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Jarrettsville
Based on a true story from the author's family history, "Jarrettsville" begins in 1869, amid chaos and confusion in the moments following Martha Jane Cairnes's murder of her fiance in front of 50 witnesses and former Union militia members.
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2009
36 people are currently reading
830 people want to read
About the author
Cornelia Nixon
10 books18 followersCornelia Nixon has written three novels, Jarrettsville, Now You See It and Angels Go Naked, as well as a book of literary criticism. She has published stories in numerous publications, and has won two O. Henry Awards, two Pushcart Prizes, a Nelson Algren Prize, and the Carl Sandburg Award for Fiction. She lives in Berkeley, California."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
September 15, 2009
Fabulous novel! I couldn't put it down. There is history, war, romance, and even a mystery in a way. The setting is the the very end of the American Civil War when North and South are still dealing with their hatred of each other and a country is torn apart by different ideas and beliefs. Tho the war is officially over, in a small town called Jarrettsville, emotions are still running high. I loved the history in this book. Very rarely do books go into much detail about the aftermath of a war. The politics, the assassination of Lincoln, the controversies of slavery and how the freedmen are treated are all summed up in this book. The author does not gloss over it either, but really lets readers see how it must have been.
Back to Jarrettsville.. The beginning of the book starts a couple years after the war has ended when Martha walks up to Nicholas and shoots him dead. She shoots him more than once. Then she cries about it. If that doesn't get ones attention, I don't know what will.. Anyway, from the get go, you know whodunit. No mystery there. But whytheydunit remains to be seen and Ms. Nixon takes us back four years before to provide the answer. Here it becomes a tragic love story complete with family conflicts, deaths, differing opinions, nosy townfolk, and even racial tensions. Do not be put off by the sudden time change. It is expertly done. Once it goes back four years, it pretty much stays there till the very end when it goes back to the time of the murder and then into the trial. The murder and trial scenes are told from different viewpoints of people involved or nearby, but the majority of the book is told from either Martha or Nicholas' point of view.
Towards the end, you know whodunit and whytheydunit, but you must keep reading to find out what becomes of Martha. Does she go to jail? Does she hang? Does her brother take the rap for her? As I said above, I couldn't put it down.
There was even, in my opinion, a moral in the story of Martha and Nicholas. Communicate! If he had only told her his concerns and cleared the air about certain issues, so much sadness could have been avoided.
Highly recommended to historical fiction or Civil War buffs or readers that just appreciate a good book.
Back to Jarrettsville.. The beginning of the book starts a couple years after the war has ended when Martha walks up to Nicholas and shoots him dead. She shoots him more than once. Then she cries about it. If that doesn't get ones attention, I don't know what will.. Anyway, from the get go, you know whodunit. No mystery there. But whytheydunit remains to be seen and Ms. Nixon takes us back four years before to provide the answer. Here it becomes a tragic love story complete with family conflicts, deaths, differing opinions, nosy townfolk, and even racial tensions. Do not be put off by the sudden time change. It is expertly done. Once it goes back four years, it pretty much stays there till the very end when it goes back to the time of the murder and then into the trial. The murder and trial scenes are told from different viewpoints of people involved or nearby, but the majority of the book is told from either Martha or Nicholas' point of view.
Towards the end, you know whodunit and whytheydunit, but you must keep reading to find out what becomes of Martha. Does she go to jail? Does she hang? Does her brother take the rap for her? As I said above, I couldn't put it down.
There was even, in my opinion, a moral in the story of Martha and Nicholas. Communicate! If he had only told her his concerns and cleared the air about certain issues, so much sadness could have been avoided.
Highly recommended to historical fiction or Civil War buffs or readers that just appreciate a good book.
August 9, 2022
MY HOUSE WAS right across the road from the hotel, and I heard the shots. At first I thought it was the usual high spirits, the Yanks congratulating themselves all over again. Every damn year since Lee betrayed us all and signed the truce, they got themselves up like peacocks, plumed hats, gold braid, and swords they did not know how to use, and pranced around a meadow for the ladies to admire. Then they would repair to the hotel that I was cursed to live too near and pour whiskey down their gullets all night long. They got so full of themselves, they would sing weepy battle hymns and lie about the glory they had shed. I could hear them perfectly.And so begins this very interesting novel. The shots heard were that of Martha Jane Cairnes shooting Nick McComas in April 1869.
