realistic and not offensive; certainly suitable for the young adult audience of the book.
I'm pleased to find a new and well-researched YA Civil War novel addressing the experiences of common soldiers! Looking forward to recommending this book to students and teachers.
The narrative flows well and the transition between main characters is superb. I love how each character has a different way of looking at the world and a different set of desires/fears while the unifying themes keep the story together. The chapters are enticingly short and with the tension of the story it was hard to lay the book down.
There is some colorful name calling a couple of times, a hint of romance / flirting, and mentioning of some of the specific challenges for female soldiers. I found the approach to these subjects realistic and not offensive; certainly suitable for the young adult audience of the book.
I'm pleased to find a new and well-researched YA Civil War novel addressing the experiences of common soldiers! Looking forward to recommending this book to students and teachers.
June 3, 2015
The characters in Like a River are unforgettable. Despite the horror of the Civil War, this is so readable, so unexpectedly sweet, and so memorable.
May 18, 2022
Nate and best friend Given determine to enlist in the Union's army, but when Nate suddenly becomes crippled following a swimming accident, he can no longer pursue his goal of earning enough money to marry his sweetheart, and Givens' sister, Lila. Younger brother, Leander, determined to prove himself a man and earn respect from his family, takes Nate's place, even though he is several years under age. Though he tried to work hard and thought he was doing his best on the farm, Leander soon realizes that his attempts at helping out were nothing compared to the workout he is getting trying to keep up with the older enlistees in the army. Plus, due to his small size, he is a liability to himself and others. Leander ends up in a Union hospital in Georgia following an accident during which he is cared for by an equally young soldier named Paul, who Leander forms a relationship with during his stay. And he learns Paul's secret. Paul is a girl who pretended to be a boy in order to remain with her father while he fought the enemy. Now Pap is also in the hospital, fatally ill. After Paul and Leander bury him under a tree by the river, Polly, true to her word, immediately joins a group heading out to fight the rebs. Hiding her secret is not an easy one and Polly is constantly in fear of being exposed. This task becomes harder when she and three of her unit are captured and sent to Anderson prison. She doesn't know who to trust and conditions inside the outdoor prison are difficult at best. She is befriended by a tall, blond soldier who immediately identifies her as a girl. He keeps her secret and teaches her tricks to staying alive, like always boiling your water. Polly regrets ever having left Leander in the hospital and realizes her chances of finding him again are slim to none. The story follows Polly's struggle at Andersonville Prison through the end of the war, her release into Union hands, and subsequent misadventure aboard the Sultana, which explodes as it carries hundreds of soldiers returning from the war up the Mississippi River. The hopeful conclusion will please readers. This debut novel by Wiechman provides a captivating telling of some lesser known events of the Civil War. The great amount of research put into this book is obvious, and her wonderful use of the dialect creates an atmosphere pulling the reader into the middle of the action. The author's note at the end also includes more detailed information about the events depicted in the story, and a selected bibliography is provided for those interested in reading the books the author used for research. Highly recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy historical fiction, the Civil War, strong female characters, and adventure.
Please read my author interview here:
https://jennifersommer.weebly.com/jen...
Please read my author interview here:
https://jennifersommer.weebly.com/jen...
December 15, 2021
Review to come.
Hopefully.
At some point.
Hopefully.
At some point.
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January 14, 2024Leander just straightup disappeared after the first third ayo what
May 6, 2016
The story: Leander goes to fight in the Union Army to prove to his family that he's a man now. Polly just doesn't want her father to leave her behind--so she joins up too, disguised as a boy. The two meet when Leander and Mr. Settles are wounded and end up in the hospital, where "Paul" helps take care of both of them. Their separate adventures take them through loss of life, limb, and freedom--how will they ever become whole again?
