G. G. Stokes’s Letters For Catherine tells the story of one William Hunter, a young boy coming of age right alongside his burgeoning country. Historically precise and emotionally accurate, the novel manages to bring the past alive, entertaining and educating at once. The romance, boyhood angst, and the bond between friends rings just as true as the smells, sights, and textures of Revolutionary America.

Lost in most textbooks, unfortunately, are the internal conflicts present in the colonies of the late eighteenth century. Too often the war is portrayed as something waged across the Atlantic, when the truth is far more sinister (and interesting). Many, if not most of the new Americans considered themselves British citizens foremost. And the difference between a revolutionary war and a civil war is more a question of who becomes the victor, rather than mere semantics.

Stokes captures this turmoil ably, as a war fought on one’s own land must also be fought in secret. An individual’s alliances are difficult to know, dangerous to safely discern, and often prove temporary.

Told through the lens of a young boy who isn’t completely interested in world affairs at first, his growth into a young man in love parallels his maturation as a soldier at war. And even though the Revolutionary War was notorious for its lack of set-piece battles—being mostly a struggle to keep the colonies’ army intact—there is enough action and intrigue interspersed throughout to keep the narrative moving.

Told over a three year period, Stokes manages to capture the many phases of conflict. Those taking place within William as well as those conducted between one great nation, and another that aspires to be. The titular letters assist in this endeavor by laying out the ruminations between William and a few other characters (most notably Catherine, the prototypical lady-in-waiting).

Letters For Catherine is an easy recommend. Well-written and wonderfully researched, the book is chock-full of local color. As a former resident of Charleston, I especially appreciated the accurate geography, all the place-names I know well such as King Street, Meeting Street, Fort Moultrie, the Cooper River, James Island. Anyone familiar with the area will revel in all the place-names.

Another bonus was being treated to a Southern war novel in which I could root for the protagonist. Civil War novels outweigh the Revolutionary by a billion to one, and are often written by Southerners attempting to romanticize the deplorable. Perhaps it is the lack of inglorious bloodshed that makes the Revolutionary era less attractive to authors. Whatever the cause, G. G. Stokes does an admirable job of highlighting the tragedy of this imbalance.

4/5

From Sandi at Goodreads:

It’s such a shame that Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue wasn’t picked up by one of the big publishing houses. It’s really one of the best young adult science fiction novels I’ve read. I liked it so much more than Ender’s Game. It’s so well paced and the characters are so engaging. I can’t believe how much action Hugh Howey packed into 283 pages. It never let up and there were surprising twists at every turn. Sadly, the big publications aren’t printing much in the way of young adult space fiction. You have vampires, wizards and dystopias, but not many spaceships and alien cultures. You especially don’t find much space fiction that have strong female protagonists who should appeal equally to girls and boys. I really loved that she spent… [Rest of review at Goodreads]

Flattering review for sure, but I would like to point out that this book wouldn’t have turned out half as well as it did HAD I published with a big house. Heck, a big house probably wouldn’t have touched it in the condition it was in when I submitted it. If you follow my little blog closely, you’ll know I credit NorLightsPress for seeing the potential in the book, and Nadene Carter for helping craft it into a final product.

I do know what Sandi means, however. This is a book that deserves a very wide readership. I think she’s probably amazed that this story is flying along under the radar. Fear not, Sandi, the book has only been out a couple months. It’s building steam. And I’d rather have it grow by word of mouth (largely through excellent reviews such as yours) than with a massive marketing push right before the big publishing house drops the book in the dust and moves on to the next thing.

Trust me. People will hear about Molly Fyde. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon.

I hope you guys and gals are following these reviews. Not so much to learn how awesome and kick-butt “Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue” is (you already knew that), but to discover and bookmark the best review sites on the web.

The Hiding Spot is a great one. A wide mixture of YA and crossover books, well-written reviews, giveaways, events, and a lovely layout. Oh, and a grading system that is a wonderful assist for readers, and will cause most authors to fidget nervously, waiting for their work to be graded.

Without further ado, here’s the review. Go check it out. Leave a comment. Then browse a little.

Maybe I should market this book as “YA Urban Fantasy.” Everyone is loving it, even those that normally wouldn’t read sci-fi. I just hate to think how many people aren’t trying the book because of genre. They’re missing out!

Here’s the Amazon review:

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. My husband read it first and would only give me the cryptic review of “You’ll like it.” He knows that I am NOT a sci-fi fan (he is) and I am almost strictly a mystery/true crime reader. Only after I read it did he tell me that he enjoyed it and is looking forward to the continuing saga.

For me, it was a light quick read. Well presented and not overly complicated – but not so simple that I felt like I was reading a kids book. I am a “skipper”. I fast-forward whenever an author gets too wordy or sidetracked with unnecessary details. Not once did I find myself skipping in “Molly Fyde”. When I had to stop reading, I looked forward to having time to sit back down and pick it up again. I enjoyed the journey that Hugh Howey took my mind on.

The plot is not so thin that the ending is obvious. The action flows swiftly without being rushed or confusing. The characters and locations are believable and easily envisioned. Conversations, thoughts, and interactions seem natural and not contrived to fit the story. Philosophical questions pop up throughout the book (without being intrusive) giving one added things to mull over.

A book has always been on my gift list for my grandchildren. “Molly” will be this year’s selection for many of them. I know both the boys and girls will enjoy it… and I think their parents will, too!

I’m still not a sci-fi fan, but am a Molly Fyde fan. The next book has a lot to live up to.

Wowsers. This is a great review from one of my favorite YA blogs. I wasn’t even sure I could get Carrie to read the book, with blockbusters like CATCHING FIRE and GIRL IN ARENA garnering so much attention.

But, she read something that appeared to be outside her tastes, and loved every bite! That seems to be the consensus with this book. Non sci-fi readers love it. Women love it. Old and young alike love it. The key is getting people to read it, so they’ll realize they love it!

Okay, enough love over here. Go to Carrie’s site and get some love over there: Carrie’s YA Bookshelf. And don’t just read this great review, poke around the site. It’s a polished place with some great recommendations. I mean — obviously — her tastes are impeccable.

I promised myself I wouldn’t look. It’s like driving down the highway, in a major traffic-jam, and promising you won’t rubber-neck. I’ll have my wife read them first, inoculating me against the negative. I’ll wait to hear from someone else.

Impossible. Even though I know it might be a grisly sight, I can’t turn away. This is my first review from a completely unbiased source, and from a pro that spends most of his time reviewing science fiction from the big boys. It’s a critic that I admire for slamming books when they’re bad (my favorite recent review from Luke was a brilliant panning of a major letdown), and is eloquent and effusive for the books he enjoys.

In sum, this is my first, and I expected it to be my worst. So, without further ado, here’s a review of Molly Fyde for you guys and gals to check out.

Enjoy

Review of Molly Fyde on Luke Reviews