Each of the chapters and sub-chapters is told in the first person by various characters. This first chapter, set in 1869, is told by various observers of the event and its immediate aftermath. Following that first chapter, the novel skips back to April of 1865 and we learn what leads up to that day in 1869 that opens the novel. I thought each of the voices was distinct and revealing of both their own character and that of others. With one exception, no one has a second first person narrative, but most have at least cameo appearances in the narratives of others. Martha Jane and Nick each get their own fairly long chapter.
Not every narrator is as explicity offensive as is that of the opener, but he isn't the only one to be so openly brazen about the "righteousness" of the South and hatred of the Northerners. The time and setting is that of Maryland recovering from the defeat of the South in the US Civil War. I have no sympathy for them while I can understand how many continued to believe in their cause. Some narrators were those who fought for the North and/or had been abolitionists before the war began.
In this way, it is not just the story of how Martha Jane Cairns came to shoot Nick McComas. Martha and Nick were real people and the shooting was a true event. The author is careful to reveal how she researched their story and shares some of the contemporaneous newspaper accounts. Overall I liked this novel, but I didn't just love it and can't quite find a 5th star.
October 1, 2016
Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today, madam.
And she's sorry to be delayed,
but last evening down at lover's lane
she strayed, madam.
Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today.
When she woke up and found
that her dream of love was gone, madam,
she ran to the man
who had lead her so far astray.
And from under her velvet gown
she drew a gun and shot her lover down, madam.
Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today.
When the mob came and got her
and dragged her from the jail, madam,
they strung her up
on the willow across the way.
And the moment before she died
she lifted up her lovely head and cried, madam.
Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch.
Well, this isn't quite the story and the people involved weren't that polite but this is the basic plot--the fury of a woman scorned in the aftermath of the Civil War.
I thought the best part was Nixon's take of a town divided between the Blue and Grey (in Maryland) trying NOT to settle down. When you've had family killed, fortunes lost and hard times you're not likely to forget and forgive no matter whose side you're on. Everyone worked so hard.
Back to the main story, Dixon does a great job of fabricating the back stories of both Nick and Martha Jane, and does it from multiple viewpoints.
April 15, 2022
Jarrettsville is a wild place.
February 14, 2016
We've heard of the Hatfields and McCoys but here is another story of a small, divided, border state community dealing with competing sympathies post Civil War. As reviewer Paula M put it: "Jarrettsville" explores the explosive sentiments on both sides of war-torn Maryland and the division brought to that part of the country by the Union victory and the murder of Abraham Lincoln. The McComas and Cairnes family farms are both run by brothers who struggle to support their sisters and mothers after the war and share an open hatred toward each other that destroys the most promising members of both families in the town of Jarrettsville, where former slave-owners, abolitionists, and freedmen live within half a mile of each other." This tragedy though, unlike the Hatfield and McCoy version, escaped general public notice until retold by a Cairnes family descendant. It is superbly told- Nixon captured each of the voices in her story convincingly. It deals head-on with multi-layered prejudices and their consequences on both personal and public levels. It is also the tragic love story of Martha Jane Cairnes and Nicholas McComas. Recommended.
June 28, 2021
I grew up in Jarrettsville! I remember when they tore down the old Jarrett house when I was very young.
I was browsing at B&N when this book caught my eye on a table and I nearly lost my mind. How could there be a book about the tiny town where I was raised that did not have a red-yellow-green traffic light until after I left for college?!! I had to buy it and read it - not expecting anything.
But, lo and behold, it held up. Not a great book, but a well-written story dealing with a real family in the border state of Maryland dealing with competing sympathies in the Civil War. I enjoyed it more than I would have otherwise because of the descriptions of places I know from my childhood; but it was still better than a lot of other books I've read that got a broader audience and more acclaim.
I was browsing at B&N when this book caught my eye on a table and I nearly lost my mind. How could there be a book about the tiny town where I was raised that did not have a red-yellow-green traffic light until after I left for college?!! I had to buy it and read it - not expecting anything.
But, lo and behold, it held up. Not a great book, but a well-written story dealing with a real family in the border state of Maryland dealing with competing sympathies in the Civil War. I enjoyed it more than I would have otherwise because of the descriptions of places I know from my childhood; but it was still better than a lot of other books I've read that got a broader audience and more acclaim.
