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prairiedances's review
2.0
*Received a copy for an honest review.*
For such a fascinating subject matter, that of Emma Edmonds, a woman who fought as a man in the Civil War, "A Call to Arms" is not an interesting book. Emma's characterization is relatively superficial. There's not a whole lot to her. Yes, in the text we're told that she likes to care for the sick and that she's devout, but while reading I felt like I didn't get an in depth look at her as a character. Furthermore, she was frustratingly both self righteous and contradictory at the same time. For example, in the beginning she states that she "didn't think she'd ever wear a dress again" but then later on says (once she develops feelings for one of her male friends) that she "never considered the future beyond a year or so [in regards to posing as a man]." Which is it? Even with the Civil War as a historical backdrop, I didn't find the story engaging despite plot points Emma finds herself in such as spy work and battle. I wanted to like this book as a history fan but unfortunately I wouldn't recommend it.
For such a fascinating subject matter, that of Emma Edmonds, a woman who fought as a man in the Civil War, "A Call to Arms" is not an interesting book. Emma's characterization is relatively superficial. There's not a whole lot to her. Yes, in the text we're told that she likes to care for the sick and that she's devout, but while reading I felt like I didn't get an in depth look at her as a character. Furthermore, she was frustratingly both self righteous and contradictory at the same time. For example, in the beginning she states that she "didn't think she'd ever wear a dress again" but then later on says (once she develops feelings for one of her male friends) that she "never considered the future beyond a year or so [in regards to posing as a man]." Which is it? Even with the Civil War as a historical backdrop, I didn't find the story engaging despite plot points Emma finds herself in such as spy work and battle. I wanted to like this book as a history fan but unfortunately I wouldn't recommend it.
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