My read of the week: The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks

I am absolutely infatuated with historical fiction. There's just something about the complex characters that are usually included in the work and the simple ways of life back then. I am especially fond of Renaissance, Victorian, American Civil War, WWI and WWII fiction. It doesn't necessarily have to be a romance novel, as I typically like any historical fiction novel so long as it has a good back story and is written well. Because I am such a big fan of Margaret Mitchell, Alexandria Ripley, Donald McCaig, and Charles Frazier, I was excited to read Robert Hick's The Widow of the South and I am sure it will be a great read!

The Widow of the South (ISBN 0446697435) tells a true, researched story of a woman named Carrie who lives in the deep south during and after the Battle of Franklin in the American Civil War. The novel tells of how thousands of soldiers were killed near her plantation and she becomes the caretaker of a cemetery solely dedicated to the fallen soldiers. The story flashes back to the aftermath of the battle and Carrie's struggles during the war, when her home is transformed from a plantation into a Confederate army hospital. The novel centers around her life, trials and tribulations during the battle, including the feelings and passion stirred within her heart by one wounded soldier.

This novel sounded wonderful and I can't wait to read it!

Happy reading, Crystal