#Blog Tour – Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly

#Blog Tour – Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly

Title: Sunflower Sisters

Author: Martha Hall Kelly

Published: March 30th 2021

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Pages: 528

Genres: Fiction, Historical

RRP: $29.99

Inspired by true accounts, Sunflower Sisters provides a vivid look at the Civil War experience, from the barbaric and inhumane plantations, to a war-torn New York City to the horrors of the battlefield.

From the author of the million-copy global bestseller Lilac Girls, comes a captivating new historical novel, set during the American Civil War.

Georgeanne Woolsey isn’t meant for the world of lavish parties and demure attitudes. So when civil war ignites the nation, she follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women a bother on the battlefront. She and her sister Eliza venture from New York to Washington, D.C. to Gettysburg, and while involved in the war effort witness firsthand the unparalleled horrors of slavery.

In the South, Jemma is enslaved on the Peeler Plantation, while her sister, Patience, is enslaved on the property next door. Both live in fear of LeBaron, an abusive overseer who tracks their every move. When Jemma is sold by the cruel Anne-May just as the Union Army comes through, she sees a chance to escape – but only by abandoning those she loves.

Anne-May is forced to run the Peeler Plantation when her husband joins the Union Army and her brother enlists with the Confederates. Now in charge, she uses the opportunity to follow her own ambitions and is drawn into a secret Southern network of spies . . .

Inspired by true accounts, Sunflower Sisters is a sweeping story of women caught in a country on the brink of collapse, in a society grappling with nationalism and unthinkable racial cruelty.

Review:

Providing an all-important female lens on a pivotal time in US history, Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly takes the reader back to Civil War times. The third novel in a series inspired by real people and events, Sunflower Sisters is a story of rich historical merit.

The stories of three different woman are unveiled in Martha Hall Kelly’s latest composition. We meet Georgeanna (Georgy) Woolsey, a socialite who trades a life of luxury for a nursing post when the Civil War erupts. However, Georgy meets stiff opposition from the male medical staff attending to the wounded on the battlefields. Nursing is not considered a desire occupation for a woman, especially on the battlefields, so Georgy must fight for her calling. At the same time female medical staff battle to gain any kind of recognition for their nursing efforts, slavery is rampant across the nation. Sunflower Sisters exposes this cruel and unjust world from the eyes of the women who find themselves subjected to much injustice while working on plantations across the country. We meet Jemma and her sister Patience, who live in a constant state of internal struggle as they long to break free from the confines of their brutal existence.  Will Jemma be able to escape this cruel world? The final voice in Sunflower Sisters derives from Anne-May, the wife of an owner of a plantation who is forced to take over the business when her husband and brother both join the war effort. Holding responsibility for the plantation allows Anne-May to indulge in some secret activities, but will these ambitions land her in hot water?

I jumped at the chance to read and take part in the Penguin blog tour for Sunflower Sisters, based on a couple of factors. I read through the blurb for this novel and it immediately held my interest. American history and the Civil War are definitely areas where I have a significant gap in knowledge, so the chance to learn more via an accessible narrative was definitely of interest to me. In addition, I have read one of Martha Hall Kelly’s books, Lost Roses and I have her first novel sitting on my tbr shelves. I was enthusiastic about the prospect of delving into this talented writer’s new release. I didn’t discover until the Author’s Note at the close that Sunflower Sisters is connected to the previous two novels penned by Martha Hall Kelly. I should assure you that there is no need to chase up Lilac Girls or Lost Roses to fully appreciate Sunflower Sisters. This latest release can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story.

There is no doubt that Martha Hall Kelly has dedicated a great deal of research to inform her new book. This commitment to infusing the fictional narrative of Sunflower Sisters with plenty of real-life events, facts, places and people is extremely evident throughout the novel. I was impressed by just how much detail went into every sentence, scene and chapter. There were some very powerful scenes involving nursing practices and battle ground experiences, which really moved me. Sunflower Sisters is presented over three parts (divided by some stunning sunflower themed feature cover pages) and a grand total of sixty-four chapters. Sunflower Sisters is a very expansive read. I appreciated how each new chapter took on a different alternating perspective between the core cast members, which followed a reference to the particular location interchange. This really helped to set the scene for me as a reader and the additional insert of a specific time reference helped me to cast my mind back in time to the era depicted. Martha Hall Kelly is very adept at world building, presenting each new chapter in a vibrant and believable format. Alternating the viewpoints between three very different women provides the reader with a broad perspective of this far distant past. A rich internal monologue of each protagonist emerges in Sunflower Sisters, which aids our reading of this very complex and difficult time in the history books. This dedicated approach allows Martha Hall Kelly to explore issues such as slavery, inequality, prejudice, gender relations, class structures, politics, war, divisions, atonement and revolution. With so much happening in Sunflower Sisters, I have to admit I felt the sheer weight of the book and the issues it explored. A word of warning –  this is not a story you should attempt to race through. Please put aside plenty of reading time for this one.

The fact that Sunflower Sisters has been passionately compiled using first hand visits to prominent locations, existing correspondence and historical records adds further substance to this all-encompassing tale. There are a good range of characters for the reader to contend with, some will have you crying with sadness or cowering in fear, while others will leave you completely inspired. Although I did find Sunflower Sisters a dense and challenging read, I was able to appreciate many aspects such as the rich plot, the thoughtful character composition, the faithful approach to historical record and the emphasis on a female living history.  Sunflower Sisters is a great read, especially for American history buffs.

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly was published on 30th March 2021 by Penguin Books Australia. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.

To learn more about the author of Sunflower Sisters, Martha Hall Kelly, visit here.

*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.


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