February 1, 2011
I love historical fiction, and I love stories of real women's lives, especially women not well known to history. This book is both, and I would recommend it to any reader who shares these interests. The book is based on the true story of Martha Jane Cairnes, a woman in post-Civil War Maryland who gunned down her lover in front of an entire hotel full of witnesses and yet was found not guilty. This is not a spoiler; the murder is the first scene in the book. The author then envisions the story -- from a variety of viewpoints -- that led up to the murder and re-creates the sensational trial that followed. And though it is a very personal story of love gone wrong, the author does an excellent job of setting the story within the complex background of divided loyalties that existed in the aftermath of the Civil War, especially in Jarretsville, Maryland, just six miles south of the Mason-Dixon line.
I might have given this book 5 stars, but I do think that -- after the initial murder -- the story takes a little too long to get off the ground. At one point relatively early in the story, I was tempted not to continue, but I'm so glad that I did. (And I must say, if the author has come even reasonably close to the truth regarding Martha's lover, I might have shot him myself!)
I might have given this book 5 stars, but I do think that -- after the initial murder -- the story takes a little too long to get off the ground. At one point relatively early in the story, I was tempted not to continue, but I'm so glad that I did. (And I must say, if the author has come even reasonably close to the truth regarding Martha's lover, I might have shot him myself!)
January 3, 2015
When you think of Civil War-era novels, you usually think Deep South and just before or during the War (ok, maybe you don't; I do.). Jarrettsville takes place in Maryland, very close to Pennsylvania, in the days immediately following Lee's surrender/Lincoln's murder through four years later.
The story is based on real events, real people (the author's ancestors) - one of those "we don't talk about him/her and What Happened" things. I'm glad Ms. Nixon did find out what happened, because the murder and the "whydoneit" are fascinating. The concept of Southern Pride being so close to my Northern home surprised me - whoda thunk that Maryland was such a hotbed of Southern sympathizers? Or that even freed slaves were considered (by some) "property"?
The era and the setting alone give this book an original flavor; telling Martha's story from multiple perspectives reminds us that no one event is clear cut. Like the War itself, there are layers and layers to unfold.
The story is based on real events, real people (the author's ancestors) - one of those "we don't talk about him/her and What Happened" things. I'm glad Ms. Nixon did find out what happened, because the murder and the "whydoneit" are fascinating. The concept of Southern Pride being so close to my Northern home surprised me - whoda thunk that Maryland was such a hotbed of Southern sympathizers? Or that even freed slaves were considered (by some) "property"?
The era and the setting alone give this book an original flavor; telling Martha's story from multiple perspectives reminds us that no one event is clear cut. Like the War itself, there are layers and layers to unfold.
February 16, 2011
Jarrettsville by Cornelia Nixon begins in 1869, four years after the Confederate surrender and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, in Jarrettsville, Md., just below the Mason-Dixon line. Tensions continue to run high in this town with former Confederate and Union soldiers continue to hold their prejudices and wear them on their faces and express them in their venomous words.
With tensions running high, the only possible outcome for a young love between Martha Jane Cairnes, the daughter of a Southern and loyal Confederate family, and Nick McComas, a former Union soldier and advocate of Black rights, is heartache and murder.
Nixon rips pages from events in her family history to create a novel that breaths life into the tensions following the U.S. Civil War. Despite the reunification of our nation, both sides are unwilling to let go and reconcile.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/02/j...
With tensions running high, the only possible outcome for a young love between Martha Jane Cairnes, the daughter of a Southern and loyal Confederate family, and Nick McComas, a former Union soldier and advocate of Black rights, is heartache and murder.
Nixon rips pages from events in her family history to create a novel that breaths life into the tensions following the U.S. Civil War. Despite the reunification of our nation, both sides are unwilling to let go and reconcile.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/02/j...
October 11, 2009
This book is the second book featured in Tattered Cover's new program of "Very Impressive Books" and has quickly become a staff and community favorite.
Cathy L says:
Cornelia Nixon's novel begins in 1869 as Martha Jane Cairnes murders Nicholas McComas infront of many witnesses in Jarrettsville, Maryland, a town just below the Mason-Dixon Line and a microcosm of America in the years following the Civil War. This tale of two lovers and why it ends so badly for them is the story of neighbor fighting neighbor, old customs and quarrels dying hard, passion, friendship, and the complicated relationships between whites and blacks, all told exquisitely.
***Please look for this great book at you local independent bookstore. A store finder can be found at www.indiebound.org.***
Cathy L says:
Cornelia Nixon's novel begins in 1869 as Martha Jane Cairnes murders Nicholas McComas infront of many witnesses in Jarrettsville, Maryland, a town just below the Mason-Dixon Line and a microcosm of America in the years following the Civil War. This tale of two lovers and why it ends so badly for them is the story of neighbor fighting neighbor, old customs and quarrels dying hard, passion, friendship, and the complicated relationships between whites and blacks, all told exquisitely.
