The Spymistress
I didn't realize that The Spymistress is based on a real life heroine of the civil war. I guess I didn't read the description well enough. Elizabeth Van Lew risked her life and fortune to spy for the Union and assist in the escape of many Union soldiers held prisoner by the Confederate Army. I have to admire this woman and her belief that all men are free no matter their color. In such an intense time for our country, her strength and courage are something to be admired and remembered. I think that fans of this type of fiction will love this book. The author did do an amazing job of building the tension of impending war and the high stress of the time. That being said, I found that this wasn't the book for me. I have tried historical fiction with real life people in the past and have had a hard time with them. I know that it is the author's imaginings of what may have happened, but I keep thinking in the back of my mind, "Is that what really happened?" I did get about a third of the way through the book and I found that it was well researched as far as the historical accuracy. But, for someone like me, I would rather read a straight historical non-fiction book about Elizabeth.