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content PG; Nudity PG; magic & the occult G; substance abuse PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (war, bloodshed, disease, prison) PG-13; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: Here's a quiet story with telling glimpses into the hardship and heartbreak that characterized the Civil War--a true look at war in general as a microcosm of fear, disease, and little guys ending up dead because the big dogs have chosen poorly. Too bad most teen readers aren't looking for this kind of tale...maybe we'd be less likely to end up with history repeating itself. :P
Annotation with spoilers:
Leander, tired of being treated like a kid at home, lies about his age and joins the Union Army with neighbor Given McGlade. The two train together and first see action during a skirmish where Leander, forgetting to clean the mud out of the barrel of his rifle after falling, has his arm blown off when the rifle explodes. He ends up in a hospital next to Pap Settles, whose son Paul is there helping tend the sick man.
It doesn't take Leander long to figure out that Paul is actually a girl disguised as a boy, but he keeps her secret to himself. Eventually, when her father dies, Paul goes to join the fighting on down the road (partially to escape from her growing feelings for the now one-armed Leander) and shortly ends up in Camp Sumter, aka the infamous Andersonville Prison.
She soons meets a soldier with whom she develops a friendship, and whom she nurses back to a semblance of health through scurvy and infection. Eventually, after nine months in this hellhole, Given McGlade agrees to go into the Confederate Army as a way of getting out of the camp, and Paul Settles switches names with him as her friend goes down south to rescue a southern girl whose home was burned down for helping a couple of Union soldiers in needs. (She reasons that if Given is caught and uses Paul's name, it will never come back to disgrace him, since Paul is a made-up person.) Polly will now travel using Given's name.
Eventually, Polly/Paul gets out of prison at the end of the war, only to secure passage home on the ill-fated steamer Sultana, whose explosion on the Mississippi killed 1800 people (more than the Titanic!) but whose sinking Polly just manages to survive. She's on a mission to get to Given McGlade's home in Ohio to tell his family what happened to him (and specifically that, mustered out and ostensibly sent home on the Sultana) he isn't really dead.
Imagine her surprise to get to the McGlade's and find Given's sister Lila and friend LEANDER there to hear her story! Maybe she won't have to wear boys' clothes and do field work for the rest of her life after all. At least there's a glimmer of hope at the end of of a pretty tough story.
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content PG; Nudity PG; magic & the occult G; substance abuse PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (war, bloodshed, disease, prison) PG-13; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: Here's a quiet story with telling glimpses into the hardship and heartbreak that characterized the Civil War--a true look at war in general as a microcosm of fear, disease, and little guys ending up dead because the big dogs have chosen poorly. Too bad most teen readers aren't looking for this kind of tale...maybe we'd be less likely to end up with history repeating itself. :P
Annotation with spoilers:
Leander, tired of being treated like a kid at home, lies about his age and joins the Union Army with neighbor Given McGlade. The two train together and first see action during a skirmish where Leander, forgetting to clean the mud out of the barrel of his rifle after falling, has his arm blown off when the rifle explodes. He ends up in a hospital next to Pap Settles, whose son Paul is there helping tend the sick man.
It doesn't take Leander long to figure out that Paul is actually a girl disguised as a boy, but he keeps her secret to himself. Eventually, when her father dies, Paul goes to join the fighting on down the road (partially to escape from her growing feelings for the now one-armed Leander) and shortly ends up in Camp Sumter, aka the infamous Andersonville Prison.
She soons meets a soldier with whom she develops a friendship, and whom she nurses back to a semblance of health through scurvy and infection. Eventually, after nine months in this hellhole, Given McGlade agrees to go into the Confederate Army as a way of getting out of the camp, and Paul Settles switches names with him as her friend goes down south to rescue a southern girl whose home was burned down for helping a couple of Union soldiers in needs. (She reasons that if Given is caught and uses Paul's name, it will never come back to disgrace him, since Paul is a made-up person.) Polly will now travel using Given's name.
Eventually, Polly/Paul gets out of prison at the end of the war, only to secure passage home on the ill-fated steamer Sultana, whose explosion on the Mississippi killed 1800 people (more than the Titanic!) but whose sinking Polly just manages to survive. She's on a mission to get to Given McGlade's home in Ohio to tell his family what happened to him (and specifically that, mustered out and ostensibly sent home on the Sultana) he isn't really dead.