***Please look for this great book at you local independent bookstore. A store finder can be found at www.indiebound.org.***
June 24, 2010
Having moved to Jarrettsville in Harford COunty at the age of thirteen, I found this very exciting. Knowing the places the author talked of, being able to place where each event (or almost each) happened was really cool. I had no idea that anything like this had happened in this small town and to know that I know some of the families was neat. I'm glad I got to hear the author and meet her when she came to the Jarrettsville branch of the library. I also met some of her relatives and saw some personal photos brought by some of them. It was a great read even without having lived in the area, that just made it all the more interesting on a personal level.
March 19, 2013
Enjoyed this book based on the author's ancestor who shot her fiancé in front of the whole town. The description of the town of Jarrettsville, MD, and the animosity that existed between neighbors who had fought on different sides of the Civil War gave this reader a good feel for how emotions still ran high, even though the war was over. The various first hand accounts from the witnesses, prisoner, and victim was an excellent way for the author to tell the story. I became especially annoyed during her fiance's point of view. His behavior and abandonment of her was unforgivable. No small wonder she shot him..
August 13, 2009
Great historical fiction book that is based on the author's family line. Taking place during Lincoln's assasination near the Mason-Dixon Line, the story captures the essence of living life during those times. It is also a love story but is not overwhelming. Each chapter is written from the point of view of a different character. I could picture every scene as I read through this well-written book.
February 11, 2016
Starting where movie "Lincoln" left off, this is a fine piece of fiction set in the aftermath of the Civil War. The heroine has shot her fiance and is going to trial for murder. Many characters speak, giving the reader a timeline of events. Tender, tormented, the ravaged land and its inhabitants recreate the violence of war and show that justice in the works of man is seldom found.
January 13, 2019
WOW, awesome historical fiction based on a true story
Awesome historical fiction, based on a true story. This book has it all, mystery, scorned woman,illegitimate child in the 1800, issues of slavery, trial of the century, murder, etc. It takes place right as the civil war has ended and their are still a lot of the conflicts of brother against brother neighbor against neighbor. The virtue of a woman still meant something. This was just an all around awesome historical, based on a true story, fiction book. Finished this in 2 nights as I had to stay up late just to see how the trial ended.
Awesome historical fiction, based on a true story. This book has it all, mystery, scorned woman,illegitimate child in the 1800, issues of slavery, trial of the century, murder, etc. It takes place right as the civil war has ended and their are still a lot of the conflicts of brother against brother neighbor against neighbor. The virtue of a woman still meant something. This was just an all around awesome historical, based on a true story, fiction book. Finished this in 2 nights as I had to stay up late just to see how the trial ended.
January 22, 2019
I was involved with this book the minute I read the first chapter. This historical fiction keeps you guessing as to what is going to happen next. The author, who based the story on her real life ancestors, and I was ready to ready about a string of Jarrettsville streets, places, and events - something other authors do when they write a story based in a real current day town. Cornelia did a great job on NOT focusing solely on the town but using it as a backdrop to paint the love story between Martha Jane and Nick. I am going to recommend this story to my book club because the story has complexity and deals with many topics such as racism, pride, communication, misogyny, and politics.
August 30, 2019
There are some parts that I liked about this book - the history and how life was after the end of the Civil War, as well as the growing relationship between Martha and Nicholas, but couldn’t understand how it all fell apart and why there was such a big understanding on Nicholas’ part causing him to end the relationship, without talking to Martha about the rumor or even demanding to see his son to prove he was the father. I didn’t enjoy the trial, but was surprised by the verdict, especially when in Martha’s chapter she refers to “her last day”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2024
Breathtaking! Brilliantly written and unforgettable story.
Concise, not a wasted word, and told in a fresh page-turning format that swept me - as in a perpetual, irresistible wave - all the way to its thrilling climax. In my opinion, "Jarrestsville" is a true and lasting work of art, having given me the reader's satisfaction on the same playing field as "In Cold Blood" and "To Kill A Mocking Bird."
Concise, not a wasted word, and told in a fresh page-turning format that swept me - as in a perpetual, irresistible wave - all the way to its thrilling climax. In my opinion, "Jarrestsville" is a true and lasting work of art, having given me the reader's satisfaction on the same playing field as "In Cold Blood" and "To Kill A Mocking Bird."
