April 28, 2014 – Tales of a Book Addict

The Spymistress
by Jennifer Chiaverini

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 351
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 15 – 25, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 19
Format: Print
Source: TLC Book Tours
Series: None

Blurb: Born to slave-holding aristocracy in Richmond, Virginia, and educated by Northern Quakers, Elizabeth Van Lew was a paradox of her time. When her native state seceded in April 1861, Van Lew’s convictions compelled her to defy the new Confederate regime. Pledging her loyalty to the Lincoln White House, her courage would never waver, even as her wartime actions threatened not only her reputation, but also her life.

Van Lew helped to construct the Richmond Underground and orchestrated escapes from the infamous Confederate Libby Prison under the guise of humanitarian aid. Her spy ring’s reach was vast, from clerks in the Confederate War and Navy departments to the very home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. In Chiaverini’s riveting tale of high-stakes espionage, a great heroine of the Civil War finally gets her due.

Review: For those of you that don’t know, my college degree is in history. I have a deep love for the Civil War and Civil Rights eras. So you can imagine how quickly I jumped on the opportunity to read and review this book.

And I am pleased to tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is extremely obvious that Ms. Chiaverini has done some massive research in preparation for this novel.

I think that the most important thing we can learn from Lizzie is that you should never underestimate a woman! She totally went against the norm in her thinking as well as her actions. She risked everything to work towards something she believed in wholeheartedly. She is the ultimate definition of a hero in my opinion.

I found the writing to be impeccable. The characters, even the most minor ones, were well developed. The overall storyline never lagged for me, it kept my attention all the way through.

Overall I highly recommend this book. I think history buffs and casual readers alike will all find something enjoyable in this book!

About the author:

Jennifer Chiaverini is the author of the New York Times bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series, as well as five collections of quilt projects inspired by the novels. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago, she lives with her husband and sons in Madison, Wisconsin.