Imagine her surprise to get to the McGlade's and find Given's sister Lila and friend LEANDER there to hear her story! Maybe she won't have to wear boys' clothes and do field work for the rest of her life after all. At least there's a glimmer of hope at the end of of a pretty tough story.
August 28, 2015
This book was really well-written and the author definitely had done significant amounts of research, as the descriptions of every day life at home and on the Civil War battlefields and prisoner of war camps (Andersonville) were factual. Patriotic citizens on both sides of the war felt it their duty to participate in the war effort, despite personal hardship or the effect on those who stayed behind at home. Independent-minded females from all socio-economic backgrounds also longed to be a part of the cause, just like the males, to preserve life as they knew it. So, I am glad that Wiechman wrote about a female disguised as a male soldier.
The overall subject matter was depressing and difficult to contemplate--so much tragedy beset upon a few people. However, life during any period of civil unrest or war causes many situations to be unbearable and less than desired. It was also very true that many suffered and loss during the years before, during and after the U.S. Civil War. Entire families were torn apart, lost to physical death, mental injury and illness, or changed for the worse. Things are lost that were never to be had again. Even though the subject matter was heavy, I thought the author handled it well, attempting to illustrate that good can come out horrific situations. And that, many times, one's perspective and one's desires / determination will determine one's outcome, even when many obstacles block one's path.
I didn't really understand the need for the two-part story: Leander and Polly. I think the story could have been told in one continuous line with each character choosing to share what came before or between the times when Leander and Polly were together. I can surmise that presenting the story from the two different perspectives adds to one's feeling that everyday life had become disjointed and irregular during the war. Due to distance, difficulty in communication, and other factors, people lived with fear and anxiety as they wondered what was happening to their far-away loved ones. Telling the story in halves supports the disjointedness of the period.
I would like to see Kathy Cannon Wiechman write some other things. I enjoyed her writing.
The overall subject matter was depressing and difficult to contemplate--so much tragedy beset upon a few people. However, life during any period of civil unrest or war causes many situations to be unbearable and less than desired. It was also very true that many suffered and loss during the years before, during and after the U.S. Civil War. Entire families were torn apart, lost to physical death, mental injury and illness, or changed for the worse. Things are lost that were never to be had again. Even though the subject matter was heavy, I thought the author handled it well, attempting to illustrate that good can come out horrific situations. And that, many times, one's perspective and one's desires / determination will determine one's outcome, even when many obstacles block one's path.
I didn't really understand the need for the two-part story: Leander and Polly. I think the story could have been told in one continuous line with each character choosing to share what came before or between the times when Leander and Polly were together. I can surmise that presenting the story from the two different perspectives adds to one's feeling that everyday life had become disjointed and irregular during the war. Due to distance, difficulty in communication, and other factors, people lived with fear and anxiety as they wondered what was happening to their far-away loved ones. Telling the story in halves supports the disjointedness of the period.
I would like to see Kathy Cannon Wiechman write some other things. I enjoyed her writing.
February 24, 2018
Like a River is the story of two teenagers, Leander and “Paul,” who join the Union Army during the Civil War. However, neither of the two really experience much fighting, and instead the novel is more of a depiction of a hospital and a prisoner-of-war camp than an account of Civil War battles. Leander gets injured and sent to a hospital. “Paul” (who is really Polly) gets captured and taken to Camp Sumter, now known as the Andersonville Historical Site, one of the most notorious Civil War-era prisoner-of-war camps.
I like that Wiechman shed light on some little known aspects of the Civil War, such as the Andersonville camp and the greatest maritime disaster in American history, the explosion and sinking of the ferryboat Sultana (overshadowed by John Wilkes Booth’s death), but her use of the dreaded “girl disguised as a boy” trope ruined the book for me. I understand that there is documentation of girls disguising themselves as boys and going to fight in the Civil War, but there was virtually no reason for Wiechman to have one of her protagonists be one. She was able to get a romance out of the book by doing so, and that’s about it. Polly could easily have been replaced with a male character and the same effect would have been given. She contributed nothing to the story by being a girl, besides being a vehicle for a historical note. I like my female characters to be stand-outs; I hate it when female characters are merely stand-ins for male characters. Maybe that’s not how everyone thinks, but that’s the way I prefer my female characters to be.