February 20, 2019
A Good Read
Based on actual events from the author's own family, this was an enjoyable read. I liked how the characters each told their own story. Being an amateur genealogist, this is the kind of book I would like to write if I came across such events in my own research. Well done!
Based on actual events from the author's own family, this was an enjoyable read. I liked how the characters each told their own story. Being an amateur genealogist, this is the kind of book I would like to write if I came across such events in my own research. Well done!
March 13, 2024
My wife's family is from the area this takes places in, and we've been to the real gravesites, so we were definitely interested in a historical fiction novel about the events. Well written, if a little melodramatic at times. I didn't know how strong support for the Confederacy continued be in the area after the war ended.
March 13, 2019
The star is for just being an attempt to bring a historical event out. I couldn’t feel any attachments to anyone. When I would sit down to try to read further, I kept coming up with excuses not to pick up the book. Sorry 😐
July 27, 2022
A compelling, fact-based story. While the outcome is a bit of a foregone conclusion, the multiple narrators make the tension build to a surprising level. And as the old saying goes, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
December 21, 2022
About 3/4 of the way thru I realized I had already read the book (there is a scene in the book that is rather hard to forget). Still, I enjoyed the story and writing style and since I didn't remember how it ended, I just went ahead and finished.
June 21, 2021
Interesting historical fictional account based on a true story of a murder in Harford County in the years after the Civil War.
December 1, 2022
3.8 - I enjoyed this book but it dragged in several spots.
January 18, 2023
Fascinating
Loved every minute.
Loved every minute.
December 3, 2024
Intriguing read about how females were treated in the county where I grew up. Lots of family names and places I recognized.
Great historical fiction read
Great historical fiction read
November 16, 2012
This is embarrassing. I actively asked my friend to borrow this book from her after reading her glowing review 3 years ago...and then it took me that long to actually read it. And only because another friend wanted to do a buddy read on it! Thank goodness she finally asked because A) I was able to read it and return it to its rightful owner, and B) I got to experience this book firsthand and it was fantastic!
Our public library doesn't have this and it's a dang shame because I was seriously thinking about choosing it for book club. The story starts out with a literal bang--in 1865 after Lincoln is assassinated, Martha Jane Cairnes shoots her former fiancee Nick Comas 5 times, killing him. Why? What could have led up to that? Then the book goes back to when they first meet, and you get to learn about the courting of Nick and Martha (from both their perspectives), and what unfortunate events led to Nick's untimely demise.
Martha and Nick were real people, loosely related to Cornelia Nixon, which makes this story that much more fascinating. And she has a beautiful knack for writing, writing her characters from multiple perspectives authentically. She illustrates a variety of themes without hammering the reader over the head: the upheaval felt after the Civil War, the strong beliefs of appropriate male/female roles in society (and why you should never violate those roles), former slave owners taking advantage of their slaves/freedmen/freedwomen, the enduring racism of the rebels, the repressed and feared sexuality of women, the pressure to conform for both men and women, postpartum depression--all handled with deft and grace. She covers a lot of ground, but it never dragged. I just wish I'd been able to read it without so many breaks, but other things got in the way.
A fascinating, beautifully told story that felt utterly unique. Well done, Ms. Nixon!
Our public library doesn't have this and it's a dang shame because I was seriously thinking about choosing it for book club. The story starts out with a literal bang--in 1865 after Lincoln is assassinated, Martha Jane Cairnes shoots her former fiancee Nick Comas 5 times, killing him. Why? What could have led up to that? Then the book goes back to when they first meet, and you get to learn about the courting of Nick and Martha (from both their perspectives), and what unfortunate events led to Nick's untimely demise.
Martha and Nick were real people, loosely related to Cornelia Nixon, which makes this story that much more fascinating. And she has a beautiful knack for writing, writing her characters from multiple perspectives authentically. She illustrates a variety of themes without hammering the reader over the head: the upheaval felt after the Civil War, the strong beliefs of appropriate male/female roles in society (and why you should never violate those roles), former slave owners taking advantage of their slaves/freedmen/freedwomen, the enduring racism of the rebels, the repressed and feared sexuality of women, the pressure to conform for both men and women, postpartum depression--all handled with deft and grace. She covers a lot of ground, but it never dragged. I just wish I'd been able to read it without so many breaks, but other things got in the way.
A fascinating, beautifully told story that felt utterly unique. Well done, Ms. Nixon!
