Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly (2021 fiction)
This is the third and last in the series about the Woolsey family women. (The previous books were Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.) This novel takes place during the Civil War and tells the stories of 3 women in alternating chapters: Georgeanna Woolsey, a Union Army nurse and activist, Anne-May Watson, a Maryland tobacco plantation owner, and Jemma, her “house slave.” Spanning only the years 1861 to 1864, Kelly has packed a lot of history and adventure into her book. The telling is graphic in places and expresses both heroism and cruelty. Based on the written accounts and correspondence of the Woolsey family women, Kelly has crafted an entertaining and informative novel that holds your attention until the end. If you haven’t read Lilac Girls or Lost Roses yet, you don’t need to read the books in order, but I do recommend those as well.
Reviewed by Ginger Russell
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