I liked the history aspect of Like a River, but I didn’t much like the characters and the way they were forced into a particular type of narrative. The book didn’t have to be a romance, but a stilted, forced one was present because Polly was there. In addition, I simply don’t like the main idea of women going to war—the idea does not sit right with me. Not to mention Polly could have easily been replaced with a male character and the same exact story could have been told.
I like that Wiechman shed light on some little known aspects of the Civil War, such as the Andersonville camp and the greatest maritime disaster in American history, the explosion and sinking of the ferryboat Sultana (overshadowed by John Wilkes Booth’s death), but her use of the dreaded “girl disguised as a boy” trope ruined the book for me. I understand that there is documentation of girls disguising themselves as boys and going to fight in the Civil War, but there was virtually no reason for Wiechman to have one of her protagonists be one. She was able to get a romance out of the book by doing so, and that’s about it. Polly could easily have been replaced with a male character and the same effect would have been given. She contributed nothing to the story by being a girl, besides being a vehicle for a historical note. I like my female characters to be stand-outs; I hate it when female characters are merely stand-ins for male characters. Maybe that’s not how everyone thinks, but that’s the way I prefer my female characters to be.
I liked the history aspect of Like a River, but I didn’t much like the characters and the way they were forced into a particular type of narrative. The book didn’t have to be a romance, but a stilted, forced one was present because Polly was there. In addition, I simply don’t like the main idea of women going to war—the idea does not sit right with me. Not to mention Polly could have easily been replaced with a male character and the same exact story could have been told.
February 13, 2018
Did not finish -- I quit at page 111. Why, you ask?
"...right now she was a near-naked (girl). Leander had never seen a naked girl before, except maybe in his dreams about Lila. His eyes eased along her freckled shoulders to the smooth roundness of her breasts. He knew it was wrong to crouch here, hiding under the roots, watching her like a common Peeping Tom, but his eyes refused to look away."
What do you mean, like a Peeping Tom? This is the definition of a Peeping Tom.
Can we please stop pretending that for a boy to watch a girl undress or be naked is somehow a rite of passage? That it's okay, that it's flattering, maybe even a little bit funny? I remember being around twelve years old and reading a book in which two boys around my own age plotted to find a way to watch a bunch of girls undressing (without the girl's knowledge, of course). It made me vaguely uncomfortable in my own skin, but I couldn't have given words to why. Well, I'm all grown up now, and I have the words.
Sexualization without consent is gross. This here is the nineteenth century equivalent of boys sharing nude pictures of a girl without her consent. It's the same logic that leads boys to think that it's okay a have sex with a girl who is drunk, or asleep. It's not flattering, it's not funny, it's not sexy, and it definitely is not a way to start a romance between two characters. Sexualization without consent is wrong.
So take your gross adolescent voyeurism and shove it up your ass, Kathy. I expect this kind of bullshit from men, but this book was written and edited by women. Do better, ladies. Even George R. R. Martin doesn't pull this kind of crap.
Didn't finish, don't recommend, won't read more from the author. No stars.
"...right now she was a near-naked (girl). Leander had never seen a naked girl before, except maybe in his dreams about Lila. His eyes eased along her freckled shoulders to the smooth roundness of her breasts. He knew it was wrong to crouch here, hiding under the roots, watching her like a common Peeping Tom, but his eyes refused to look away."
What do you mean, like a Peeping Tom? This is the definition of a Peeping Tom.
Can we please stop pretending that for a boy to watch a girl undress or be naked is somehow a rite of passage? That it's okay, that it's flattering, maybe even a little bit funny? I remember being around twelve years old and reading a book in which two boys around my own age plotted to find a way to watch a bunch of girls undressing (without the girl's knowledge, of course). It made me vaguely uncomfortable in my own skin, but I couldn't have given words to why. Well, I'm all grown up now, and I have the words.