November 4, 2009
A really impressive novel...fast-paced but still rich in spot-on period detail, Jarrettsville is the story of why Martha Jane Cairnes shot and killed her fiance Nick McComas in front of 50+ former Union soldiers celebrating the anniversary of Lee's surrender at Appomatox. The first and final sections of the novel take place in 1869 at the time of Nick's murder and Martha's trial, while the middle section takes us back to 1865, and the start of Martha and Nick's relationship.
Nixon uses one of my favorite narrative techniques - using a variety of characters to tell the story. While Martha and Nick are the primary narrators, we also hear from the town doctor, the sheriff, Martha's cousin Isie, and others. Each narrative voice propels the story further and further along until its ultimate conclusion: the verdict on Martha's guilt or innocence.
It's a story of love gone tragically wrong...a tragedy informed by the time, immediately post-Civil War and Lincoln's assassination, and place, Maryland, a state where brothers, cousins, and neighbors ended up on opposite sides - some Union, some secessionist. There's great suspense as the story of Martha and Nick unfolds, but also so much else going on, particularly issues of race (portrayed mainly through Martha's touching relationship with Tim, a former slave) and gender (double-standards abound, as we see with both Martha and Isie).
Cornelia Nixon is a descendant of Martha Jane's family, and based the story (including much of the testimony at trial) on newspaper reports and the family papers she inherited - which just goes to show that skeletons in the family closet make great stories.
Nixon uses one of my favorite narrative techniques - using a variety of characters to tell the story. While Martha and Nick are the primary narrators, we also hear from the town doctor, the sheriff, Martha's cousin Isie, and others. Each narrative voice propels the story further and further along until its ultimate conclusion: the verdict on Martha's guilt or innocence.
It's a story of love gone tragically wrong...a tragedy informed by the time, immediately post-Civil War and Lincoln's assassination, and place, Maryland, a state where brothers, cousins, and neighbors ended up on opposite sides - some Union, some secessionist. There's great suspense as the story of Martha and Nick unfolds, but also so much else going on, particularly issues of race (portrayed mainly through Martha's touching relationship with Tim, a former slave) and gender (double-standards abound, as we see with both Martha and Isie).
Cornelia Nixon is a descendant of Martha Jane's family, and based the story (including much of the testimony at trial) on newspaper reports and the family papers she inherited - which just goes to show that skeletons in the family closet make great stories.
April 12, 2011
A fascinating, well-written look at the aftermath of the Civil War. The story (based on actual historical events) begins with the murder, in broad daylight, of Nick McComas, a Union soldier and sheep farmer, by a Rebel farmer's daughter, Martha Jane Cairnes, who was Nick's betrothed. The author, Cornelia Nixon, who is a descendant of Cairnes, takes us back in time, through the events leading up to the killing and the subsequent trial.
A stunningly-written novel that explores the explosive sentiments on both sides of war-torn Maryland and the division brought to that part of the country by the Union victory and the murder of Abraham Lincoln. The McComas and Cairnes family farms are both run by brothers who struggle to support their sisters and mothers after the war and share an open hatred toward each other that destroys the most promising members of both families in the town of Jarrettsville, where former slave-owners, abolitionists, and freedmen live within half a mile of each other.
The author tells the story through the various points-of-view of Nick McComas, Martha Jane Cairnes, Martha Jane's brother, Richard, who is implicated in the turn of events between Nick and Martha Jane, Martha Jane's mother, and a host of other witnesses and family members. The voices ring true and the descriptions of the countryside and the emotions that drove both sides of the war are superbly detailed. Not only for Civil War buffs, Jarrettsville is a terrific read for those who like historicals and tragic love stories.
A stunningly-written novel that explores the explosive sentiments on both sides of war-torn Maryland and the division brought to that part of the country by the Union victory and the murder of Abraham Lincoln. The McComas and Cairnes family farms are both run by brothers who struggle to support their sisters and mothers after the war and share an open hatred toward each other that destroys the most promising members of both families in the town of Jarrettsville, where former slave-owners, abolitionists, and freedmen live within half a mile of each other.
The author tells the story through the various points-of-view of Nick McComas, Martha Jane Cairnes, Martha Jane's brother, Richard, who is implicated in the turn of events between Nick and Martha Jane, Martha Jane's mother, and a host of other witnesses and family members. The voices ring true and the descriptions of the countryside and the emotions that drove both sides of the war are superbly detailed. Not only for Civil War buffs, Jarrettsville is a terrific read for those who like historicals and tragic love stories.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews