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Sunday, August 13, 2023

A Soldier's Secret: The Incredible True Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss

Historical fiction at its best, this novel by bestselling author Marissa Moss tells the story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, who masqueraded as a man named Frank Thompson during the Civil War.

 Her adventures include serving as a nurse on the battlefield and spying for the Union Army, and being captured by (and escaping from) the Confederates. The novel is narrated by Sarah, offering readers an in-depth look not only at the Civil War but also at her journey to self-discovery as she grapples with living a lie and falling in love with one of her fellow soldiers.

Using historical materials to build the foundation of the story, Moss has crafted a captivating novel for the YA audience. The book includes a Civil War timeline, archival photos, a glossary of names, a detailed note on sources, and a new readers guide.

Kindle Edition, 408 pages
Published September 15, 2012
 by Amulet Books
3/5 stars


A Soldier's Secret is a kindle book buried in the pages of my kindle.  I thought it would be a quick read but alas 408 pages is not a quick read for me.  To be honest, I am always skeptical of stories of females impersonating males, especially in a war setting. The funny thing is that I pretty well went into this read blind.  The cover pretty much told me it would be a Civil War story.

Sarah begins her life in a rural setting in eastern Canada. She embarks on a journey that turns her into not just a soldier but a spy as well.  The story started out strong with her family and what lend her to leave them behind.  It is an interest journey, the places she went to and the people she met.  

There were some great author note's, especially as the author explained what was fact and I must say she did stay true to history.  I would have loved more time spend on the spying part verses being in Sarah's head for her internal dialogue, which was rather repetitive at times.

All in all an interesting story about an unknown heroine in US history.

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