Sexualization without consent is gross. This here is the nineteenth century equivalent of boys sharing nude pictures of a girl without her consent. It's the same logic that leads boys to think that it's okay a have sex with a girl who is drunk, or asleep. It's not flattering, it's not funny, it's not sexy, and it definitely is not a way to start a romance between two characters. Sexualization without consent is wrong.
So take your gross adolescent voyeurism and shove it up your ass, Kathy. I expect this kind of bullshit from men, but this book was written and edited by women. Do better, ladies. Even George R. R. Martin doesn't pull this kind of crap.
Didn't finish, don't recommend, won't read more from the author. No stars.
June 6, 2016
Leander was a stupid teenage boy who joined a WAR for stupid teenage reasons without thinking whatsoever of the consequences. Polly started off a strong character but her reasons for continuing to hide the fact that she's a girl were thin and unconvincing. I mostly liked Given except for the fact that he helped Leander join the army when he should have said no, you're a stupid teen making a stupid decision.
May 25, 2016
Very good Civil War story. It's unique in showing readers the grimness of Andersonville (compare/contrast the way prisoners of war have been treated throughout history). Also, this story shows the challenges of being a girl disguised as a boy soldier in the Civil War (women's rights issues embedded), and gives the reader a plausibly well-woven story, characters that they will care about, and a satisfying ending.
May 4, 2021
I had quite a few problems with this book. It's well written, interesting subject matter, well researched, you think this would be a no brainer, right?
The biggest problem I had was with Leander's character. His main growth and development happened off screen as they say during another character's development. So we don't see the new, hardworking Leander, we just see the stupid, annoying teen. His story was particularly painful to read and I nearly quit several times. Fortunately, halfway through the narrative is switched to Paul/Polly-- a girl who has snuck into the Union army as a soldier. I was hopeful the narrative would switch again to Given since his was the only character I admired, but in vain.
I am also fed up with this idea that it is okay for boys to look at naked women. It's disturbing and gross. He develops feelings for Polly after seeing her naked in the river, bathing. I get that this was the author's way of Leander discovering Paul/Polly for who she really is, but it was rather creepy to have him suddenly fall in love with her after the fact. As an adult I can voice these feelings of outrage--young 12-13 year old girls will have a harder time protesting this, and possible accept this as normal behavior. It is not.
And if you think this is "I believe she doth protest too much" garbage, how do you think Polly's character would have reacted if she had known her love interest had spied on her? hmm? Probably would have ruined any feelings she did have for him.
Its sad that this one scene ruined the book for me. If it wasn't there, I would be happy to have my rising 6th grader read it. As it is... maybe 8th grade. I still think it is wrong that we accept boys talking about or looking at them naked is degrading.
The biggest problem I had was with Leander's character. His main growth and development happened off screen as they say during another character's development. So we don't see the new, hardworking Leander, we just see the stupid, annoying teen. His story was particularly painful to read and I nearly quit several times. Fortunately, halfway through the narrative is switched to Paul/Polly-- a girl who has snuck into the Union army as a soldier. I was hopeful the narrative would switch again to Given since his was the only character I admired, but in vain.
I am also fed up with this idea that it is okay for boys to look at naked women. It's disturbing and gross. He develops feelings for Polly after seeing her naked in the river, bathing. I get that this was the author's way of Leander discovering Paul/Polly for who she really is, but it was rather creepy to have him suddenly fall in love with her after the fact. As an adult I can voice these feelings of outrage--young 12-13 year old girls will have a harder time protesting this, and possible accept this as normal behavior. It is not.
And if you think this is "I believe she doth protest too much" garbage, how do you think Polly's character would have reacted if she had known her love interest had spied on her? hmm? Probably would have ruined any feelings she did have for him.
