Tag Archive | historical fiction

Spatzle Speaks: Patriot’s Courage (Book Review)

Sep11
Reading Time: 2 minutes

If you like historical novels Patriot’s Courage by Penelope Marzec might be one you would enjoy. Although there are no dogs in it, my mom seemed to like the story very much.

Ryan McGown has lost his brother in an Indian rampage and vows to kill every Indian can. His views are challenged by his belief in God and a beautiful, independent young woman who has lived with them.

Màxkchulëns was adopted by the Lenape at four years of age. She has adapted to life as an Indian in spite of her red hair and white skin. When here husband is killed in battle she is captured and brought to the fort where Ryan is commanded to teach her English. Raw grief and a longing for her home war with attraction to the young soldier.

Ryan is equally attracted but his faith is challenged when he discovers Màxkchulëns, also called Red Bird, is with child. A Lenape child.

Red Bird struggles to understand English and the faith of her parents from long ago as Ryan instructs her. What is grace? How can she understand this? Life gets confusing for her when once again her white heritage clashes with her Indian upbringing.

I don’t want to give any spoilers away but Penelope Marzec weaves tale full of twists and turns and you won’t want to miss any of it! I give this book five bones, becuase I’m a dog and I don’t have thumbs.

Spatzle Baganz, book reviewer for the silygoos blog because that’s how we roll.

Field of the Fatherless (Book Review)

Oct25

Reading Time: 2 minutes9781938499920Field of the Fatherless is a new young adult novel out by Elaine Cooper. I thought it was a disturbing but honest portrayal of what life was like at the beginning of America’s war for Independence.

Betsy Russell is a young woman struggling to cope with the reality of what life is  bringing to her small village. The fear, the devastation and the heartbreaking losses create a well of resentment within her. Called on by a neighbor to help care for a dying man she agrees before she learns that the man is British. Can she care for a man who is part of an army that so ruthlessly killed people she loved?

Confronted by this man’s grave injuries she provides care, because God calls us to love our enemies. She begins to understand that the choices he had to made were not always in his control either and that war is brutal on both sides. Both the British and the American’s were capable of gross atrocities.

This book looks at the reality of life in 1775. Told from Betsy’s perspective we see the harsh realities of not only that time period but the sacrifices made for independence. The cost of duty and devotion are not minimized. This story has a strong faith line as Betsy struggles with her fear and to forgive as well as to move past the images and sounds  that occur to live in the world that her father and many others died to preserve. While written for young adults, the story would be one that any adult would be impacted by. Thank you for taking us there, Elaine!