I Finally Had Time to Read a Book!

The Messenger by Siri Mitchell

*****

From the Back Cover

Hannah Sunderland felt content in her embrace of the Quaker faith...until her twin brother joined the Colonial cause and ended up in jail. She longs to bring some measure of comfort to him in the squalid prison, but her faith forbids it. The Friends believe that they are not to take sides, not to take up arms. She is not allowed to visit him, even if she were able to secure a pass.

Jeremiah Jones, a Colonial spy, needs access to the jail to help rescue men important to the cause. Upon meeting Hannah, a plan begins to develop. Who would suspect a pious Quaker visiting a loved one?

But Jeremiah is unprepared for Hannah, for her determination to do right, to not lie. How can one be a spy and not lie? Hannah, in turn, is surprised by Jeremiah...for the way he forces her to confront her own beliefs, for the sensitivity and concern that he shows her despite the wounds he still carries.

In a time of war, can two unlikely heroes find the courage to act?

Visit the author's website and  find lots of great links pertaining to this story.
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My Review:

     A tale of the Brittish Occupation in Philadelphia -  Revolutionary War era, told from first person by two main characters, accidental spies,  Hannah and Jeremiah. I assumed from the cover that this book was going to be corny or "fluff". Wrong assumption because this story caught and held my interest. From the start it was a gritty story with believable characters. Totally hooked me, and I enjoyed getting lost in this story very much. I admired the uncompromising Hannah and fell in love with  troubled hero, Jeremiah, and for a book to draw me in like that, well, it has to be well written, and this was. The story was woven into my heart as I read and found that I began to really care about and root for these characters.

   My knowledge expanded a  bit about the Quaker faith, the life of the colonials in Philadelphia, the Brittish officers there at the time, and the hauntingly unjust treatment of the prisoners of war in this setting- the Rebels. I found myself really getting upset at the terrible way they were mistreated and allowed to die.

     The story is about allowing injustice to get personal, and what it may cost to get involved and act on your convictions, as well as illustrating profoundly the cost of not acting. The characters are fiction, but it's based on true events and some of the characters are based on historical figures. I recognized some names from other books I have read. I felt near to tears at times and laughed out loud as well. Signs of an enthralling story!

     My final thoughts are this was a thought provoking and well told story. I give it 5 stars and enjoyed it thoroughly and I'll bet you will too.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255