Its sad that this one scene ruined the book for me. If it wasn't there, I would be happy to have my rising 6th grader read it. As it is... maybe 8th grade. I still think it is wrong that we accept boys talking about or looking at them naked is degrading.
April 14, 2019
I LOVE books about the Civil War. Fiction and Nonfiction. The material is so fascinating and enormous, books should practically write themselves. Am I right? So why...why...why...are good Civil War fiction stories like a needle in a haystack? Seriously, this is a real problem.
This book was on the wrong track from the start. Leander's thoughts about girls was downright awkward. It's fine to have boys pining after girls and vice versa, but there's something weird about the way this author tried to do it. It set Leander up as a creepy character, and I'm not sure young readers are going to get past that. That's my first criticism. The second is the Paul/Polly character. Her character was a distraction. Yes, I know there were like 400 women who dressed up as men and participated in the Civil War, but none of them were sent to Andersonville Prison. I could not appreciate the details about Andersonville due to her misplaced character.
I applaud this author for writing a children's book about Andersonville. She did a fairly good job of relaying the horror, but trust me, there is so much more an author could have done with this topic. Minute details that could have elevated this story to another plane. I'm probably more critical on this than some would be, because I've seen movies and read other books about Andersonville. But I also know what a good author can do with details. Unfortunately, since the Andersonville part was the best part of the book, it made me realize how random the rest of it was.
Since this author loves the Civil War, I hope she tackles another book on the topic, because we need it. Without the awkwardness in this book, it's easily worthy of 4 stars.
This book was on the wrong track from the start. Leander's thoughts about girls was downright awkward. It's fine to have boys pining after girls and vice versa, but there's something weird about the way this author tried to do it. It set Leander up as a creepy character, and I'm not sure young readers are going to get past that. That's my first criticism. The second is the Paul/Polly character. Her character was a distraction. Yes, I know there were like 400 women who dressed up as men and participated in the Civil War, but none of them were sent to Andersonville Prison. I could not appreciate the details about Andersonville due to her misplaced character.
I applaud this author for writing a children's book about Andersonville. She did a fairly good job of relaying the horror, but trust me, there is so much more an author could have done with this topic. Minute details that could have elevated this story to another plane. I'm probably more critical on this than some would be, because I've seen movies and read other books about Andersonville. But I also know what a good author can do with details. Unfortunately, since the Andersonville part was the best part of the book, it made me realize how random the rest of it was.
Since this author loves the Civil War, I hope she tackles another book on the topic, because we need it. Without the awkwardness in this book, it's easily worthy of 4 stars.
January 8, 2022
Like a River: A Civil War Novel is about the alternating stories of two young soldiers and it follows them through out their time in the war. Our first main character is a foolish teen whos name is Leander, he joins the war effort to prove that he is growing into a man and for the tragedy of what happened to his brother. Our second protagonist introduced is Paul a young teen who joins the war effort with his father who may be hiding a secret or two yet to be discovered.
Overall I enjoyed the book and the characters stories going back and forth from one another was done surprisingly well. I think Paul was definitely a better character out of the differentiating stories and had better reasons for why they were brought into the war effort to begin with. It was a very good read with there being such short chapters and you can tell time was put into it for research so it could be historically accurate. Its a solid 4/5 for me just because one of the scenes in the book is pretty questionable and doesn't really hold up to todays standards. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a historically accurate civil war read or someone who enjoys the idea of blended stories.
Overall I enjoyed the book and the characters stories going back and forth from one another was done surprisingly well. I think Paul was definitely a better character out of the differentiating stories and had better reasons for why they were brought into the war effort to begin with. It was a very good read with there being such short chapters and you can tell time was put into it for research so it could be historically accurate. Its a solid 4/5 for me just because one of the scenes in the book is pretty questionable and doesn't really hold up to todays standards. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a historically accurate civil war read or someone who enjoys the idea of blended stories.
December 1, 2023
Mixed feelings. A very fast-paced, easy adventure/light romance/historical read. I picked it up somewhere because one of the main characters is from Ohio and I thought it may include some local history, which it does slightly. Nowhere near as good or complex as one of my favorite Civil War reads: Across Five Aprils.
This only lightly touches on a Lot of significant events. Very lightly. But I wasn’t at all familiar with the Sultana boat wreck mentioned so I did learn some things. I did enjoy how the author started with one boys story and slowly switched into a different viewpoint to follow until the book brought them together. That was actually very well done.
Some definite content considerations and this is very much a YA story. Not for younger readers. One episode stands out: male character watching another character who comes to the river to bathe and discovers it is a girl pretending to be a soldier, he “can’t look away” and thinks about it often afterwards. If this was a children’s book, I would mark it way down, but I guess this is not unexpected content for a book clearly marked YA. 🤷♀️ and that’s really all there was.
This only lightly touches on a Lot of significant events. Very lightly. But I wasn’t at all familiar with the Sultana boat wreck mentioned so I did learn some things. I did enjoy how the author started with one boys story and slowly switched into a different viewpoint to follow until the book brought them together. That was actually very well done.
Some definite content considerations and this is very much a YA story. Not for younger readers. One episode stands out: male character watching another character who comes to the river to bathe and discovers it is a girl pretending to be a soldier, he “can’t look away” and thinks about it often afterwards. If this was a children’s book, I would mark it way down, but I guess this is not unexpected content for a book clearly marked YA. 🤷♀️ and that’s really all there was.
May 8, 2017
Fifteen-year-old Leander lies about his age to join the Union army with his neighbor, Given, in order to prove he's a man and to impress Given's sister, Lila.
Almost immediately in battle, Leader loses his arm when his rifle explodes, due to his own negligence of getting mud inside it. While he is healing, he meets Paul, who is taking care of his own father and other Union men who are injured. Leander soon learn Paul really is a girl, named Polly, but Leander keeps it a secret even when he leaves the hospital.
The story then follows Paul (Polly) who ends up getting captured by the Confederates and is sent to Andersonville prison. Polly is saved by a soldier who keeps her healthy with his boiled water.
Both Leander and Polly have secrets that connect them with Given and later reconnect them.
The research was outstanding. I learned so much about what life must have been like at Andersonville and also about the river accident people aboard the Sultana endured.
Almost immediately in battle, Leader loses his arm when his rifle explodes, due to his own negligence of getting mud inside it. While he is healing, he meets Paul, who is taking care of his own father and other Union men who are injured. Leander soon learn Paul really is a girl, named Polly, but Leander keeps it a secret even when he leaves the hospital.
The story then follows Paul (Polly) who ends up getting captured by the Confederates and is sent to Andersonville prison. Polly is saved by a soldier who keeps her healthy with his boiled water.
Both Leander and Polly have secrets that connect them with Given and later reconnect them.
The research was outstanding. I learned so much about what life must have been like at Andersonville and also about the river accident people aboard the Sultana endured.
December 5, 2025
Genuinely a boring book to read, in the beginning it looked to be decent and when he joined the army I had high hopes but when he lost his arm and had to return home the book really lost the plot. Polly really wasn’t a necessary addition and they should have stuck with Leander throughout. Polly’s story was really bland, not to discriminate against female mc’s, but her story was randomly put together without much passion. As well the novel was poorly written and fairly grim, though possibly an accurate description of the Civil War. Due to the time period I understand the “female disguised as a male soldier” trope that was added but I think it was done incredibly poorly and felt like she did it just for the romance. I thought that it was just nothing to add and overall made the plot more scrambled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2017
Who knew America’s worst maritime disaster was not the Titanic; it happened at the end of the Civil War on the Mississippi River? This novel brings the Civil War to life through the eyes of 2 teens, Leander and Paul, who choose to become soldiers for different reasons. One is injured and the other captured and sent to Andersonville. One of them is a girl and one has lied about his age. Their stories are told separately, but they do connect. Will they survive this nightmare in history and meet again? Read and find out!
May 19, 2021
This is a great book. I believe it could be better with a much deeper plot, but it always kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters are not that deep though, compared to a lot of my favorite books, the characters have emotion, depth, and their thoughts are always in line with their actions. I would want this book to have deeper characters, to make their motive much more interesting, deep and more full to satisfy your hunger for a good character. Because a good character makes it seem like they are alive. These characters, for me aren't as alive.
December 16, 2021
This is a story of two young people who have secrets and how they manage to keep their secrets during the last two years of the Civil War. When Leander's brother is injured before joining the Union Army, Leander decides to join instead since he feel his brother and father don't treat him right. Paul Settles (actually a girl) meets Leander when his father is in the hospital and Leander is brought there after his gun explodes and he has to have his arm amputated. What happens to Leander and Paul/Polly makes for a great story. Really enjoyed this story and the afterword by the author.
October 20, 2017
Definitely an interesting look at a specific experience that is not often explored in young adult literature: prisoners of war during the Civil War. The action was well-written, but the character development and cohesiveness of the story as a whole didn't impress me as much. I found it a bit tough to connect with the characters and the transition from one part to the next, as well as the ending, felt abrupt.
July 13, 2018
I'm loving this book so much right now!
It's so sweet , so deep, so many emotions!
All the right ingredients to make a delicious plot of complex struggles and trials for 2 brave , young kids!
Kathy knows how to pull that the readers heart , making it so easy to love her very realistic characters.
So much historical detail, so realistic and soulful!
I wish this journey would continue, it ends with so many possibilities!
It's so sweet , so deep, so many emotions!
All the right ingredients to make a delicious plot of complex struggles and trials for 2 brave , young kids!
Kathy knows how to pull that the readers heart , making it so easy to love her very realistic characters.
So much historical detail, so realistic and soulful!
I wish this journey would continue, it ends with so many possibilities!
May 22, 2019
Wiechman's 'Like a River' is a wonderfully-written, memorable story, perceiving the Civil War in a new way that'd hold you to the novel. The book displays adolescents learning to grow up with the war, showing courage from a new perspective. Her choice of characters differentiate it from the others, and her book idea's uniqueness shines through. With a dash of romance, the novel is both worrying and endearing, a dark chocolate of books.
September 22, 2023
3.5 stars round up for the author's note.
When I got the book, I thought the story was about two young soldiers who shouldn't be in the war. Leander for his age and Polly for her gender. They fought together side by side and protect each other till the end of the war. But no.
The book is divided into two parts: Leander and Polly's pov. And their own suffering.
I like how their fate intertwined and how the unknown future brought its own surprises.
When I got the book, I thought the story was about two young soldiers who shouldn't be in the war. Leander for his age and Polly for her gender. They fought together side by side and protect each other till the end of the war. But no.
The book is divided into two parts: Leander and Polly's pov. And their own suffering.
I like how their fate intertwined and how the unknown future brought its own surprises.
June 16, 2017
Unlike most Civil War novels I have read, this book focuses on life in Andersonville and the lingering effects of battle on the soldiers. The research is excellent and the book engagingly written, with Wiechman handling the difficult subject matter honestly. I wish there was more about Paul and Leander after the war, but on the whole this is one of my favorite Civil War novels in recent years.
August 29, 2019
A great historical fiction piece for middle school and up. I enjoyed seeing the perspective of young soldiers during the Civil War in a different light. I already knew about some of the conditions of the prisoner camp in Andersonville, but this definitely gave more detail to it and the days after the war ended. If you like history, read this one.
January 17, 2023
This is a phenomenal work of historical fiction. As an Ohio veteran myself, I appreciated the story of Ohio civil war veterans and their experiences. I had read about Andersonville before, but this telling helped me really understand what horrors the soldiers went through. I especially love the part of the story that is told from the perspective of a young woman who goes to battle in disguise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2023
3.5. Well done, though quite grim. Pretty much everything about the civil war was horribly grim though so I didn’t go in expecting happiness, even for the middle grade crowd. Would have liked to see more of Leander’s development especially after heading back home to see how he got where he did by the end!
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